Everybody—local or tourist—refers to the “French Quarter” when they speak of the “Crescent City’s” famous night life district when in fact it would be more accurate to describe it as the “Spanish Quarter.”

While the first European residents of New Orleans were French, the architecture of the French Quarter is Spanish.  This came about when France gave up control of the city to Spain in 1763 to pay off a war debt.   That lasted until 1803.

Fires destroyed the Vieux Carre’s (Old Square) original French architecture during Spain’s 40-year rule which confirms that much of the city’s alluring charm is the result of the rebuilding effort by the Spanish.

I learned about that from Rosemary Magill, doyenne of Woodlawn Ave., in Athens and the wife of preeminent Bulldog personality, Dan Magill.  Rosemary, a very learned woman, was a native of New Orleans.

You can find this treatise on the Internet about the Spanish influence: “The flat-tiled roofs, tropical colors, and ornate ironwork of the French Quarter are Iberian touches brought from across the Atlantic.  In order to prevent fires, the Spanish-controlled government mandated that stucco replace wood construction material and that all buildings be placed close together and near the street.  Where there used to be yards and open spaces surrounding buildings, the French Quarter was now rendered more intimate and more secretive, with continuous facades and arched passageways, and gorgeous rear gardens and courtyards hidden from street view.”

My first trip to New Orleans came about Thanksgiving 1957 when then Georgia Track Coach, Spec Tows, had enough unused money in the budget to send three of us to run in a cross-country event five miles down Canal Street, billed as the “Turkey Day Race.”  It was sponsored and promoted by the New Orleans Athletic Club.  The event attracted runners from every part of the country.

A teammate, Cliff Simonton, had an older brother who lived in New Orleans.  The senior Simonton was an electrician and had connections in the city and took us to one of the clubs in the French Quarter where there were burlesque dancers.  With my upbringing, I felt that I was visiting Sodom and Gomorrah and hoped that I would be lucky to board the plane back to Atlanta before New Orleans was destroyed.  

Secretly, however, I was curiously overwhelmed by what I had experienced but would never have confessed what I had done to anyone back in the neighborhood where I had grown up.  I was afraid that I might be turned into a sack of salt.

Excursions to “N’awlins,” one of the many nicknames for the city, became frequent.  The Southeastern Conference meetings took place there quite often and then there were trips to the Sugar Bowl and Super Bowls along with spring jaunts to the Greater New Orleans golf tournament.  Then there were football games with Tulane and LSU.

Somehow it has never worked out for a journey there for the annual Mardi Gras celebration.  I don’t have a bucket list, but it would be nice to enjoy that experience someday.

The attraction that holds unabridged fascination with New Orleans today is the World War II Museum.  Even after several trips there, I am always eager for an encore.

This museum, with its “Road to Berlin” and “Road to Tokyo” exhibits, leaves one in awe.  It was the brainchild of Stephen Ambrose, famed WWII historian, whom I met one spring day, a fortuitous circumstance in that he arranged for me to meet many World War II heroes including a German panzer commander who said, “As a professional soldier, I did my job, but as a human being, I hold no hate.”

Most of my New Orleans journeys had a personal touch in that a UGA classmate, Vernon Brinson, became a frequent host.  He was a popular and successful businessman who knew everybody in the city and could have been a knowledgeable guide in the French quarter.  He introduced his friends to sports celebrities such as the NFL’s Archie Manning and the NBA’s Bob Pettit.  Vernon became President and Chairman of the Sugar Bowl, one of the city’s most enthusiastic goodwill ambassadors.   

He represents the traditional American way.  Emerge from a modest background to praiseworthy achievement by underscoring the work ethic, integrity, and resourcefulness.  If you became a customer of his, as a car dealer, you also became his friend.