Irish Channel

In the early 19th century, immigrants from Germany, Italy, and Ireland, native-born Americans, and free people of color settled in the Irish Channel. This area was part of the City of Lafayette, which was later became part of the City of New Orleans in 1852. During the 1840s, an influx of Irish immigrants moved to New Orleans to flee the potato famine in Ireland. The Irish and other immigrants worked the waterfront, which provided a plethora of jobs.

Fun Fact! All members of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band were born and raised in the Irish Channel.

Today, the Irish Channel is home to the St. Patricks’s Parade, where revelers can catch cabbage, potatoes, carrots, beads, and moon pies. Origins of architectural styles of the Channel still exist, such as the single and double shotgun cottages, warehouses, and dock-related structures.