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New Orleans' St. Charles Streetcars

© Lynne A. Williams

At the top of this page is a photograph of one of San Francisco’s historic streetcars, which I wrote about in one of my earliest columns. Although this photograph is not a New Orleans streetcar, San Francisco is in possession of one of these luxurious streetcars. With its mahogany seats, brass detailing, and comfortably upholstered seating, this streetcar is among the most popular in San Francisco. What many San Franciscans and visitors to that City do not know, is that the St. Charles Line, home of these streetcars, is still very much in operation in New Orleans.

The St. Charles Line runs through New Orleans’ beautiful Garden District and is the oldest continuously operated streetcar line in the world. In 1835, the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad began as a steam line, but after the Civil War it began using an even older power source, horse power and, for a time, mule power. In 1893, the line was converted to overhead electricity and has used that power source ever since. In 1973, the St. Charles Line was entered onto the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1984 the streetcar line was declared a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.

The St. Charles Line begins at the corner of Canal and Carondelet Streets, in New Orleans’ Central Business District, and winds its way for 13.2 miles through the elegant Garden District, past Tulane and Loyola Universities and out to the Audubon Zoological Gardens. Like the St. Charles Line, the entire Garden District is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Garden District was settled in the 1850’s by the “noveau riche” of that time, successful entrepreneurs who were unwelcome in the French Quarter. The District features large, elegant homes exemplifying many architectural styles, including Italianate, Greek Revival and Victorian. The gardens are lush and the fences of great interest. As New Orleans author Francis Parkinson Keyes noted when describing the Garden District, the “fences cost(ing) as much as some houses in suburbia.” A very enjoyable way of touring the Garden District is by taking a walking tour – either with a guide or self-guided. With a tour, you will learn about the history of these homes, the folks who have lived in them and many historical tidbits.

After your streetcar ride and your walk throughout the District, stop into one of the local restaurants. We enjoyed Cannon’s, located right on St. Charles. The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxing and the menu very extensive and diverse. There are a variety of appetizers, including New Orleans specialties like seafood gumbo and fried tomatoes with sautéed oysters and hollandaise. Cannon’s serves a great Cajun popcorn salad, which my son enjoyed. Entrees include seafood, chicken, steaks, chops, burgers, ribs and pasta. I chose the Chicken Oysters Rockefeller, grilled chicken with fried oysters, creamed spinach and hollandaise. The desserts are very tempting, and the prices quite reasonable.