New Orleans Population 2010: 343,829, #52 in U.S., #1 in Louisiana 1950: 570,445, #16 in U.S. 2010
Metropolitan Area: 1,167,764, #46 in U.S. 1950 Metropolitan Area: 685,405, #21 in U.S. The population of New Orleans is still about 100,000 less than it was immediately before Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Setting New Orleans was founded by the French on the Mississippi River in 1718. Today it is a major port for cargo and cruise ships. The Canal Street Ferry takes passengers and vehicles across the river. Buildings Tallest building: Hancock Whitney Center (1972), 697 feet List of tallest buildings Stores The Shops at Canal Place have a Saks Fifth Avenue department store. The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk (2014), located along the river on the site of the 1984 World’s Fair, was the first downtown outlet center in the U.S. Trains Amtrak has service from New Orleans west to Houston and Los Angeles on the Sunset Limited, north to Memphis and Chicago on the City of New Orleans, and northeast to Atlanta and New York City on the Crescent. The service east to Florida has been suspended since Hurricane Katrina. Trains operate from Union Passenger Terminal (1954). New Orleans has three streetcar lines. The St. Charles Line has been in operation since 1835. |  New Orleans and Mississippi River Museums The Louisiana State Museum has several properties in the French Quarter. The National World War II Museum and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas are located downtown. Theaters The Regal Cinebarre Canal Place closed in 2019. The Saenger Theatre (1927) and the Orpheum Theater (1917) were both closed after being severely damaged in Hurricane Katrina, but both have reopened. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra plays at the Orpheum Theater and other locations. The Mahalia
Jackson Theater hosts the New Orleans Opera. The Saenger hosts touring Broadway shows. Sports The New Orleans Baby Cakes, Triple-A Pacific Coast League affiliate of the Miami Marlins, played in the town of Metairie, just west of New Orleans, through 2019. They will move to Wichita in 2020. The NFL New Orleans Saints play at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (1975). The NBA New Orleans Pelicans play at the Smoothie King Center (1999).
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