Wards of New Orleans
Encyclopedia
The city of New Orleans, Louisiana
is divided into 17 wards. Politically, the wards are used in voting
in election
s, subdivided into precinct
s. Under various previous city charters of the 19th century, aldermen and later city council members were elected by ward. The city has not had officials elected to represent wards since 1912, but the ward designations remain a part of New Orleans' fabric. Socially, it is not uncommon for New Orleanians to identify where they are from by their ward number.
Beginning in the 1980s, residents began to give new cultural meaning to wards as part of their local identity. Extremely prevalent in New Orleans hip hop (particularly Bounce Music
), jazz, and other local genres of music, the concepts of 'calling out' one's ward (stating the ward of one's residence), and 'throwing up' one's ward (holding one's digits on one or both hands to signify their ward) have become mainstays of local culture and are even embraced casually at culturally mainstream events such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
. Although this practice is often seen as overly territorial and hostile—sometimes blamed for inciting violence—many simply see it as a friendly camaraderie shared with one's neighborhood.
Cut-Off (Lower Algiers)
Fisher
Christopher Homes
Terry Town
Algiers Point
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
is divided into 17 wards. Politically, the wards are used in voting
Voting
Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion—often following discussions, debates, or election campaigns. It is often found in democracies and republics.- Reasons for voting :...
in election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s, subdivided into precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
s. Under various previous city charters of the 19th century, aldermen and later city council members were elected by ward. The city has not had officials elected to represent wards since 1912, but the ward designations remain a part of New Orleans' fabric. Socially, it is not uncommon for New Orleanians to identify where they are from by their ward number.
History
Most of the boundaries of Wards 1 through 11 were drawn in 1852 when the city was reorganized from three separate municipalities into one centralized government. With various changes, these boundaries remain largely the same. The rest of the Wards were formed from the expansion of the city boundaries in the 1870s. The 12th, 13th, and 14th Wards were formed by annexation of land up river from the older city of New Orleans that had been Jefferson City and Greenville; the 15th by the annexation of the city of Algiers, Louisiana across the Mississippi River from the rest of the city, and finally the 16th and 17th Wards formed from the annexed city of Carrollton, still the furthest portion of the city up river at the Jefferson Parish line.Beginning in the 1980s, residents began to give new cultural meaning to wards as part of their local identity. Extremely prevalent in New Orleans hip hop (particularly Bounce Music
Bounce music
Bounce music is an energetic style of New Orleans hip hop music which is said to have originated as early as the late 1980s, but is typically believed to have begun with the 1991 single "Where Dey At" by MC T.Tucker and DJ Irv...
), jazz, and other local genres of music, the concepts of 'calling out' one's ward (stating the ward of one's residence), and 'throwing up' one's ward (holding one's digits on one or both hands to signify their ward) have become mainstays of local culture and are even embraced casually at culturally mainstream events such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, often known as Jazz Fest, is an annual celebration of the music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana...
. Although this practice is often seen as overly territorial and hostile—sometimes blamed for inciting violence—many simply see it as a friendly camaraderie shared with one's neighborhood.
Uptown Wards
- 1st Ward1st Ward of New OrleansThe 1st Ward or First Ward is one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans, divisions of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.It is geographically one of the smaller wards of the city. Roughly triangular in shape, the boundaries are Thalia Street , Felicity Street , and the Mississippi River...
- 2nd Ward2nd Ward of New OrleansThe 2nd Ward or Second Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans. -Boundaries:The Ward fronts the Mississippi River. The down-river or "lower" boundary is Julia Street, across which is the 3rd Ward...
- 3rd Ward3rd Ward of New OrleansThe 3rd Ward or Third Ward is one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans, a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.-Boundaries:The Ward touches the Mississippi River as its front. The down-river boundary is Canal Street, below which is the city's 4th Ward. The upper boundary is Julia Street,...
- 10th Ward10th Ward of New OrleansThe 10th Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. The 10th Ward is one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.The Ward is one of the city's Uptown wards, formerly the old Faubourg Lafayette annexed by New Orleans in 1850s.-Boundaries:...
- 11th Ward11th Ward of New OrleansThe 11th Ward or Eleventh Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The 11th Ward is one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans....
- 12th Ward12th Ward of New OrleansThe 12th Ward or Twelfth Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans. The Ward was formerly part of the old Jefferson City annexed by New Orleans in 1870....
- 13th Ward13th Ward of New OrleansThe 13th Ward or Thirteenth Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.The Ward was formerly part of the old Jefferson City anexed by New Orleans in 1870....
- 14th Ward14th Ward of New OrleansThe 14th Ward or Fourteenth Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.The Ward was formed in 1870 from part of Jefferson City and the town of Greenville which were annexed by New Orleans.-Boundaries:...
- 16th Ward16th Ward of New OrleansThe 16th Ward or Sixteenth Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans. New Orleans Districts and Wards...
- 17th Ward17th Ward of New OrleansThe 17th Ward is one of the seventeen Wards of New Orleans, a section of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans Districts and Wards. The 17th Ward, along with the 16th, was formed when the City of New Orleans annexed City of Carrollton in 1870....
Downtown Wards
- 4th Ward4th Ward of New OrleansThe 4th Ward or Fourth Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.-Boundaries:...
- 5th Ward5th Ward of New OrleansThe 5th Ward or Fifth Ward is a division of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.-Boundaries:The roughly "L" shaped ward stretches through the city from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain. The lower boundary is St. Philip Street, across which is the 6th...
- 6th Ward6th Ward of New OrleansThe 6th Ward or Sixth Ward is one of the seventeen Wards of New Orleans, located in the Downtown section of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.-Boundaries:...
- 7th Ward7th Ward of New OrleansThe 7th Ward is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is geographically the second largest of the 17 Wards of New Orleans, after the 9th Ward.-Boundaries and geography:...
- 8th Ward8th Ward of New OrleansThe 8th Ward is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is one of the Downtown Wards of New Orleans, with a Creole history.The 8th Ward is a narrow strip stretching from the Mississippi River on the south to Lake Pontchartrain in the north...
- 9th Ward
West Bank Wards
- 15th Ward
Cut-Off (Lower Algiers)
Fisher
Christopher Homes
Terry Town
Algiers Point
See also
- Neighborhoods in New Orleans
- Housing Projects of New OrleansHousing Projects of New OrleansThe Housing Authority of New Orleans is a housing authority in New Orleans, Louisiana tasked with providing housing to low-income residents....