By: Melissa Jedrey
Population
New Orleans' population has gone through many changes over recent years. Back in 2005, pre-Katrina, the population of New Orleans was much higher than it is today. On July 1st 2005 the population of New Orleans was 453,726. After Hurricane Katrina the population dropped about half of that number. On July 1st 2006, exactly a year later, the population had dropped to 210,198. A year after that the population had begun to slowly grow larger. On July 1st 2007, New Orleans' population had gone up to 239,124. As the data shows, New Orleans is slowly getting its citizens back. They have been rebuilding the touristy areas of to get the tourists to come back. This way business can make money again. Some former residents are coming back to rebuild their houses to try to get their life in New Orleans back. People believe that over the years, the population will grow as things are fixed. Once the important places are rebuilt I'm sure New Orleans will be that wonderful place once again.
Why New Orleans Is Special
New Orleans was once a vibrant city with exotic food and exciting nightlife. New Orleans was an amazing place to people who lived and visited the city. People who had been there said it was unlike anywhere else. There are many different parts of New Orleans. The oldest and better known area is the French Quarter. New Orleans was made up of mixes of all kinds of architecture. There was Spanish, French, Creole and American style architecture. "Intimate and unique, New Orleans' oldest neighborhood has exerted a spell over writers and artists since the time of Mark Twain, Lafcadio, and John James Audubon." (Neworleansonline.com). The French Quarter was a glamorous place that was visited by celebrities and local residents alike. In fact the residents of New Orleans were one of the main things that made the city special. The people are all very different in their cultures. There are people of all different races and religions. Back in the early days there were French, African, and Creole people living in the city. When your average American sees New Orleans they think of it as more of a European place than an American city. New Orleans was far from boring with its festivals, music, and restaurants. The chefs of New Orleans aren't afraid to experiment with their food; they especially like to use spices. Before the tragedy that was Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was quite the hot spot. What made it so special was that it was unique, a yellow fish within a school of grey. It was the kind of place you'd go to and never forget.
Why Move Back
New Orleans was and still is loved by many people. Where you live, and where you grow up is an important place to you. The place you call home is special and full of memories. As they say, home is where the heart is. I know that I personally have an attachment to my home. When people move into there homes they move into that area for a reason. There are certain features that draw you to that specified place. If you wanted to live there before the Hurricane, you would want to live there after or you would like to still live there if there wasn't the destruction that there is. These people’s homes and the places they've gone to are special and full of precious memories. You can probably think of some places in your own hometown that you’re fond of. The people of New Orleans feel the same about the places they've been. When Hurricane Katrina hit, it caused a lot of heart breaking destruction. People's homes were ruined along with everything else. Most of New Orleans flooded to very high levels of dangerous water. Even now, a few years later, most of the destruction is still there. These are places where people grew up, where they shared special things. For lots of people, New Orleans is all they know, it's where they've always lived. Of course they would want to move back, there's no other place like it. One of the saddest things is there are people who can't afford to stay and also can't afford to go. The reason why people would want to move back is because New Orleans is home, and home is your most precious place.
Sources Used
www.neworleansonline.com
www. census.gov
www. washingtonpost.com