| The Beginnings of Storyville | Alderman Sidney Story | Tom Anderson |
| The Women of Storyville | The Blue Book: A Guide | Jazz Comes to Life |
Louisiana, established under the French Monarchy in the early seventeen hundreds, became a dumping ground for many of Paris’ degenerate members of society. A large number of criminals, prostitutes, and thieves found their new homes in the lands of the Delta, modern-day New Orleans. Many of the women, former French prostitutes, were sent over to become aids to the governing elite. The women found themselves flung into this new land, which closely resembled a swamp. Their new home was “an incredible jumble of cheap dance halls, brothels, saloons, gambling rooms, cockfighting pits, and rooming houses.”(Rose, p.7)
In 1856 the cries against prostitution were brought to the attention of the city council. Their complaints centered upon the social and economic effects of prostitution upon the city. In 1857, the council passed the city’s first ordinance, which acknowledged the profession of prostitution by requiring licensing and therefore made this profession taxable. The ordinance was soon declared unconstitutional and the attempts to regulate prostitution failed.
People began moving their places of business closer to the downtown sections of New Orleans, to Gellatin Street behind the French Market, Smokey Row, and Basin Street.. Their movement created a decline in the popularity of the earlier region, which they called the “swamp.” The area of Gellatin Street became the center of all lascivious activities, including narcotics, murder, and thieves.
A cartoon which represents the tone and attitude of the residents of New Orleans towards the prostitutes.
By the late eighteen hundreds, many of the residents of New Orleans were unable to ignore the apparent situation of prostitution and its effects upon the city. The practice of prostitution and its evils were degrading the city’s morale. “The financial stability and the social welfare of the city were seriously threatened by the wide dispersal of harlotry.” (Rose, p.36) The most prevalent fear among the residents were the unstable real estate values. Many feared the purchase of property because the price could fall the next day with the installation of a brothel next door.
In the early 1890’s, A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Children was created. They began by removing the children prostitutes from brothels on Basin Street and Howard Street. Soon with the passage of a police ordinance, in1894, it required the removal of the brothels from Bienville, Burgundy, Customhouse, Conti, Dauphine, and St. Louis streets. This pushed the houses into the neighborhood of what later became Storyville.
Alderman Sidney Story
Alderman Sidney Story, a distinguished citizen, proposed a much needed piece of legislation in 1897. The city council passed Story’s ordinance in 1897, which stated that prostitution was limited to the area between North Robertson and North Basin streets, and from Customhouse (Iberville street) to St. Louis streets. The ordinance specified two different sections, one uptown and one downtown. The uptown section was to include the area between Perdido and Gravier streets and from Franklin to Locust streets. For the next twenty years the uptown district entertained mainly black clients. This area was not part of what is considered Storyville.
The downtown red light district was soon dubbed the name Storyville after its creator, Sidney Alderman Story. On New Year’s Day, 1898, the area of Storyville became the city’s new legal experiment. “The entire city looked forward to an era of improvement and stability as a result of the new law.” (Rose, p. 39)
The Storyville District
The area of Storyville became populated with a diverse group of colorful characters. Among its residents could be found, both prostitutes and musicians, pimps and politicians. Tom Anderson, the “Mayor of Storyville,” ran most of its dealings through his brothel, called Anderson Annex. He began his experience in Storyville by delivering drugs and prescriptions to the homes of Hattie Hamilton and Kate Townsend.
In 1880, Anderson opened a restaurant on North Rampart street and thus began his business career in Storyville. In 1897, Anderson bought the Fair Play Saloon on Basin and Customhouse streets. In 1905, he renamed the brothel, Arlington Annex, after his lover Josie Arlington. He soon became known as Storyville’s “version of the turn-of-the-century political boss.” (Rose, p.44)
By 1904, Anderson was elected to the state legislature. He served on the Ways and Means Committee and of the Committee on Affairs of the City of New Orleans for sixteen years. When in 1917, World War I broke out, the United States government ordered the Storyville district closed. The military had set up a base just outside of the city on the Gulf. The government ruled that it was considered illegal to maintain a red light district with in ten miles of a military base. Anderson refused to fully close his establishments. His back alley politics and shady dealings would land him on trail in 1920, charged with “knowingly conducting and immoral resort within ten miles of a military camp.” His case ended on February 5 as a result of a mistrial.
Anderson died in 1931 after finding salvation in religion. He finally married Gertrude Dix in 1928, and left her over one hundred thousand dollars after his death.
Many of the women of Storyville have become famous figures in the history of New Orleans. Lulu White, born in Selma, Alabama, found her home in Storyville in 1880.
Lulu White, one of Storyville's infamous Madams
She was well known to the police force for numerous offences. Upon her establishment in the Storyville district, she soon had a client list made up of some of the most prominent and wealthiest men in Louisiana. She gave up her business in 1906, overwhelmed by debt she turned towards California. She lost over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in her investment schemes, and was left destitute before leaving New Orleans. She ran her famed house, Mahogany Hall, until its forced closure in 1917. She is remembered for her glamour and jewels, “which were like the ‘lights of the St. Louis Exposition’ just as reported in her promotional booklet.”(p.42)
Hattie Hamilton, became one of the most famous madams to run a brothel in New Orleans. 
In 1870, she shot one of her clients, Mr. David Jackson, a Louisiana senator in his home. She was released, by the police, without being questioned or charged. Kate Townsend, another famous madam, was killed by her lover Troisville Sykes in 1883. He plead self-defense and was released. He still inherited her ninety thousand dollar fortune. New Orleans prostitutes made a very good living.
The Blue Book: A Guide to the District
The Storyville Blue Book
The Storyville district had its own unique method of advertisement. The Blue Book, was the district’s guidebook for tourists and outsiders. It consisted of forty pages of personal promotion pages from each of the madams. The book was underwritten and published by none other than the boss of Storyville, Tom Anderson. The book was republished every year, but only five different editions existed. In the introduction of the second edition, Anderson wrote:
In 1917, the United States government ordered the closure of Storyville. It is this year that the legal experiment of New Orleans was ended. There were no questions that the district had accomplished its goal of containing the vice and immoral sins of the profession of prostitution. It also became the center of entertainment and the birthplace of the early roots of Jazz music. The birthplace of one of Jazz’s all time greats, Jelly Roll Morton.
Jelly Roll Morton, resident and musician of Storyville
The madams of these brothels would hire, mainly black, musicians to entertain their clients in the saloons and brothel houses. Here many musicians found their niche. Without very critical audiences, these musicians were given a great deal of freedom and maneuverability in their music styles. This new form of music was the result of combination of African, French, and contemporary music influences. A descendant of “ragtime,” this new musical form did not find a great deal of acceptance from the upper class citizens. Early on they snubbed their noses at it, only to later bask in its popularity and recognition it brought to New Orleans.
Professor Jackson, a Storyville pianist
