Louisiana Division
New Orleans Public Library

Historical Note

Marc Cooper was a carpenter, preservationist, and neighborhood activist in New Orleans. He was responsible for numerous renovations of historic buildings in the city and served as a member of the Historic Districts/Landmarks Commission. In 1995 Mayor Marc H. Morial appointed Cooper to head the Vieux Carre Commission, a position that he held until March 2003. His entry into government service was preceded by his work with the Bywater Neighborhood Association, a group that he served as president.

Scope Note

The photographs document the Bywater neighborhood and individual buildings therein. Some of the identifications included below were taken from handwritten labels on individual slides, others were derived from other sources. Several photographs remain unidentified; some may actually show scenes outside of the Bywater neighborhood. If you can identify any of these locations please e-mail the information to Wayne Everard at weverard@bellsouth.net.

These photographs are almost certainly a small segment of a larger number of images created by Cooper during his long years of residence in the Bywater area. Marc Cooper died on April 5, 2009 from Pick's Disease, one of several degenerative brain conditions falling under the umbrella of Frontotemporal Dementia. He was fifty-nine years old. Read his Times-Picayune obituary HERE.

Thumbnail	Image # (click to view)	Caption/Description	Date	Additional Description	Original Slide Number
	Photograph 1	Burgundy and Pauline Streets, Rutter-Rex clothing factory	1979/12		32
	Photograph 2	St. Vincent De Paul Church, 3053 Dauphine Street	1980/10	Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church	1
	Photograph 3	2824 Dauphine Street, Catholic Deaf Center	undated	Formerly St. Benedict's Convent; now Lazarus House
	Photograph 4	700 block (odd number side) Bartholomew Street	1978/06		18
	Photograph 5	St. Vincent De Paul Church, 3053 Dauphine Street	undated	Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church
	Photograph 6	3000 block (odd number side) Dauphine Street	1978/06	Dauphine and Clouet Streets, Kirschman's Clearance Center	6
	Photograph 7	600 block (even number side) Clouet Street	1978/06		9
	Photograph 8	Location unknown	1978/09		14
	Photograph 9	900 block (odd number side) Independence Street	1978/06		36
	Photograph 10	St. Claude Avenue and Clouet Street (looking uptown)	1981/02		17
	Photograph 11	4000 block (even number side) Royal Street	1978/06	Corner Mazant Street	19
	Photograph 12	Burgundy and Pauline Streets, Rutter-Rex clothing factory	1979/12		33
	Photograph 13	900 block Alvar Street	1978/06	Alvar branch library in center; view from Macarty Square	8
	Photograph 14	631 Independence Street	1978/06		9
	Photograph 15	St. Vincent De Paul Church, 3053 Dauphine Street	undated	Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church
	Photograph 16	3300 Royal Street	undated	Giorlando Furniture Manufacturing Company and Wholesale
	Photograph 17	840 Clouet Street	1978/06	Corner Burgundy Street	35
	Photograph 18	900 block Pauline Street	1978/06	View from Macarty Square	6
	Photograph 19	Signs on light post, Piety Street near Royal Street; thanks to Don Tennant for providing this information.	undated	One stating that the area is being maintained by the Boys Club of Greater New Orleans, the other crediting area maintenance to the Mickey Markey Athletic Association
	Photograph 20	2824 Dauphine Street	undated	Formerly St. Benedict's Convent and the Catholic Deaf Center; now Lazarus House
	Photograph 21	900 block Montegut Street	1978/06		25
	Photograph 22	Chartres Street corner Independence Street	1978/06		8
	Photograph 23	Location unknown	1980/10		18
	Photograph 24	3300 Royal Street	undated	Giorlando Furniture Manufacturing Company and Wholesale; view from Mickey Markey Playground
	Photograph 25	France Street between Royal and Chartres Streets	undated	Portion of the Mazant Royale scattered site housing development; these units were modernized following Hurricane Katrina
	Photograph 26	Alvar Street corner Burgundy Street	undated	L. A. Frey & Co. parking lot
	Photograph 27	2800 Chartres Street	1994	"Future site" of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
	Photograph 28	Grafitti wall	undated
	Photograph 29	Vicinity of Mazant and Royal Streets	undated	Portion of the Mazant Royale scattered site housing development; these units were demolished following Hurricane Katrina
	Photograph 30	Burgundy Street corner Press Street	1991/08		11
	Photograph 31	2800 Chartres Street	1994?	"Future site" of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
	Photograph 32	2800 Chartres Street	1994	"Future site" of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
	Photograph 33	Burgundy Street corner Alvar Street	1978/06	Slide is marked "3901 Burgundy"	11
	Photograph 34	Copy of 1907 survey (portion) showing improvements on the two squares fronting on Independence Street between Chartres and North Peters Streets
	Photograph 35	Burgundy Street corner Lesseps Street	1978/06		33
	Photograph 36	2800 Chartres Street (St. Ferdinand Street side)	1994	"Future site" of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
	Photograph 37	Desire Street name tile
	Photograph 38	3900 block Burgundy Street	1978/06	Entrance to L. A. Frey building	10
	Photograph 39	901 Piety Street (corner Burgundy Street)	1978/06	De Luxe Bell Super Market	25
	Photograph 40	628 Clouet Street	1978/06		7
	Photograph 41	Plaque, St. Vincent De Paul Church		Placed during the 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1993
	Photograph 42	Louisa Street corner Burgundy Street	1978/06	Former L. E. Koffskey building	22
	Photograph 43	939 Montegut Street (North Rampart Street side)	1980/10
	Photograph 44	1000 block Clouet Street	1978/06		31
	Photograph 45	2800 Chartres Street (St. Ferdinand Street side)	1994	Banner advertising the "Future site" of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
	Photograph 46	3301 Dauphine Street (corner Piety)
	Photograph 47	3000 block (odd number side) Dauphine Street		Dauphine and Clouet Streets, Kirschman's Clearance Center
	Photograph 48	Plaque, St. Vincent De Paul Church	1980/10	Commemorating the 1976 placement of the church on the National Register of Historic Places; Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church	25
	Photograph 49	800 block (odd number side) Poland Avenue	1978/06		29
	Photograph 50	1015 Montegut Street	1978/06		2
	Photograph 51	Louisa Street corner Chartres Street	1978/06		11
	Photograph 52	701 Congress Street (corner Royal)	1978/06		35
	Photograph 53	Entrance, St. Vincent De Paul Church, 3053 Dauphine Street	1980/10	Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church	22
	Photograph 54	Clock, St. Vincent De Paul Church, 3053 Dauphine Street (photograph taken from inside the clock tower)	1980/10	Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church	30
	Photograph 55	Burgundy Street corner Desire Street	1978/06		33
	Photograph 56	1011 Clouet Street	1978/06	Also 1007-1009 Clouet Street	33
	Photograph 57	Dauphine Street corner Independence Street	1979/12		34
	Photograph 58	3800 block (even number side) Royal Street	1978/06		15
	Photograph 59	3810 Burgundy Street	1978/06	Viewed through the Victory Arch in Macarty Square	4
	Photograph 60	Alvar Street corner Burgundy Street	1978/06	L. A. Frey & Co. parking lot	9
	Photograph 61	840 Poland Avenue	1978/06	Shows Jack Dempsey's on the other side of Dauphine Street	12
	Photograph 62	Dauphine Street corner Piety Street	1978/06	Frady's Food Store (slide says 800 Piety but current sources say 3231 Dauphine)	27
	Photograph 63	939 Montegut Street (corner North Rampart Street)	1978/06
	Photograph 64	900 block (odd number side) Gallier Street	1978/06		34
	Photograph 65	Piety Street near Burgundy Street looking towards the River	1978/06		24
	Photograph 66	1015 Montegut Street	1978/06		7
	Photograph 67	1000 block (even number side) Montegut Street	1978/06		4
	Photograph 68	916 Montegut Street	1978/06		25
	Photograph 69	3301 Dauphine Street (corner Piety)	1978/06	Slide says Evans Candy, 801 Piety	26
	Photograph 70	3044 Royal Street	1978/06?		18
	Photograph 71	2922 North Rampart Street	1978/06		28
	Photograph 72	800 block (even number side) Clouet Street	1978/06		36
	Photograph 73	1000 block (even number side) Poland Avenue	1991/08	The narrow building originally served as office/lobby space for the adjacent streetcar barn. It was later used as a stable for the adjacent fire station.	20
	Photograph 74	639-640 Clouet Street (corner Royal Street)	1978/06		6
	Photograph 75	4400 St. Claude Avenue (corner Poland Avenue)	1978/06	Milano's Seafood	1
	Photograph 76	900 block (even number side) Clouet Street (near corner with North Rampart Street)	1978/06		34
	Photograph 77	600 block Press Street (looking towards the Lake)
	Photograph 78	Dauphine Street at Press Street (looking towards the Industrial Canal)	1978/06	Shows a sign reading: "Welcome to Bywater, a Neighborhood with Downtown Pride"	20
	Photograph 79	700 block (even number side) Desire Street at Royal Street	1978/06		30
	Photograph 80	Press Street at Dauphine Street (looking towards the River)
	Photograph 81	3044 Royal Street	1978/06		19
	Photograph 82	1000 block (odd number side) Poland Avenue at North Rampart Street	1991/08		19
	Photograph 83	723 Clouet Street	1978/06		3
	Photograph 84	Press Street at Burgundy Street (looking towards the River)			5
	Photograph 85	North Rampart Street at Press Street (looking towards the Industrial Canal)		Shows a sign reading: "Welcome to Bywater, a Neighborhood with Downtown Pride"
	Photograph 86	Alvar Branch, New Orleans Public Library, 913 Alvar Street
	Photograph 87	3810 Burgundy Street
	Photograph 88	Vicinity of Mazant and Royal Streets		Portion of the Mazant Royale scattered site housing development; these units were demolished following Hurricane Katrina
	Photograph 89	Yard adjacent to the Alvar Branch, New Orleans Public Library, 913 Alvar Street
	Photograph 90	Victory Arch in Macarty Square
	Photograph 91	Floodwall at Desire Street, looking upriver
	Photograph 92	Welcome sign		One of the signs reading: "Welcome to Bywater, a Neighborhood with Downtown Pride"
	Photograph 93	Environmentally-correct catch basin cover		An image of a fish is painted on it along with the warning: "Dump no waste, drains to lake"
	Photograph 94	Plaque, Victory Arch, Macarty Square		One of several plaques mounted on the Arch, this one lists "Colored men who died in service" and "Colored men in active service" duing World War I
	Photograph 95	3301 Chartres Street (at Piety Street)
	Photograph 96	Victory Arch in Macarty Square and the 3800 block of Burgundy Street	1978/06		7
	Photograph 97	Location unknown	1978/10		21
	Photograph 98	Press Street between Royal and Chartres Streets, looking towards the River			37
	Photograph 99	1000 block (even number side) Clouet Street	1978/06		32
	Photograph 100	Plaque, St. Vincent De Paul Church		Commemorating the 1976 placement of the church on the National Register of Historic Places; Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church
	Photograph 101	3000 block (odd number side) Royal Street	1978/06		23
	Photograph 102	Cornerstone, St. Vincent De Paul Church		Now Blessed Francis Seelos Church
	Photograph 103	901 Piety Street (corner Burgundy Street)
	Photograph 104	France Street between Royal and Chartres Streets		Portion of the Mazant Royale scattered site housing development; these units were modernized following Hurricane Katrina
	Photograph 105	3037 Royal Street	1978/06		22
	Photograph 106	600 Poland Avenue	1978/06	F. Edward Hébert Defense Center	31
	Photograph 107	Dauphine Street corner Piety Street		Frady's Food Store
	Photograph 108	Vicinity of Mazant and Royal Streets		Sign reading: "Comprehensive Modernization of Mazant Royale, New Orleans, Louisiana, LA 1-44, Housing Authority of New Orleans
	Photograph 109	Copy of 1907 survey (portion) showing improvements from just downriver of Mazant Street to just upriver of Pauline Street between Chartres Street and the River
	Photograph 110	Chartres Street corner Mazant Street, Reuther's Seafood
	Photograph 111	No jogging sign		Sign on chain link fence reads: "No jogging by order of the H.P.D. [Harbor Police Department?]"
	Photograph 112	Copy of 1907 survey (portion) showing improvements on the squares on both sides of Mazant Street south of Chartres Street
	Photograph 113	Section of the floodwall (perhaps at Piety Street)
	Photograph 114	View of Algiers and the Naval Support Activity from just downriver from the Poland Street Wharf
	Photograph 115	Desire Street corner Burgundy Street	1978/06	Orleans Broom and Mop Manufactory	32
	Photograph 116	Copy of 1907 survey (portion) showing title and related information
	Photograph 117	Probably Mazant Street (even numbered side) between Royal and Chartres; thanks to Jennifer Cooper for this information.
	Photograph 118	Copy of 1907 survey (portion) showing improvements on the squares from Bartholomew Street to just upriver from Pauline Street between Chartres Street and the River
	Photograph 119	Chartres Street corner Gallier Street		Chris and Gerald's Riverside Restaurant and Bar (now Elizabeth's)
	Photograph 120	Copy of 1907 survey showing improvements on the squares from Press Street to just downriver from France Street between Chartres Street and the River
	Photograph 121	800 block (even number side on left) Louisa Street	1978/06		20
	Photograph 122	700 block (even number side on left) Independence Street	1978/06		10
	Photograph 123	Between the floodwall and the River in the vicinity of Congress Street
	Photograph 124	700 block (even number side on left) Louisa Street	1978/06		17
	Photograph 125	3000 block (even number side on right) Royal Street	1978/06		20
	Photograph 126	Victory Arch in Macarty Square
	Photograph 127	Press Street between Burgundy and North Rampart Streets	1978/09	Evidence of dumping on the side of the road	15
	Photograph 128	Press Street corner Dauphine Street	1978/09	The large building in the background (actually on Royal Street) once housed Holy Trinity School; the building burned in 1992	18
	Photograph 129	Location unknown	1980/03	Does not appear to be a Bywater property	1
	Photograph 130	Mickey Markey Playground?
	Photograph 131	Dauphine Street at Press Street		Waiting for a train to pass	24
	Photograph 132	3700 block (even number side) Dauphine Street	1978/06	Rutter-Rex parking lot	2
	Photograph 133	Press Street between North Rampart Street and St. Claude Avenue			11
	Photograph 134	Alvar Street corner Burgundy Street	1978/06	L. A. Frey & Co. parking lot	14
	Photograph 135	900 block (odd number side on right) Montegut Street			26
	Photograph 136	Almost certainly 3015 Royal Street; thanks to Jennifer Cooper for the suggestion	1978/09		37
	Photograph 137	3400 block (odd number side) Chartres Street	1978/06		29
	Photograph 138	Poland Avenue (even number side) at Burgundy Street	1978/06	Jaws Oyster Bar on the river side corner	13
	Photograph 139	Press Street at Burgundy Street, looking towards the River
	Photograph 140	Royal Street (odd number side) corner Desire Street	1978/06	3405 Royal Street at corner	31
	Photograph 141	Victory Arch in Macarty Square	1978/06		5
	Photograph 142	Press Street between Burgundy and Dauphine Streets, looking towards the River	1980/03		12
	Photograph 143	Press Street between Burgundy and Dauphine Streets, looking towards the Lake		Evidence of dumping on the side of the road	39
	Photograph 144	Dauphine Street at Press Street (looking towards the Industrial Canal)		Shows a sign reading: "Welcome to Bywater, a Neighborhood with Downtown Pride"	16
	Photograph 145	Louisa Street corner Dauphine Street (downtown river corner)	1978/06	Then Leonhard's department store	18
	Photograph 146	Press Street between Burgundy and Dauphine Streets, looking towards the River			13
	Photograph 147	Press Street between North Rampart and Burgundy Streets, looking towards the River			31
	Photograph 148	Desire Street between Dauphine and Burgundy Streets, looking towards the Lake
	Photograph 149	Dauphine Street at Press Street		Train approaching the intersection	23
	Photograph 150	Dauphine Street corner Piety Street		The Leonhard's Building; address on building is 3240 Dauphine Street
	Photograph 151	Dauphine Street corner Desire Street		Close-up showing the two street name tiles
	Photograph 152	Louisa Street (even number side) between Royal and Dauphine Streets	1978/06		16
	Photograph 153	Press Street at Dauphine Street, looking towards the River			17
	Photograph 154	Dauphine Street corner Louisa Street		Close-up showing the two street name tiles; also tiles showing "Eicke's Grocery, Est. 1860"
	Photograph 155	Chartres Street at Press Street		"Future site" of New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
	Photograph 156	Location unknown	1991/08		13
	Photograph 157	Burgundy and Pauline Streets, Rutter-Rex clothing factory	1979/12		32
	Photograph 158	Dauphine Street corner Louisa Street		Bywater Barbeque

Back to Louisiana Photograph Collection 01/19/2009--we (updated 3/31/2009