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| City Park History
 Once the site of Allard Plantation facing Bayou St. John, City Park’s 1,300 acres offer visitors a sample of the city’s riches both in fine art and natural splendor. Home of the New Orleans Museum of Art and the largest collection of mature live oaks in the world, City Park whispers stories of duels at dawn and Creole romance beneath the surface of today’s mecca of children’s entertainment and leisure opportunities. Spanning the transition in art and architecture between Neo-Classical revival, Art Deco and Modern styles, the park’s bridges, buildings and outdoor sculptures are a constant source of delight to visitors.
 City Park occupies an expansive area in Mid-City that was once a swampy, oak-filled forest, home to Accolapissa and Biloxi Indians who traded by dugout canoes along the banks of Bayou St. John. Recognizing the valuable waterway of the bayou from Lake Pontchartrain (just north of the park), explorer Jean Baptist-LeMoyne, sieur de Bienville, was finally able to establish the location of the city of New Orleans for the crown of France.
The land which City Park occupies today is especially romantic for its long favor with Creole gentlemen as  a place to conduct their “affaires d’honneur” – dueling, in fact, was not outlawed in the park until 1890 – 36 years after the land left to the city by philanthropist John McDonogh was declared a public park.
No history of City Park is complete without mention of the enormous efforts of the Roosevelt Administration in City Park during the Great Depression. More than $12 million federal dollars were spent and more than 20,000 men and women were employed through the Works Progress Administration building bridges, roadways, fountains, a garden and stadium and digging over 10 miles of lagoons – work all done by hand.
For more information on City Park call (504) 482-4888 to purchase Historic City Park New Orleans by Sally K. Evans Reeves and William D. Reeves. A brief outline of historic moments and photos follows.
| John McDonogh |  |
| Program from Annual Spring Festival |  |
| Street Construction/WPA |
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| Stadium Construction/WPA |  |
| President Fraklin D. Roosevelt visiting the Park |  |
| Free concerts at Popp Bandstand | 
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| Big Bass Fishing Rodeo | 
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Timeline
1699:
Bienville uses Indian trail to reach site of future city of New Orleans.
1718:
City of New Orleans founded. Francois Hery receives property in land grant from France.
1770-89:
Santiago Loreins leaves property to his daughter and son-in-law, Jean Louis Allard.
1845:
John McDonogh purchases Allard plantation property at sheriff’s auction.
1850:
McDonogh dies and leaves estate to cities of New Orleans and Baltimore, Maryland.
1854:
4th District Court pronounces the property a public park (approximately 100 acres).
1890:
Dueling in the Park outlawed.
1891:
City Park Improvement Association is founded. Property officially established as "City Park"
1892:
July 15, the first “Fete Champetre” is held to raise funds.
1897:
Mule-driven carousel is first operated.
1898:
First operation of miniature train.
1902:
Original golf course is constructed.
1905:
City Park racetrack opens February 11 (closed 1908)
1906:
Murphy builds new mechanical carousel. Pony rides begin.
1907:
Peristyle completed for outdoor dances.
1910:
International Aviators use Racetrack for airfield.
Moisant crashes and is killed.
1911:
December 16, the Isaac Delgado Museum of Art is dedicated, renamed in 1971 “New Orleans Museum of Art”
1913:
July 11, Casino building is opened offering refreshments. The name means a small 'casa' used for enjoyable activities, later becomes commonly used to refer to gambling establishments.
1915:
May 26, G.T. Beauregard Statue is erected.
1917:
Popp Bandstand is constructed and dedicated on July 4.
1919:
McFadden purchases property and builds mansion (from 1949 to the present it is used as a boys’ school)
1924:
Irby swimming pool is built.
1927:
900 acre extension of the park.
1928:
First tennis courts were built. John Phillip Sousa performs at bandstand.
1937:
April 29, President Roosevelt visits park to dedicate Roosevelt Mall and other WPA projects including City Park Stadium (renamed Tad Gormley in 1965)
1938:
First New Orleans Open, the city’s PGA event, is held (last played in City Park in 1962)
1942:
Dorothy Lamour sells war bonds in stadium.
1944:
Bob Hope performs in stadium.
1946:
First City Park Big Bass Fishing Rodeo
1956:
Storyland opens.
1959:
Roy Rogers and Trigger appear in stadium.
1964:
September 16, the Beatles perform in stadium.
1973:
Pan American Stadium built and dedicated.
1978:
Friends of City Park established.
1982:
Enclosure and restoration of Rose Garden by Friends of City Park.
1984:
First “A Tribute to the Christmas Tree” event held (later renamed Celebration In The Oaks)
1986:
Restoration of Storyland by Friends of City Park.
1988:
Restoration of Carousel by Friends of City Park.
1989:
Carousel placed on National Register of Historic Places.
Restoration of the Peristyle by Friends of City Park.
1991:
100th Anniversary of City Park Improvement Association.
1992:
Tad Gormley Stadium remodeled to host U S Olympic Track & Field Trials.
1994:
June 16, dedication of Pavilion of the Two Sisters in the garden.
1999:
Popp Fountain restored.
Casino Building renovated.
2000:
Couturie Forest Nature Trail and Arboretum project completed.
Natural turf system installed in Tad Gormley.
Tiger Woods provides clinic for city’s youth at Bayou Oaks.
2002:
November 22, Conservatory of the Two Sisters dedicated.
2003:
November 23, Sculpture Garden opens.
2004:
Celebration in the Oaks adds James Rice's 'A Cajun Night Before Christmas' computer animated light display.
2005:
March, City Park 2018 Master Plan is approved by the Park's board.
August 29, Hurricane Katrina strikes the city leading to flooding up to eight feet deep in sections of the park. Water sits as long as three weeks. Many sections of the city are devastated. Operations cease and staff laid off.
September, donation from the Azby Fund allows rehiring some staff, replacement of electrical systems, and clearing, & replanting of the Botanical Garden allowing a special post-Katrina Celebration in the Oaks (December).
Celebration in the Oaks features local Christmas icon Mr. Bingle and a laser show for the first time.
Some Tennis courts are reopened.
2006:
March, The Botanical Garden, Driving Range, and Storyland reopen following Hurricane Katrina; repairs begin on the Carousel Gardens Amusement area.
The Carousel Gardens Amusement Park is reopened for Celebration in the Oaks.
2007:
Carousel Gardens Amusement park resumes seasonal operations.
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