Treme Tuesday: Jackson Square

Jackson Square, New Orleans, 1895

Yes, I know, Jackson Square is in the Vieux Carre, not Faubourg Treme, but it plays an important role in the HBO series, Treme. There's no better place for street musicians to play than around the Square. Three sides of Jackson Square are blocked off as a pedestrian mall, St. Ann and St. Peter Streets on either side (in front of the Pontalba buildings), and Chartres Street, between the Square and St. Louis Cathedral.

The wrought iron fence around Jackson Square is the domain of the artists. Working in all media, the artists set up their easels next to the fence and hang their wares for sale on the fence. Spaced a bit out from the artists are the tarot readers and other fortune tellers. The artists often clash with the fortune tellers, making for interesting situations. Now, magicians encroach on the Square, adding another social class to the mix.

The musicians don't need to be on the shady, perfectly-lit spot, so they play in the middle of the closed-off streets. In the beginning of Ep 9, Annie and another busker are playing right outside the main gate of the Square, in front of the cathedral. This is prime real estate for the musicians; if you're not playing and making money, someone is going to come in and play to move you out. Notice how, when Annie watches Harley Watts (played by folk musician Steve Earle) work on a song, they're over by Washington Park on Frenchmen rather than at the Square.

The photo above is in the New Orleans Public Library's collections. It dates from 1895. Other than a few minor changes (no benches to sit on, no cupola on The Presbytere are two immediately visible), Jackson Square hasn't changed all that much in over 100 years.