Few American cities are as steeped in history as New Orleans. The city was founded by the French, once controlled by the Spanish, and ultimately the site of some of America’s most popular historical stories, battles, and characters highlighted by its vibrant Creole culture.
Thomas Jefferson Beale. It’s the name you likely have not heard, but the name behind a story you’ve seen a version of on the big screen. A 200-year-old mystery in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia begins with TJ Beale. He is credited as the author of the Beale Papers (also known as Beale Ciphers). They are the “treasure map” to the Beale Treasure worth an estimated $65 million. Consisting of three ciphers explaining what the treasure is, where it is and who is entitled to it the ciphers have never been fully decoded. The cipher explaining what the treasure consists of was decoded using the Declaration of Independence n the late 1800s. Does that sound familiar? The movie National Treasure is said to be loosely based on the story. Now it is time to tell the real story of Thomas Jefferson Beale.
There are some museums that transcend words. Where you can feel the weight of the souls whose stories are being told. A place that must be experienced to truly understand its gravitas. The National World War II Museum, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is one of those.
In a city known for rich culture, there are great museums to discover the art, history, and culture of the area. The best museums of New Orleans offer you a variety of World War II history, voodoo culture, fine art, and the history of cocktails.
The Battle of New Orleans: In the cold, foggy morning of January 8th, 1815, a future President, a motley crew of militiamen, frontiersmen, slaves, Choctaw Indians, and even pirates, will face off against one of the most powerful armies in the world…and claim victory.
While New Orleans is known for its bars and nightlife, we are going to take you beyond Bourbon Street for this list. Off the beaten track tiny dive bars and historic locations mixed with a couple you may have heard of in the past.