| For much of the twentieth century, the Illinois Central had scores of warehouse all around New Orleans. Eleven of them, numbered 1 through 11, were located within a 16-block area along the Mississippi River between South Diamond and Thalia streets. The last of these in existence was No. 3, located along Front Street between Gaienne and Erato streets. Notice how the railroad's initial conveniently fit on the end of the building, and its name across the front!The IC originally reached this area by a track down St. Joseph Street from its passenger depot on S. Rampart Street, until it extended its track upsteam to a mainline connection at Southport around 1905. The track in the street here was the line from Levee Yard to Stuyvesant Docks Yard off to the right. Redevelopment of the this area began with the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. Front Street was subsequently expanded and renamed Convention Center Blvd., and the site of Warehouse No. 3 is now under the ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER. |