New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is a city so storied that its history has become part myth, only adding to its allure. Founded in 1718 under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the settlement was named for Phillip II, Duke of Orléans, who was Regent of France. The French colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris, and remained under Spanish control until 1801, when it reverted to French control. Most of the surviving architecture of the Vieux Carré (French Quarter) dates from this Spanish period. Napoleon sold the territory to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

As the principal port of the huge Mississippi River watershed, New Orleans became a fabulously wealthy and diverse city in the 19^th century. Although railroads first appeared in the area in the 1830s, the city never became a rail center due to the strength of the river trade. There were failed attempts to build out to Nashville between 1830 and 1860, as well as to the rest of the South and Southwest. The Civil War disabled New Orleans’ commercial empire and shattered the railroad infrastructure that had been built, so it was not until the 1870s that construction was completed.

Seven railroads eventually counted the Crescent City as a terminus, thanks to its strategic position as the gateway to the Gulf Coast; however, practically no through-car passenger service was operated until the first Union Station was built in 1892 for the Illinois Central Railroad. Fronting on South Rampart Street, it was the only train station ever designed by the famed Chicago architect Louis Sullivan. In 1954 it was demolished and replaced by the current New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (NOUPT), which was intended to consolidate passenger rail operations in the city.

When it opened, NOUPT was the only air-conditioned station in the country—a novel and welcome experience for travelers during the sweltering summer months. The waiting hall contains famous murals painted by Conrad Albrizio with the assistance of James Fisher. The works depict the history of Louisiana in four panels representing the ages of exploration, colonization, and conflict, as well as the modern age.

New Orleans is often associated with music and the arts, which are celebrated throughout the year during Mardi Gras, the French Quarter Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, among other neighborhood and regional events.

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In cooperation with the National Park Service, a limited edition National Parks Passport Cancellation Stamp has been created with the Amtrak 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train.  The cancellation stamp will be available for one year and only at select stops along the tour—such as this one.   Collectors will appreciate this cancellation stamp as a unique addition to their National Park Service passport. Find out more information on the National Park Service Passport Cancellation program.