Sharon Martin Andre

We were looking for the New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park. Google Maps pointed us to a gate on St Phillip Street. We parked on St. Phillip St. One gate was shackled locked, and one was open. Found the main gate on N Rampart St. It's the Louis Armstrong Park. The park contains the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium, the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts, several boarded up buildings owned by the New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, and the site of Congo Square. We walked around the park, and you could tell it had seen better days. There was signage but nothing about being a national park. Boarded up buildings and stagnant ponds. It looks like someone tries to keep the grounds clean, as the roses are beautiful and the grass is cut and edged. Sculptures were interesting. We crossed the bridge and went to the firehouse as there was a government truck there. It's just a run-down warehouse with workers sitting inside. Picnic tables around, people walking dogs and runners using park. Looks like the #NationalParkService has let this one fall through the cracks. This park could be beautiful. Found a Park Service website that lists 419 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130 as the address for national park, it's just a store front, in the French Quarter with rangers and signage. Got my stamp for jazz NP and Jean La Fitte NP.