Over New Orleans’ 300-year history, our city has faced dangerous storms. The first recorded hurricane occurred in 1722, just four years after Bienville founded New Orleans. Undeterred then as we are now, New Orleanians always rebuilt their homes.
Hurricanes have shown no mercy, from Audrey, which claimed 600 lives to Katrina and the 1,836 it took. Despite the damage we’ve experienced, New Orleanians never give up. We always find strength with each other and our city. I’m thankful for our history, because it has brought us together and provided us with the most unique culture in the world.
– Scott Hutcheson, Senior Advisor to the Mayor on the Cultural Economy