Introduction

The old John McDonogh Senior High School at 2426 Esplanade Avenue (now Bricolage Academy) was seriously damaged by Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding. The school is in the Tremé neighborhood near Bayou Road, a route used long before the City of New Orleans was founded. As New Orleans grew, people built homes and businesses along Bayou Road, including in the present-day schoolyard. In the mid-1800s, the street grid we use today was constructed. Repairing the hurricane-damaged old John McDonogh Senior High School provided a rare opportunity to explore the complex history near Bayou Road. Archaeologists studied the people who lived there and how they lived, comparing the written records with below-ground investigations. This web content shares what was found and provides an opportunity to learn about the history and culture that can sometimes be just beneath our feet.

FEMA provided funding for its refurbishment and, in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, FEMA funded an archaeological investigation and this web content.