People come from all over the world to visit New Orleans, and they’re typically pretty safe, but some of the streets here were once the most dangerous in the country. Take a look at the history of this spot.

Between the 1820s and 1880s, a two-block section of New Orleans was considered the most violent place in the country. In fact, the New Orleans States wrote an article about this area in 1925, and reported that it was the "toughest two city blocks of all the waterfronts of the world."
Uncredited WPA photographer/Wikimedia
Gallatin Street was a place where full-grown men simply disappeared in the night, never to be seen again. It was considered so dangerous that to even walk down this street at night was risking your life.
While bar brawls were common, and robberies in the many whorehouses was typical, even turning onto the wrong dark side street might mean that you would be stabbed to death. Murders here were a daily occurrence.
Ken Lund/flickr
The rich and elite often parties on Gallatin Street, but many disappeared, never to be seen again. It was a rough part of town that even police avoided.

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In 1936, most of the buildings on Gallatin Street were demolished, and the farmers markets came in. The area became a much more pleasant spot in the city. Today, Gallatin Street is known as French Market Place.
prayitno/flickr
French Market Place is lined with cafes, shops and a farmers market. Most who walk this charming street have no idea of its violent, sordid past.
Infrogmation of New Orleans/flickr

Did you know about the history of French Market Street?

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