In 1916 a bandstand was dedicated to the memory of Alexis Ribet. In 1917 it was replaced the Classical Greek-styled Popp
Bandstand viewed here in the 1930s. Designed by Emile Weil at a cost of $75,000 it was dedicated on July 4th. Its twelve granite
ionic columns are topped with a bronze dome. Named for its benefactor John F. Popp who had made his fortune in the lumber
business it is a replica of Temple of Love in Versailles (the memorial to Ribet is embedded into it). Many New Orleanians
enjoyed their first glimpses of moving pictures here on summer evenings. Generations of musicians have played here including
John Philip Sousa who performed in 1928. City Park Avenue (pictured in 1916 below) was paved and palm-lined but the park lost
the land that became Delgado Trades School – the site cost of $178,500.00 was turned over to the park. (LDL)
The images in this book appear courtesy of the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL), Louisiana Digital Library (LDL), the Library
of Congress (LOC), The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC), Pictometry International (PI), and D.C. "Infrogmation"
May (DCM). Unless otherwise noted, images are from the author's collection.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book is dedicated to
Friends of City Park.