This is a foundational Escortpedia article connecting major topics across the encyclopedia.
Storyville was a district of New Orleans in which prostitution was concentrated under municipal ordinance from 1897 until 1917. It was named after Sidney Story, a local alderman associated with the ordinance establishing the district. The area became famous for its brothels, saloons, entertainment businesses and connections to early jazz musicians. It remains an important case study in the history of geographically regulated prostitution.
Article details#
Category: Historical places
Article type: Place history
Summary: New Orleans' designated prostitution district from 1897 to 1917 and its relationship to urban culture and jazz.
Establishment#
Municipal authorities established the district in 1897 within specified boundaries in New Orleans.
The designated area was associated with parts of the Tremé neighbourhood and streets including Basin Street.
The purpose was to concentrate prostitution within a defined urban zone rather than eliminate it.
This distinction is important: municipal toleration and regulation should not be confused with broad legal acceptance of all activities in the district.
Blue Books and commercial promotion#
Storyville became associated with printed guides commonly called *Blue Books*, which advertised establishments and supplied information about the district.
These publications are significant historical sources, but they were commercial products, not neutral surveys of the people working there.
Their descriptions require contextual interpretation, especially regarding class, gender and race.
Connections to jazz#
Storyville's nightlife contributed to the musical economy of New Orleans.
Musicians played in entertainment establishments and nearby venues, and certain performers became associated with the district.
Jelly Roll Morton is among the figures frequently linked with this history.
Nevertheless, jazz developed through numerous social settings in New Orleans and beyond. Storyville was part of that broader musical environment, not its sole birthplace.
Closure in 1917#
The designated district was closed in 1917 amid federal pressure concerning prostitution near military facilities.
Closure changed the geography of commercial sex in the city rather than proving that prostitution ceased.
The district's later reputation grew through historical writing, music history and popular culture.
Historical legacy#
Storyville provides evidence of the limits of regulating prostitution through designated urban boundaries.
It also illustrates the relationship between urban nightlife, racial hierarchy, cultural memory and the ways commercial districts become mythologised.
A careful history distinguishes the documented district from romanticised accounts of its inhabitants and performers.
See also#
History of Red-Light Districts, Red Light District, History of Prostitution, Regulationism, Courtesans, Brothel.
References#
- New Orleans Historical, *Storyville District*: https://neworleanshistorical.org/items/show/1307
Help expand this entry
Add a reliable source, regional context, or a correction.