High crime rates and police corruption characterized the 1990s in New Orleans. Marc Morial, son of Dutch Morial, served as mayor for two terms consecutively between 1994 and 1998. The tourism industry became a great contributor to the economy of New Orleans during the late 1990s.
On May 8, 1995, Louisiana Flood, heavy rains dumped over a foot of water on parts of the city faster than pumps could remove it. Particularly in lower-lying parts of the city, the streets were filled with water. More automobiles were declared totaled than in any other incident in the U.S. A Freightliner/bulk cargo vessel collided with the Riverwalk mall and hotels on the Poydras Street Wharf in the afternoon of Saturday, December 14, 1996. The accident didn’t result in any deaths, but 66 people were injured. Fourteen shops and 456 hotel rooms were destroyed. The Freightliner was not removed from the crash site until January 6, 1997, by which time it had become something of a tourist attraction.
Below are some fascinating photos by Todd Jacobson that show what New Orleans looked like in the 1990s.
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