Dallas Morning NEws: NOLA landmarks take a beating

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Some landmarks took a beating

Eateries, bars escape major damage, but most casinos are sunk

12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, September 1, 2005

By DIANE JENNINGS / The Dallas Morning News

For more than 200 years, New Orleans has been one of the continent's most picturesque cities, a place where history and legend create a unique ambience. Many of the historic landmarks that are embedded in the national memory, as well as others scattered along the Gulf Coast, are either damaged or have disappeared in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Here's the status of a few of them, according to various reports from The Dallas Morning News' Lee Hancock and other media accounts:

LOUISIANA

Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium: Both appeared to have suffered little damage. Zoo director Ron Forman said the animals were fine and the only major damage appeared to be downed trees. But the zoo faces a dwindling supply of food and other necessities, and pumps are overheating. Zoo staff took refuge in the reptile house, which was designed to withstand a major hurricane.

Cafe du Monde: The legendary spot for coffee and beignets, the powdery French doughnuts, appears to have escaped major damage. It was empty Wednesday.

Pat O'Brien's: The bar famous for the stiff drink known as the Hurricane suffered damage described as moderate but repairable.

Commander's Palace: The Garden District restaurant famous for its jazz brunch was to celebrate its 125th anniversary next month. "Now it will be 125 years with an intermission," said Brad Brennan, a spokesman at the restaurant's Las Vegas outpost. Mr. Brennan said he'd heard that part of the facade had peeled away, but he said he hoped that might be debris from recent construction aimed to bring the old building up to code.

Antoines: The famous restaurant that opened in 1840 has lost a wall.

Central Grocery: The modest store that keeps 'em lining up for the classic muffaletta was in good shape but had a sign on its thick glass windows saying it would be closed indefinitely.

Harrah's casino: The roof was ripped; damage is extensive enough that the company has set a reopening date of Sept. 30 at the earliest.

Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral: Magnolias from Jackson Square lay in tangles on part of Decatur Street. A statue was damaged slightly.

Louis Armstrong Park: It is under water.

MISSISSIPPI

Friendship Oak, Biloxi: The 600-year-old tree lost a branch.

Lighthouse, Biloxi: It is still standing.

Beauvoir, Biloxi: The bottom floor and library of the last home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis were destroyed.

Casinos

Isle of Capri, Biloxi: No sign.

President Casino barge, Biloxi: It is sitting on a hotel nearby.

Treasure Bay Pirate Ship casino, Biloxi: It is grounded on the beach, its bottom half gone.

Palace Casino, Biloxi: Sunk.

Harrah's Grand Casino in Gulfport and Biloxi: Both are closed indefinitely.

Beau Rivage, Biloxi: Extensive damage.

ALABAMA

The Alabama State Docks and the Port of Mobile: They remain closed after sustaining substantial water damage. The USS Alabama is leaning slightly port side but appears to have no major damage.

The Grand Hotel: The historic Point Clear resort is covered in mud on the first floor and has been closed indefinitely.

Dauphin Island: At least a third of the homes on the popular vacation isle have been destroyed, according to Alabama officials.

Bayou La Batre: A storm surge piled up nearly all of the shrimp boats in the area made famous by the movie Forrest Gump.

didn't they have pirates in new orleans?