Now that that horrid winter is over, it’s time to come out of our freeze-forced hibernation and enjoy the outdoors. There are many parks in the area of federal, state and local jurisdiction, and we don’t mean to slight them, but for the purposes of getting our minds back on trees whose branches are no longer brown we prepared this quiz about Audubon Park and City Park. (This, of course, is really a stunt to show off some of the photography of both places, which are filled with visual wonderment. B Take a moment and take the quiz. (The answers follow.) And remember, anyone caught resorting to Google has to clean the elephant area.

What annual event has been staged on the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn at City Park?
A. National Frisbee Championship
B. Son of Woodstock Festival
C. A Symphony Concert
D. Louisiana Kite Flying Rodeo

This picturesque Audubon Park facility is located on the edge of a lagoon. What is it?
A. The Lagoonview
B. The Newman Bandstand
C. The Swan Watch Gazebo
D. The Meteorite Observatory

Big Lake in City Park is a manmade pond originally constructed to be part of a golf course. Today it’s a recreational area. If you would fly over the area in a blimp, what might you notice?
A. There is a meteorite in the center of the lake.
B. There is a sunken Ferris Wheel in the lake.
C. There is a submerged Confederate patrol boat in the lake.
D. The lake was dug in the shape of Lake Pontchartarin.

These handsome gates at City Park Avenue make a striking entrance to the park. Built in 1910 they’re named after their donor, a former ship captain. What is their name?
A. The Captain Kirk Gates
B. The Becker Gates
C. The Woldenberg Gates
D. The Pizzati Gates

Pictured here is the “Meteorite” that’s located on a golf course at Audubon Park. Which statement about it is true?
A. John James Audubon discovered it in the woods of East Feliciana Parish.
B. It was on display at the 1884 Cotton Centennial.
C. It fell to earth in 1968 and just missed a golfer.
D. It was dragged to its
current location by a team
of elephants.

Here is view of the area known as “The Fly” located on the batture at Audubon Park. What town is directly across the river?
A. Algiers
B. Formanville
C. Marrero
D. Westwego

Besides the usual horse-riding facility, what unique service does Cascade Stables in Audubon Park provide?
A. It also houses zebras for the zoo.
B. Many of its horses are used in Carnival parades.
C. Some of its horses are descended from the original Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.
D. It provides bucking horses for rodeos.

Popp’s Fountain in City Park was dedicated in 1934. The prestigious Olmsted brothers designed the fountain. Their dad, Frederick Law Olmsted, was famous for having designed what?
A. Central Park in New York
B. Wrigley Field in Chicago
C. Wimbledon Stadium in London
D. The Las Vegas strip

Audubon Park’s famous oak, The Tree of Life, facing page, top) is located near the fence for what facility?
A. The giraffe area
B. The meteorite
C. The gulf clubhouse
D. The swimming pools

Because gun duels were once fought beneath its canopy, this tree is known as the Dueling Oak, facing page, bottom. There is one other tree in City Park with a rather ominous name from the past. What is it?
A. Heartbreak Oak
B. Depression Palm
C. Indigestion Crepe Myrtle
D. Suicide Oak

Know as “The Labyrinth at Audubon Park” this facility is supposed to be ideal for meditation. What is the difference between a labyrinth and a maze?
A. “Labyrinth” is the Greek term and “maze” is the Roman term for the same thing.
B. Mazes are only located in corn fields whereas labyrinths can be anywhere.
C. Mazes have several paths while a labyrinth only has one.
D. Labyrinths are decorated with etchings of animals while mazes usually are not.

Much of City Park is graced by the art deco sculptures of Mexican-born artist Enrique Alferez. What program brought him to City Park and other places around town?
A. Delgado Arts Grants
B. City of New Orleans Exterior Design Commission
C. Works Progress Administration    
D. Postwar Urban Renewal Program

PARKS QUIZ ANSWERS

1. C. A Symphony Concert
Part of the park’s Master Plan for development, the Great Lawn site used to be tennis courts; the new miniature gulf course is nearby. The Symphony and the Great Lawn belong together.

2. B. The Newman Bandstand
This is the only spot in the park where amplified music is permitted, but we recommend keeping the speakers off and listening to the birds, or for approaching meteorites.

3. D. The lake was dug in the shape of Lake Pontchartrain.
Those wild WPA planners were full of ideas. The connecting smaller lagoon is said to be in the shape of Lake Maurepas.

4. D. The Pizzati Gates
Steamboat Captain Salvator Pizzati was born in Palermo but grew up in New Orleans. He made a fortune in the shipping industry. A contemporary, also from Italy, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, got him to make hefty contributions to establish an orphanage, which later became Cabrini school. Financed by Pizzati and opened in 1910, the gates are among the oldest structures in City Park. In 2001 the gates were rededicated in memory of a former park board member, Edgar Luminais. The gates provide a striking view as seen from across the street at Ralph’s at the Park.

5.B. It was on display at the 1884 Cotton Centennial.
However, the object wasn’t from some distant galaxy – unless you consider Alabama to be in the cosmos. It is a chunk of iron ore that was on display at the Alabama State exhibit. After the Centennial it was left in what would become the park – and the legends began.

6. D. Westwego
The town is also the gateway to Bayou Segnette State park, so there are two parks bordering this spot in the river.

7. B. Many of its horses are used in Carnival parades.
Collectively the stable provides about 300 rides through the season.

8. A. Central Park in New York
Audubon Park got the Massachusetts-based Olmsted touch, too. The park was largely designed by one of the brothers, John Charles Olmsted.

9. A. The giraffe area
This is perhaps the only spot on earth where you can see a live oak in the foreground and giraffes in the background.

10. D. Suicide Oak
Fortunately there has been no activity there for decades. As for the  Dueling Oaks (there were originally two) their heydays were from 1834-1844. By 1855 police began interceding though sporadic dueling, which continued until around 1890.

11. C. Mazes have several paths while a labyrinth only has one.
A labyrinth is one, generally circular, path. You never hear of anyone getting lost in labyrinth unless they’re really, really dense.

12. C. Works Progress Administration
Designed to create jobs to help pull the nation out of the Depression, the WPA was a primary builder and designer of projects in the park. Fortunately the construction – and the art – were done with class and taste. Alferez’s works would also appear at other spots around town, including Charity Hospital and the Molly The Marine Statue on Canal Street.

Crescent Park, Bywater/Marigny

FIND A GREEN SPACE NEAR YOU

(a selection of some of the lesser known neighborhood green spaces)
 

Bayou St. John
Easton Park: bordered by Toulouse and St. Peter streets
Mystery Park: Esplanade Ave., across from Canseco’s grocery

Bywater/Marigny
Crescent Park: bordered by Chartres and Piety streets

CBD
Lee Circle: bordered by St. Charles Avenue
Lafayette Square: bordered by St. Charles Avenue and Camp Street
Duncan Plaza: bordered by Loyola Avenue and Gravier Street

Central City
A.L. Davis Park: bordered by Freret Street and Washington Avenue 
Taylor Park: bordered by S. Roman and Third streets

French Quarter
Woldenberg Park: bordered by the streetcar river line and the river

Holly Grove
Frederick Square: bordered by Hamilton and Edinburgh streets

Lakeshore
Floral Park/Zephyr Park/Ozone Park/Breeze Park/Foliage Park: bordered by Robert E. Lee Boulevard
Orleans Park: bordered by Robert E. Lee Boulevard and Gen. Haig Street 
Tourmaline Park: bordered by Amber, Jewel and Turquoise streets 
Harlequin Park: bordered by Jewel, Beryl and Cameo streets

Lake Terrace Oaks/UNO
Ponchartrain Park: bordered by Press Drive and Prentiss Avenue
Lake Oaks Park: bordered by Lakeshore Drive and Elysian Fields Avenue
London Park: bordered by Lakeshore Drive
St. John Park: bordered by St. Bernard Avenue
Carlson Park: bordered by Robert E. Lee Boulevard
Boreas Park: bordered by Killdeer Street and Perlita Drive

Lower Garden District
St. Mary’s Park: bordered by Tchoupitoulas and S. Peters streets
Coliseum Square Park: bordered by Coliseum and Camp streets
Annunciation Square: bordered by Annunciation and Orange streets
Mississippi River Heritage Park: bordered by Convention Center Boulevard

Marigny
Washington Square Park: bordered by Frenchmen Street and Elysian Fields Avenue
Bunny Friend Park: bordered by Gallier and N. Prieur streets 

Orleans Marina/West End
Breakwater Park: bordered by Breakwater Drive
West End Park: bordered by W. Roadway Street
Fleur De Lis Park: bordered by Fleur de Lis Drive and Avenue A

7th Ward
Hardin Park: bordered by Law Street

St. Roch
St. Roch Park: bordered by N. Roman and N. Johnson streets

Tremé/Lafitte
Louis Armstrong Park/Congo Square: bordered by N. Rampart and N. Villere streets

Uptown
Palmer Park: bordered by S. Carrollton and S. Claiborne avenues
Avenger Park aka “The Fly”: bordered by Audubon Park


– Lexi Wangler