Bridging the Big Easy

Although more than 20 miles of the Mississippi River wind past the city of New Orleans, only one bridge spans the mighty river within city limits. Well, really it's two. The twin spans of the Crescent City Connection, one westbound and one eastbound, connect central New Orleans with the city's 15th Ward. Better known as Algiers, this southeastern segment of the city packs a lot of history, having transformed from a hub of the slave trade to a unique center of African American and Creole culture—especially music. Brass bands first paraded the streets here in the 1870s, and numerous Algiers-born musicians were instrumental in the creation of jazz.