For at least 125 years, New Orleanians have made the trek out to West End, which was the site of the Southern Yacht Club and, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, a resort complete with at least one hotel, a bandstand, concessions, and at times rides such as a Ferris wheel.
Early on, reaching West End involved shell roads and, a bit later, a rail line owned and operated by the New Orleans Railway and Light Company. In modern times, West End is a part of New Orleans and is as easily reached as any other part of the city. It is still a popular restaurant destination.
The West End Hotel
Between the late 1800s and beyond, there was a hotel, The West End Hotel, which, in addition to lodging, offered restaurant service.
There is some uncertainty about the restaurant service at the West End Hotel. The Tranchina family is known to have provided restaurant service there. The Tranchinas also operated a restaurant and oyster saloon at 1601–1603 St. Charles Avenue, with Frank Tranchina as proprietor. They also operated a restaurant in the Spanish Fort resort area.
The West End Hotel china is shown here. Tranchina’s china will be included with the Spanish Fort material so that the same pieces are not shown twice.
West End Hotel Chinaware
Here we have three examples of chinaware from the West End Hotel: a demitasse set, a toothpick holder, and a tip tray or card holder. All of the pieces were made by Bauscher China.
Although undated, the china is probably from around 1900. Another piece, a dinner plate, has also been seen, which would suggest that this was service ware rather than souvenirs.
West End Through the Years
These old postcards offer glimpses of West End as it was when it was a popular destination for New Orleanians. The resort featured a variety of attractions, including a bandstand, concessions, and at times rides such as a Ferris wheel.
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