Pirates Alley

Pirates Alley
While working for Paradise Vendors, Ignatius wandered over to the St. Louis Cathedral where he knew a ladies’ art guild would be hosting a hanging of art on the wrought iron fence at Pirates Alley.

There are a lot of legends about Pirate’s Alley and about its name. Most of them are probably not true but they’re romantic and fun and add to the city’s mystery. One of the rumors says that pirates used to hang out there, recruiting new crew members and plotting their next adventure. Another says that Andrew Jackson met there with the pirate Jean Lafitte to plan their defense of the city during the War of 1815 and the Battle of New Orleans.
Either way, the alley is also famous because William Faulkner lived there for about a year in 1925. While living there, he wrote his first novel, “Soldier’s Pay.” His apartment was on the first floor and today, the entire floor has been converted to a book store.
Pirate’s Alley runs along St. Louis Cathedral from Royal Street to Chartres and Jackson Square.
Here are a few photos of the iron fence surrounding St. Louis Cathedral. The first two show the rear of the Cathedral and the third shows the view looking from Royal Street to Jackson Square. There’s a lot of room for the ladies’ art guild to hang their artwork…

St. Louis Cathedral was built in 1794 and then expanded with a central clock and bell tower in 1819. During a major renovation in 1849, most of the structure was demolished and the vast majority of the building actually dates from 1850.

Preparing for his day of work, Ignatius had decorated his hot dog cart and he “taped a sheet of Big Chief paper on which he had printed in crayon: TWELVE INCHES (12) OF PARADISE.” The ladies of the art guild did not appreciate the double entendre, nor did they appreciate Ignatius’ presence and critique of their art.
After a short argument, Ignatius moved on down Pirate’s Alley and sat on the cathedral’s side steps to rest his feet.
Here’s a photo of the side steps, and I’m assuming that the fence with the gate wasn’t there to prevent Ignatius’ much-needed and much-earned rest…

While sitting on the side steps, Ignatius has a little tiff with Dorian Greene. During their conversation, Ignatius decides to recruit Dorian and his friends to join his revolutionary group, which he hastily organized to spite Myrna Minkoff.