Rededication of the Olive Stallings Playground
July 14, 1991

The New Orleans Playgrounds Commission, the predecessor of today's New Orleans Recreation Department, was established in 1911 to manage the three existing public playgrounds (the Poydras, Cleveland, and St. Roch Playgrounds) previously administered by the Civic Improvement and Playgrounds Association. The Civic Improvement and Playgrounds Association was itself an outgrowth of the earlier Outdoor Art Association, a private organization formed to improve and beautify the city, which had established the Poydras Playground in 1908 on ground provided by the city at Poydras and South Rampart Streets.

In short order, the new Playgrounds Commission opened two additional playgrounds, the Milneburg and the Taylor Playgrounds. Its name changed in 1923 to the Playground Community Service Commission, but its work continued until the creation of NORD in 1946. During those 35 years, the Commission increased the number of public playgrounds to 36, seven of which had swimming pools. Following the establishment of NORD, the Commission lived on to administer funds from the legacy left to Playgrounds Commission by its long-time president, Olive Stallings. (Text and photo from the New Orleans Public Library.)

From the Daily Picayune - Tuesday Morning, July 14, 1863: An inquest was held yesterday at the Treme Police Post on the body of J. B. Lafosse, and a verdict was returned attributing death to injuries occasioned by car No. 74 on Rampart street. Deceased was a native of France, and about sixty years of age. For a year or so he had been a member of the Second District police force, and recently performed the special duties of policeman for Place d'Armes, formerly Congo Square. He was a curious old man, full of strange reflections of "La belle France," yet a thorough Republican in feelings, and an American in patriotism. Shortly after 8 o'clock, on Sunday night, he went to a corner grocery opposite to the tree-embellished breathing place which he guarded, for the purpose of procuring a bottle of whiskey to aid in commemorating the great events of the week just ended. After obtaining the whiskey he undertook to recross the street, humming "La Marseillaise," when he came in contact with the mule attached to car No. 74 on Rampart street. He fell, and before the car could be stopped one of the wheels passed over his neck and arm, breaking them both, thereby occasioning injuries which in a short time resulted fatally. Thereupon the body was conveyed to the Treme Post, where the inquest was held yesterday.