Browse Items (123 total)

Flyer that circulates in New Orleans announcing plans for July 1 memorial service at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.

Kenneth Paul Harrington, 48, federal government employee, pictured with his partner, Frank Landry, who died a few years before the fire.

Larry Stratton, 25, from East St. Louis.

A number of lawsuits to recover damages are filed by families of the deceased as well as survivors of the fire.

Leon Richard Maples, 31, auto mechanic visiting New Orleans from Jacksonville, Florida. (picture taken afternoon of fire.)

Two women are married at MCC New Orleans and, as an early precursor to today’s social developments, announce plans to apply for a marriage license.

Lord Darwen replied to Wedmore's letter (above) on 12 January 1962 and expressed interest in seeing the manuscript and possibly publishing the book. Darwen followed up that letter one month later.

Photo 1: Stanley Plaisance, Gene Davis, and two unknown bar patrons.
Photo 2: Mardi Gras costume contest, 1973.

Only four days after the fire, one local newspaper prints a short article about special arrangements for treating some survivors.

Louis Horace Broussard (on right), 29, partner of Duane George "Mitch" Mitchell (see below).

Luther Boggs, 47, computer programmer, died July 10, 1973, after treatment for third degree burns over 50% of his body.

The June 1971 issue of MCC’s In Unity magazine contains story of the New Orleans mission beginning to worship at the Upstairs Lounge.

After leaving the Upstairs Lounge, MCC New Orleans holds weekly worship services in the chapel at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4600 St. Charles Avenue (pictured in 2013).

The June 1971 issue of In Unity includes a map and listing of MCC congregations including New Orleans, as a mission of the San Diego Church.

MCC New Orleans strives to communicate that it is continuing and growing following the tragic loss of members at the Upstairs Lounge.

MCC raised the funds to rent this double cottage at 1369-73 Magazine Street (shown in 2013) to serve as both home for the pastor and hall for worship.

Letter from MCC San Francisco Pastor Jim Sandmire to his congregations draws the MCC connections to the New Orleans tragedy.

The annual State of the Church Report presented to the MCC General Conference in August 1973 calls the year one of “Refiner’s Fire” as it noted fires in several MCC congregations in addition to the Upstairs Lounge fire.

A memorial service, held on the second anniversary of the Upstairs Lounge fire, calls for permanent memorials for the 32 victims of the tragedy.

The Times-Picayune also produced a thoughtful account of the July 1st memorial service.