Welcome!
I’m “Ask Arthur,” the guy behind the happy-go-lucky Pineapple Man you see in our logo. I’ll tell you about him in a bit, but first a little about me.
My full name is Arthur Morgan Smith. About four years ago, I retired from a long and varied career in publishing and marketing, my last stop as communications director for the Louisiana State Museum. It was a dream job for an amateur historian like me. And when I shut my office door at the Cabildo for the last time, I knew I would have to keep on sharing the history of this wonderful city… out on the streets this time, walking and talking with curious folks like you and having a grand time together. That’s how I became your guide.
A few more personal details. I’m a native New Yorker and Tulane University graduate who fell in love with New Orleans and never really left. I live in the French Quarter these days, in an 1832 townhouse I share with two teenage sons. In addition to my professional guide work, I’m a volunteer guide for two outstanding nonprofit organizations — Save Our Cemeteries and Friends of the Cabildo. If we can't connect, call them. And tell ‘em Arthur sent you!
Everybody loves our Pineapple Man. The pineapple has been a symbol of welcome and hospitality for centuries. A character in the 1873 Mystic Krewe of Comus parade, our mascot also represents the fun and frivolity of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We found his image among thousands of original costume and float designs in the Tulane University Library’s amazing Carnival Collection. Thanks, Tulane, for letting him out of the archives to share with you and say “Welcome.”
That’s all for now. For anything else, just…