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| The celebration started in New Orleans around the 17th century , when Jean Baptiste LeMoyne, Sieur de Bienville, and Pierre LeMoyne, Sieur de Iberville founded the city. In 1699, the group set up camp 60 miles south of the present location of New Orleans on the river's West Bank. They named the site Point du Mardi Gras in recognition of the major French holiday happening on that day, March 3. |
| During the 1700's, New Orleans, under Frech rule, started celebrating pre-Lenten balls. By the late 1700's, Spain took over and banned these events. The ban continued still, when the U.S. took ownership of New Orleans as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Eventually the Creoles finally got the Americans to reinstate the balls by 1823. Within the next four years street masking was legalized. |
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| The early Mardi Gras consisted of citizens wearing masks on foot, in carriages, and on horseback. The first documented parade in 1837 was made of a costumed revelers. The Carnival season eventually became so wild that the authorities banned street masking by the late 1830's. This was an attempt to control the civil disorder arising from this annual celebration. |
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| By the 1840's, a strong desire to ban all public celebrations was growing. Luckly, six young men from Mobile saved Mardi Gras. These men had been members of the Cowbellians, a group that performed New Years Eve parades in Mobile since 1831. The six men established the Mystick Krewe of Comus, which put together the first New Orleans Carnival parade on the evening of Mardi Gras in 1857. The Parade consited of two mule-driven floats. This promoted others to join in on this new addition to Mardi Gras. |
| During 1857 the Mystick Krewe of Comus was formed by six upscale Orleanians. It's still a haven for local bluebloods, but had a lot to do with shaping Mardi Gras: The group coined the term "Krewe" for its secret organization, presented a themed parade with floats and costumed riders, and staged a tableau ball. |
For More Information on Mardi Gras check out these websites Additional links to Mardi Gras celebrations around the world.
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