Dear Donna,
The name of our airport has changed many times, and today it is Louis Armstrong International Airport. But its call letters have remained the same. It often comes as a surprise to many that the letters stand for "Moisant Stock Yard."

The name comes from John Bevins Moisant, a young French-Canadian aviator who raced planes in competition with other daring young men in their flying machines. He became internationally famous before his death at age 27 on Dec. 31, 1910. He was getting ready for a competition in which he hoped to set a new world record for sustained flight -- 363.66 miles. In a terrible accident, he was thrown from his plane and killed.

Shortly after his death, the site was converted to stockyards for cattle, and in his honor, it was called Moisant Stock Yards. Since many people knew the location of the stock yards, the name and letters were kept when the airport -- first called Moisant Field -- was built in 1946.

Hey Blake,
I have an old bearer bond from the Bank of Louisiana. Was Citizens Bank first called this? Do you know if there was a Bank of Louisiana in New Orleans in 1833?
Violet Patin

Dear Violet,
Yes, there was, but it was not the same institution as the Citizens Bank.

The Bank of Louisiana was chartered in 1824, and the splendid building that housed it was erected at Royal and Conti streets in 1826. In 1840 and 1861, the building was damaged by fire, and each time restored. However, in 1867, the bank was liquidated.

Since then, the building has housed a variety of tenants such as the Royal Street Auctioneers Exchange in 1870 and the Greater New Orleans Tourist Convention Commission in 1971. Even earlier than that -- from 1868-69 -- it served as the state capitol of Louisiana. Today, you will find it home to the Vieux Carre Commission and the 8th District of the New Orleans Police Department.

During the 1830s, there was a period of great economic expansion in Louisiana. Three new banks were chartered by the Legislature in 1833. The most significant of these was Citizens Bank -- sometimes referred to as the Citizens Bank of Louisiana. A property bank with a primary purpose of financing extensive deals in land and slaves, it was the largest state-chartered bank in America, with an authorized capital of $12 million.

In 1853, the bank's charter was renewed as a commercial bank. Before this change, the bank was located on Toulouse Street, between Royal and Chartres streets. Then it moved to a building previously occupied by the Union Bank. Citizens Bank stayed at this site on Royal and Iberville streets for about 29 years, moving again to 620 Gravier St. in the early 1880s. In 1924, the Citizens Bank was merged into the Canal-Commercial Trust and Savings Bank.

Hey Blake,
What's the story with the Civic Theater on Carondelet Street near Poydras? What sort of places has it been through over the years?
David Aman

Dear David,
This theater, according to the Historic District Landmarks Commission, is the oldest remaining theater structure in New Orleans. It was built in 1906, and its original name was the Shubert Theater. Over the years the name changed, and for a time, it was the Star Theater and the Poche Theater. In 1951, there was a contest held, and the building was renamed the Civic Theater. At times in its colorful history, it has been used for burlesque shows and movies.

In 1974, the building was purchased by local businessman Joseph Canizaro, and since then it has remained virtually unused.