New Southport Club

Parish: Orleans

Location: New Orleans

From matchbook cover:

New Southport Club
New Orleans, LA
formerly Jefferson Inn
Air conditioned
New Orleans newest & most modern club

From the website of the building’s current occupant, Southport Hall: http://www.newsouthport.com/html/history.html

“Southport is a few blocks located in Old Jefferson bounded roughly by Jefferson Highway on the north, the Mississippi River on the south, the Orleans-Jefferson parish line on the east and Dakin Street on the west.

Southport Hall originally opened for business in the early 1900’s, operating primarily as an illegal casino founded by Joe Hyland. A handful of clubs like Southport operated in “The Free State” of Jefferson during this time. Over a century later, Southport Hall is the only speak easy still standing.

Called Hyland’s Southport Inn, the venue operated much like a private club, where an elite clientele enjoyed roulette, craps, poker, blackjack and keno. The club changed hands over a 20-year period, purchased first by Rudy and George O’Dwyer and renamed the Southport Club, and then by Charlie Kerner, who called it the Old Southport Club. Later, reputed New Orleans Mafia boss Carlos Marcello operated the venue as the New Southport Club.

By the 1960s, the hall was no longer operating as an illegal casino but was instead known as Farhad Grotto, a gathering spot for the Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. The social organization later moved to Harahan and is well-known for its “Bug Patrol,” a swarm of black and red dune buggies appearing in many Carnival parades.

Changing its name back to Southport Hall in 2004, Catherine Bagnetto Foss and Charles Bagnetto Jr, (sister and brother) purchased the hall. The business is now operated by two of Charlie’s sons, Jay Bagnetto, General Manager / Private Parties and Mark Bagnetto, Talent Manager / Advertising. In the past 8 years Southport has become a prominent destination for live music and private events.

Today, the club still has the original counting room, replete with a solid bronze door and a cement wall. You can also check out an antique keno board that still resides on a back wall, tucked innocently behind a picture where, in the old days, it was quickly hidden if authorities raided the place.

You may also come across The Southport Hall ghost, who likes to hang out in an apartment and the bathrooms in the back room, according to Foss and O’Reilly. The ghost has made himself known not only to employees but also to visitors. “Customers tell us they’ve had various encounters with the ghost,” says O’Reilly. Foss says the hall’s cook and another employee describe it as wearing a long coat and a Confederate-type hat, and the family has named the ghost ‘George.’  “

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