Suicide Oak in City Park, New Orleans, La.

Suicide oak in City Park is one of the old monarchs of the forest, which add so much to the beauty of New Orleans’ Parks with their drapery of gray Spanish Moss.  The story of the tree is that in 12 years 16 men committed suicide under its branches.

New Orleans, La., December 10, 1945

December 10, 1945

Dear Irene,

Hi!  Guess who!  I’m down in New Orleans with Steve while he gets his discharge, but it isn’t going very fast and I guess we won’t be back for Christmas like we planned.  The weather is warm but damp. 

Love, Audrey and Steve

Mrs. Donald Miller

232 Cobrain St., S.W.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Only New Orleans could make a tourist attraction from a natural suicide assisting device.  City Park in New Orleans also has the Dueling Oak, so homicide is included as well.  During World War II, the city was home to a large Personnel Separation Center for the U.S. Navy, so perhaps Steve was returning from a Pacific Theatre Tour.   If Audrey is thinking that the process will take 15 more days, did the sheer numbers of returning servicemen jam up the system, or was the process always this slow?

Maybe this postcard was a subtle cry for help.