April Fool's prank renames French Quarter to American Quarter in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, La. (WNTZ) — A well-executed April Fool’s prank has left many New Orleans residents and visitors momentarily stunned, as a fake website announced that the historic French Quarter had been renamed the “American Quarter” by executive order of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.
The website, AmericanQuarter.us, features a striking red, white, and blue logo with a silhouette of a horseback rider holding a torch, resembling a state seal. It presents an official-looking press release, complete with references to a fictional Executive Order 25-504, promising to replace all French street names with “American-centric alternatives” and inviting the public to submit name suggestions. The website also includes links to the actual Louisiana state government site, further lending an air of legitimacy.
A convincing AI-generated video of what seems a statesman or spokesperson reinforces the hoax, while a call for users to submit street name suggestions subtly collects personal email addresses. While the prank is in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, cybersecurity experts warn that it highlights the risks of misinformation and phishing scams, which can be used to harvest private data.
“People need to be especially cautious when engaging with websites that request personal information,” said cybersecurity analyst Jordan Reynolds. “A well-designed hoax like this may seem harmless, but giving away an email address can expose users to scams, spam, or even identity theft.”
A telltale sign that the website is not an official government page is the lack of a proper favicon—the small icon that appears in a browser tab. Instead, it displays the default Squarespace logo, indicating that the site was built on a commercial website platform rather than an official government domain.
The prank has sparked amusement, outrage, and genuine confusion among some readers who did not realize the announcement was satire. Many took to social media to debate the legitimacy of the name change, while others quickly pointed out the joke.
For now, New Orleans’ famed French Quarter remains unchanged, still steeped in its rich French, Spanish, and Creole history. But the prank serves as a reminder to fact-check information before sharing it online, verify sources, and be cautious about providing personal data on unfamiliar websites.