One Cart, One Legend
Martha Hardy
Jauné Jackson
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Fine Arts and Culture
The Irish have the legend of leprechauns, the English have tales of King Arthur and in America, there's Johnny Appleseed. But the Uptown university area has a legend all its own. Loyola and Tulane share the legend of Martha Hardy, commonly known as "Granny Cart-Lady."
Hardy passed away Dec. 9, 2009, at the age of 91, according to The Times-Picayune. At the time of her death, Hardy was known for pushing a cart around the Uptown area, specifically on Loyola's and Tulane's campuses. Students would see Hardy sitting in classes, and often participating in class discussions.
Before her death, little was known about Hardy. Tales of her background included a story that she was the granddaughter of Josephine Louise Newcomb, the founder of Newcomb College in New Orleans, the first women’s coordinate college in the United States. Newcomb College eventually became part of Tulane University. Another story was that Hardy's late husband donated millions of dollars to both Loyola and Tulane, and because of this, she was always welcome on campus.
"I would see her every now and then," says Katie Urbaszewski, Loyola mass communication junior. Urbaszewski says she had her first encounter with Hardy during the summer of 2008.
"She walked into one of the buildings on Tulane’s campus,” Urbaszweski says. “She sat in an empty classroom and started eating lunch and reading these papers."
Urbaszewski tried to start a conversation with Hardy, she says. "I asked her what her name was, and she said, 'That's a personal question,'" Urbaszewski says.
There was something unique about Hardy, Urbaszewski says.
"She started quoting these classic authors and reading religious papers."
David Cariello, 2003 Tulane graduate and owner of Campus Connection, a popular uptown retail store that caters to Loyola and Tulane students, sells T-shirts with Hardy's sillouhette -- cart included.
"I was kind of looking for unique, interesting T-shirt ideas specific to New Orleans, specific to Tulane and Loyola and the Uptown community that I thought people would enjoy," Cariello says.
"Granny Cart-Lady was in my classes and we just felt it was amazing that she went to class all of the time. I have employees that are younger than me that know of her.
“I and the manager at the time made the shirts. Her and I were sitting around and we decided to do it and it was about a year and a half ago, long before she passed away,” Cariello says.
Since her passing, the sales in the T-shirts have exceeded beyond Cariello’s expectations, he says.
The shirts were not the only signs of local interest in Hardy. Facebook groups and YouTube videos dedicated to her allure can be found online.
“I don’t have any idea that she knew the shirts existed or that she had that big of a following,” Cariello says. “But after she had passed away I had a woman call me say she was a friend of the [Hardy] family, and she was calling basically just to make sure we weren’t doing anything distasteful.”
Cariello’s intent was not to be disrespectful to Hardy or her family, he says.
“Of course I assured [the friend of the Hardy family] that wasn’t the case,” Cariello says. “She actually said, ‘I really like the shirt.’”
The Wolf attempted to get in touch with Hardy’s family members for more than two weeks by numerous phone calls to family members’ homes, but they could not be reached for comment. The Wolf visited the home of Hardy’s son, Henry Grady Hardy, Jr., but his wife, Letizia, said her husband “probably won’t respond.” The Wolf also left its contact information on Hardy’s home door. The Wolf was not contacted by a member of the Hardy family at press time.
Cariello says he is saddened by Hardy’s death, but is even more saddened that her legacy may not live on.
“She was kind of this common bond between all ages of students,” Cariello says. “It’s just sad to know that this year’s freshmen classes will be the last to know of her.”
Hardy passed away Dec. 9, 2009, at the age of 91, according to The Times-Picayune. At the time of her death, Hardy was known for pushing a cart around the Uptown area, specifically on Loyola's and Tulane's campuses. Students would see Hardy sitting in classes, and often participating in class discussions.
Before her death, little was known about Hardy. Tales of her background included a story that she was the granddaughter of Josephine Louise Newcomb, the founder of Newcomb College in New Orleans, the first women’s coordinate college in the United States. Newcomb College eventually became part of Tulane University. Another story was that Hardy's late husband donated millions of dollars to both Loyola and Tulane, and because of this, she was always welcome on campus.
"I would see her every now and then," says Katie Urbaszewski, Loyola mass communication junior. Urbaszewski says she had her first encounter with Hardy during the summer of 2008.
"She walked into one of the buildings on Tulane’s campus,” Urbaszweski says. “She sat in an empty classroom and started eating lunch and reading these papers."
Urbaszewski tried to start a conversation with Hardy, she says. "I asked her what her name was, and she said, 'That's a personal question,'" Urbaszewski says.
There was something unique about Hardy, Urbaszewski says.
"She started quoting these classic authors and reading religious papers."
David Cariello, 2003 Tulane graduate and owner of Campus Connection, a popular uptown retail store that caters to Loyola and Tulane students, sells T-shirts with Hardy's sillouhette -- cart included.
"I was kind of looking for unique, interesting T-shirt ideas specific to New Orleans, specific to Tulane and Loyola and the Uptown community that I thought people would enjoy," Cariello says.
"Granny Cart-Lady was in my classes and we just felt it was amazing that she went to class all of the time. I have employees that are younger than me that know of her.
“I and the manager at the time made the shirts. Her and I were sitting around and we decided to do it and it was about a year and a half ago, long before she passed away,” Cariello says.
Since her passing, the sales in the T-shirts have exceeded beyond Cariello’s expectations, he says.
The shirts were not the only signs of local interest in Hardy. Facebook groups and YouTube videos dedicated to her allure can be found online.
“I don’t have any idea that she knew the shirts existed or that she had that big of a following,” Cariello says. “But after she had passed away I had a woman call me say she was a friend of the [Hardy] family, and she was calling basically just to make sure we weren’t doing anything distasteful.”
Cariello’s intent was not to be disrespectful to Hardy or her family, he says.
“Of course I assured [the friend of the Hardy family] that wasn’t the case,” Cariello says. “She actually said, ‘I really like the shirt.’”
The Wolf attempted to get in touch with Hardy’s family members for more than two weeks by numerous phone calls to family members’ homes, but they could not be reached for comment. The Wolf visited the home of Hardy’s son, Henry Grady Hardy, Jr., but his wife, Letizia, said her husband “probably won’t respond.” The Wolf also left its contact information on Hardy’s home door. The Wolf was not contacted by a member of the Hardy family at press time.
Cariello says he is saddened by Hardy’s death, but is even more saddened that her legacy may not live on.
“She was kind of this common bond between all ages of students,” Cariello says. “It’s just sad to know that this year’s freshmen classes will be the last to know of her.”
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