Q wrote
>Randolph-Legman, in "Roll Me in Your Arms," song 62, "The
>House of the Rising Sun," p. 253, discuss the meaning of
>"Rising Sun," and speculate that it "probably refers to some
>gilt or yellow-painted version of the large sculptured or gilt
>wooden chrysanthemum-style circular decoration often
>placed as a sun-ray mirror indoors, or over the outside door
>of fine houses in France, and derivatorily in French New
>Orleans...." He could have added derivatorily on occasional
>houses in many cities. It could refer to the semi-circular
>fan-like window or imitation, also found over doors.

If the "House of the Rising Sun" were an historical establishment in New Orleans, I think it would have to be one of the better known places. On p 83 of Al Rose, "Storyville, New Orleans" (U. AL Press, 1974) is illustrated the "fan window" over the door of Lulu White's famed "Mahogany Hall," aka "Hall of Mirrors." This is no ordinary fan window - the inner part looks eerily like one of those sun drawings that appear every few minutes on CBS Sunday Morning. Lulu White's is my favorite candidate for the historical "House of the Rising Sun."

Ted Anthony promises new revelations when his book is published, but he hasn't told me what those will be.