The original Bank of Louisiana in New Orleans was chartered by Governor Claiborne in 1804. The bank was formed after the Louisiana Purchase for the purpose of providing currency that could replace the Spanish silver certificates used in the lower Mississippi Valley in the 18th century. In 1824, a second Bank of Louisiana was chartered, during which point the main building was moved to 334 Royal Street, the same beautiful building seen today. This building served as the headquarters of the bank, the point of the Louisiana Lottery, and even a temporary state capitol. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 for its contributions in the areas of commerce and architecture.
Designed by Frederick and Ten Eyck Brown in the Beaux Arts style, this courthouse was home to the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1910 to 1958, and once again from 2004 to the present. The original building had fallen into disrepair in the 1950s, leading to the construction of a new and modern building at 301 Loyola Avenue. In the 1990s, the state determined to restore the original courthouse. The building reopened in 2004, and the Court once again calls this building home.
Prior to the completion of the Omni Hotel in the 1950s, this was the site of the St. Louis Hotel. During the antebellum period, the St. Louis Hotel was one of over fifty places where slaves were bought and sold.
The Napoleon House, like numerous other buildings in the French Quarter of New Orleans, is a local landmark. Added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 for its French-style architecture and unrestored state, the Napoleon House was built in 1794 and purchased by Claude Girod in 1798, whose brother Nicholas would later serve as mayor from 1812-1815. It was given the name Napoleon House because it is believed that Girod offered the house as refuge for Napoleon Bonaparte after he (Napoleon) was exiled from France in 1815. Napoleon was poisoned to death with arsenic on May 5, 1821 and the news of his passing arrived three days before the plan to get him to America was supposed get underway. Today, the upper floors of the building are apartments and the first floor is a famous restaurant called Napoleon House.
This monument, which stands in a little triangle-shaped park in the French Quarter, commemorates the founder of New Orleans, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville (he was also known as Sieur de Bienville). Bienville was born in Montreal in 1680 and became a colonizer and explorer. He explored the Gulf Coast where he eventually discovered what he deemed a suitable place for a new settlement that would become New Orleans. He received permission to establish the settlement and founded it on May 7, 1718. Bienville served as governor of Louisiana four times between 1701-1743. The monument was cast by Angela Gregory in 1955 and was originally located at the New Orleans Union railroad station; it was moved here in 1996.
Built by the French in 1761 on what is no the northeast corner of Toulouse and Decatur, Government House served as the headquarters of the French colonial government until 1769, when the Spanish took control of the area. The Spanish governor lived at this house until the United States acquired control of the city as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The first territorial legislature met here at Government House, as did the Louisiana Supreme Court, which held sessions at Government house from March 1813 until 1818. The building escaped serious damage in two fires in the late 1700s but was destroyed by a fire in 1828.
Founded in 1966 by General L. Kemper Williams and his wife Leila, the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to preserving the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. The organization has restored seven architectural treasures between its Royal Street Complex and the Williams Research Center and on Chartres Street. Its four exhibition spaces—the Williams Gallery, the Louisiana History Galleries, the Boyd Cruise Gallery, and the new Laura Simon Nelson Galleries for Louisiana Art—faithfully depict the multicultural stories of the region, from permanent displays exploring the evolution of Louisiana to rotating exhibitions showcasing history and fine art. Researchers—dedicated scholars and casual history buffs—can access THNOC’s materials through the Williams Research Center.
Founded in 1961, Preservation Hall is a musical venue in the French Quarter to protect, preserve, and perpetuate traditional New Orleans jazz. The Preservation Hall venue presents intimate, acoustic New Orleans jazz concerts over 350 nights a year featuring ensembles from a current collective of 100+ local master practitioners. On any given night, audiences bear joyful witness to the evolution of this venerable and living tradition. It is also a record label recording studio and a non-profit foundation.
This Federal-style mansion was built by slaves and free people of color between 1830 and 1831 for the family of Samuel Hermann. The Christian Women's Exchange acquired the property in the 1920s and used operated a boarding house for single, low-income women until the 1970s when it was converted into a house museum. The same charitable organization operates the museum, although they changed their name to the Women's Exchange in 1998 to emphasize their desire to serve women of all backgrounds and faiths. The museum tells the story of the people who built, lived, and worked in this home over the past two centuries. It also preserves and shares historic furnishings and artwork representative of New Orleans in the 19th century.
A popular tourist destination, this small park in Bourbon street honors some of New Orleans' best and well known musicians. It is operated and maintained by the New Orleans Musical Legends Foundation, Inc., which was founded in 2000. There are several life-size statues of these musicians, including Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Fats Domino, Chris Owens, Ronnie Cole, Louis Prima, Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas. Live jazz is played here everyday and the park is free and open to anyone. There is a cafe at the far end of the park.
The 200 year old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street has been a staple of New Orleans celebrities since its founding in 1807. Originally built by two Spaniards from Barcelona it blossomed into a famous bar known for its absinthe frappe (essentially absinthe with sugar water). It has hosted many notable patrons, from Mark Twain to Oscar Wilde and Robert E. Lee. It is still operating today, with some of its original artifacts on display.
The only high-rise building located in New Orleans’ French Quarter, the Hotel Monteleone, in one form or another, has stood at the corner of Royal and Iberville Streets since 1886. Over the years, the original Hotel Monteleone was expanded until it was razed to make room for the current iteration in 1954. It now contains 600 guest rooms, to include 50 suites. It is also home to New Orleans’ only rotating bar, the Carousel Piano Bar and Lounge and numerous literary luminaries have graced its halls, rooms, and lounges over the years. It is a member of Historic Hotels of America and was deemed an official literary landmark by the Friends of the Library Association in 1999.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This walking tour includes some of the highlights of the southern half of the French Quarter. The tour starts at Hotel Monteleone and includes a number of historic buildings, monuments, and landmarks. This tour stops short of Jackson Square before returning to the Canal Street side of the French Quarter.
