<p>Madame John's Legacy stands north of Jackson Square. The building's name derives from a story by New Orleans author George Washington Cable, and refers to a building that previously stood on the site. It is a French colonial raised cottage, its ground level a full-height basement built out of brick, and a wood frame main level above. Behind the main building is an open courtyard, with a brick slave quarters at the rear of the property. The basement level of the house appears shorter than it was when built, in part because the street level has been raised in the intervening centuries.</p>
<p>The house was built in 1788, and is a rare survivor in the area of the quarter's 1794 fire. The house has survived a number of alterations in the 19th century, most notably as part of a conversion to apartments in the late 19th century. In 1947, the house was donated to the Louisiana State Museum.</p>
<p>This house is briefly seen in the 1994 movie Interview with the Vampire and part of 12 Years a Slave was filmed at the house. The house can also be seen during gameplay of Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation.&nbsp;</p>

Historic photograph of Madame John's Legacy

Current photograph of Madame John's Legacy

Sketch of Madam John's Legacy as it was seen in 1902 made by William Woodward. Courtesy of: The Historic New Orleans Collection. 

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More Info

Library of Congress- photos of Madam John's Legacy 

Madame John's Legacy is a historic house museum in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Built in 1788, it is one of the oldest houses in the French Quarter, and was built in the older French colonial style, rather than the Spanish colonial style of that time. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970 for its architectural significance. The property is owned by the Louisiana State Museum. 

Madame John's Legacy

This historic walking tour starts with the highlights of Jackson Square before heading into the heart of the French Quarter. The tour includes well-known landmarks such as the St. Louis Cathedral and the Cabildo, as well as lesser-known landmarks related to music, mysticism, and open markets. 

<p>Jackson
Square served originally as a military parade ground, open-air marketplace and
public square soon after the French established a colony at New Orleans in the
early 18th century.&nbsp; On the
more macabre side, it was also the site for public executions of criminals and
rebellious slaves.&nbsp; The Spanish used it
for the same purposes and simply changed the name to the Plaza de Armes.&nbsp; It is the site where the Louisiana Territory
was transferred from France to the United States in 1803.&nbsp; In 1815, soon after the conclusion of the War
of 1812, it was renamed yet again to Jackson Square to commemorate Jackson’s
victory over the British in the Battle of New Orleans.</p>

<p>In 1851, the
Baroness de Portalba, who was responsible for the building of the Portalba
Buildings that line one side of the square, redesigned Jackson Square, adding
the now famous iron fence and gates, walkways, benches, and Parisian-style
landscaped gardens.&nbsp; In 1873, it was the
location of the appropriately named Reconstruction Battle of Jackson Square.&nbsp; </p>

<p>In addition
to Jackson’s iconic statue, there are also four neoclassical statues located at
each of the square’s corners that represent the four seasons.&nbsp; The square now offers stunning views of the
St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytère which line the north side.&nbsp; In 1974, the streets around the square were
closed to vehicular traffic and became a pedestrian zone which is now home to
numerous street artists and performers.&nbsp;
It also hosts the annual and very popular French Quarter Festival and
Caroling in Jackson Square.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Jackson Square, a 2.5-acre park located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, is perhaps best known for the equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson that has resided there since 1856.  Designed by French architect Louis Pilie and known originally as the Place d’Armes, the square is as old as the city itself.  Bounded by Decatur, St. Ann, St. Peter, and Chartres streets, the square is now the location of live concerts, street artists, and visited by two million visitors per year.  It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and added to the Register of Historic Places in 1966.  

Jackson Square

<div>Sherwood Anderson was an American novelist and short story writer, known for subjective and self-revealing works. Self-educated, he rose to become a successful copywriter and business owner in Cleveland and Elyria, Ohio. In 1912, Anderson had a nervous breakdown that led him to abandon his business and family to become a writer.</div><div><br></div><div>At the time, he moved to Chicago and was eventually married three more times. His most enduring work is the short-story sequence Winesburg, Ohio, which launched his career. Throughout the 1920s, Anderson published several short story collections, novels, memoirs, books of essays, and a book of poetry. Though his books sold reasonably well, Dark Laughter (1925), a novel inspired by Anderson's time in New Orleans during the 1920s, was the only bestseller of his career.<br><p>Beginning in 1924, Sherwood and Elizabeth Prall Anderson moved to&nbsp;New Orleans, where they lived in the historic Pontalba Apartments (540-B St. Peter Street) adjoining&nbsp;Jackson Square&nbsp;in the heart of the&nbsp;French Quarter. For a time, they entertained&nbsp;William Faulkner,&nbsp;Carl Sandburg,&nbsp;Edmund Wilson&nbsp;and other writers, for whom Anderson was a major influence. Critics trying to define Anderson's significance have said he was more influential through this younger generation who he influenced than by his own works.</p><p>Anderson referred to meeting Faulkner in his ambiguous and moving short story, "A Meeting South." His novel&nbsp;<i>Dark Laughter</i>&nbsp;(1925) drew from his New Orleans experiences and continued to explore the new sexual freedom of the 1920s. Although the book is now out of print (and was satirized by&nbsp;Ernest Hemingway&nbsp;in his novella&nbsp;<i>The Torrents of Spring</i>), it was a bestseller at the time, the only book of Anderson's to reach that status during his lifetime.</p></div><div>Sherwood Anderson's best known work is the novel "Winesburg, Ohio" but in all he wrote 27 works, seven of which were novels. Before his writing career got started&nbsp;he worked in advertising and owned his own company,&nbsp;Anderson Manufacturing. The stress of business life and the fact that making money for its own sake was not his passion caused him to have a nervous breakdown. He left the business industry to focus on writing. However, he did use his business experience for the rest of his life, buying two independent newspapers and serving as business manager&nbsp;and editor for both. Anderson was also a playwright, poet, and political journalist. Tragically, he died in Panama of peritonitis after accidentally swallowing a toothpick.&nbsp;<br></div><br><br><br><br>

During the 1920 great American author Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941) hosted literary salons at this location. Many future literary giants came here including Gertrude Stein, William Faulkner, and Carl Sandburg. Anderson played a large role in helping jumpstart their careers. The marker was placed here in 1998 by the Friends of Libraries USA and Friends of the New Orleans Public Library. 

Historical Marker: Literary Landmark - 540 St. Peter

<div>The Cabildo's main hall, the Sala Capitular, or "Meeting Room," was originally utilized as a courtroom. The Spanish used the courtroom from 1799-1803. &nbsp;From 1803-1812 it was the location of the Louisiana territorial superior court. &nbsp;It was the home of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1868-1910. &nbsp;Thus, the&nbsp;Sala Capitular was the site of several landmark legal cases, including<i> Plessy v. Ferguson</i>.</div><div><br></div><div>By 1895, the Cabildo&nbsp;was in a state of decay and proposed for demolition. &nbsp;Artist William Woodward led a successful campaign to have the historic building preserved and restored.</div><div><br></div><div>In 1911 the Cabildo became the home of the Louisiana State Museum. The museum features an extensive exhibit of the region's indigenous, colonial, and urban history. &nbsp;of Special artifacts include Napoleon Bonaparte's death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte and a self portrait of Julien Hudson, a free man of color and artist in the 1800s.<br><br>*Further history on The Cabildo:<br><br><div>The original Cabildo was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire (1788). The Cabildo was rebuilt between 1795–99 as the home of the Spanish municipal government in New Orleans, and the third floor with mansard roof was later added, in French style. The building took its name from the governing body who met there — the "Illustrious Cabildo," or city council. The Cabildo was the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies late in 1803, and continued to be used by the New Orleans city council until the mid-1850s.</div><div><br></div><div>The building's main hall, the Sala Capitular ("Meeting Room"), was originally utilized as a courtroom. The Spanish used the courtroom from 1799–1803, and from 1803–1812 it was used by the Louisiana territorial superior court. After the American Civil War, it was the home of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1868–1910. The Sala Capitular was the site of several landmark court cases, including Plessy v. Ferguson.</div><div><br></div><div>In 1895 it was in a state of decay and proposed for demolition; artist William Woodward led a successful campaign to have the historic building preserved and restored. In 1911 the Cabildo became the home of the Louisiana State Museum. The museum displays exhibits about the history of Louisiana from its settlement up through the Reconstruction Era, and about the heritage of the ethnic groups who have lived in the state.<br><p>The Cabildo was extensively damaged by a fire on May 11, 1988, which destroyed the cupola and the entire third floor,&nbsp;but it was restored and reopened to the public in 1994.&nbsp;In 2005, the Cabildo survived&nbsp;Hurricane Katrina, the eye of which passed 30 miles east of downtown, with relatively minor damage.</p><p>Days after Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana State Police used the business offices of the Cabildo to set up what was called Troop N. The "N" was a designate for New Orleans. From the Cabildo, Louisiana State Troopers patrolled the streets of the city along with other state police agencies from&nbsp;New Mexico&nbsp;and&nbsp;New York.</p></div><div><br></div><br><br><br></div>

The monumental Cabildo building located today on the historic Jackson Square was constructed between 1795 and 1799.  The original Cabildo building was destroyed in the great fire of 1788, along with over 70% of the cities buildings.  The Cabildo was the seat of the Spanish colonial government.  The word "cabildo" means "city council" in Spanish. This building was the site of the official Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies in 1803.  It functioned as the seat of the New Orleans city council until the mid-1850s.  Later, the "Sala Capitular" room was used the Louisiana Supreme Court and became the site of several landmark cases.  Today, the Cabildo hosts the Louisiana State Museum's extensive colonial Louisiana and New Orleans history exhibit.

The Cabildo

<p>William Cuthbert Faulkner (September 25, 1897-July 6,1962) was a Nobel prize-winning writer from Oxford, Mississippi. He is best known for his books set in the fictional Mississippi Yoknapatawpha County. Novels set in this county include <em>As I Lay Dying </em>and <em>The Sound and the Fury</em>. Faulkner created the word Yoknapatawpha by combining two Chickasaw words, <em>yocona </em>and <em>petopha</em>, meaning, “split land.” This fictional county is based on Lafayette County, the area in Mississippi where Faulkner spent most of his life.</p><p>Although Faulkner is heavily identified with Mississippi, he was residing in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1925 when he wrote his first novel, Soldiers' Pay, after being directly influenced by Sherwood Anderson to attempt fiction writing. Anderson also assisted in the publication of Soldier's Pay and of Mosquitoes, Faulkner's second novel, by recommending them both to his own publisher. The miniature house at 624 Pirate's Alley, just around the corner from St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, is now the premises of Faulkner House Books, where it also serves as the headquarters of the Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society.</p><p>In 1949, Faulkner became the only Mississippi-born Nobel laureate after accepting the Nobel Prize for literature. The award was given to Faulkner for “his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel.” </p><p>Faulkner used part of his Nobel Prize money to establish a fund to support up and coming fiction writers. This later became the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He also used his prize money to create a scholarship fund for the education of African-American teachers at Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. </p><p>On August 3, 1987, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a stamp in his honor. Interestingly, Faulkner once worked as the University of Mississippi’s Postmaster. In 1923, he wrote a resignation letter to USPS that read, “As long as I live under the capitalistic system, I expect to have my life influenced by the demands of moneyed people. But I will be damned if I propose to be at the beck and call of every itinerant scoundrel who has two cents to invest in a postage stamp. That, sir, is my resignation.” </p><p>Faulkner's House is now a bookstore, Faulkner House Books. It is dedicated to Faulkner with books by and on him, many rare and collectible. </p>

<p>This building was completed in 1840 and is best known for the 1920s, when it was the home of William Faulkner. It was here where Faulkner wrote his first novel in 1925, Soldiers’ Pay. Faulkner's novel tells the story of an aviator returning home to Georgia after World War I. The original home was built for another famous person, the widow of Jean Baptiste LaBranche. Her home was built upon the ground where the French Colonial prison once stood.</p>

Faulkner House- Historical Marker

<p>In addition to its own historic significance, the St. Louis Cathedral is particularly notable because it is the oldest operating Catholic church in America, in the only state in which Catholicism is the dominant religious denomination.</p><p><br /></p><p>The French Engineer, Adrien de Pauger, designated the site for a church in 1721. The new church was possibly the first building to be rendered in the "brick between posts" architectural style. It was dedicated to the sainted King Louis IX. Unfortunately, de Pauger was unable to see the church's completion as he died in 1726. The following year, the church opened its doors to the public, with citizens of every social status attending its ceremonies within the church.</p><p><br /></p><p>In 1788, the church and priest's residence burned to the ground. In 1794, the new church, donated by the wealthy Don Andres Almonester y Roxas, open its doors. In 1819, a clock and bell were installed in the central tower of the cathedral, purchased by the City Council. Today this bell continues to ring the hours of the day.</p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately, during construction to expand the cathedral in 1850, the central tower collapsed and only the bell could be saved from the original Spanish architecture. The building was renovated and most of the present structure was built at that time. </p><p><br /></p><p>Like many other historic buildings in New Orleans, the cathedral is rumored to be haunted. In this instance, the claim is that Pere Antoine inhabits the building. Pere Antoine is best known for caring for the poor of the city and baptizing the Voodoo queen Marie Laveau.</p>

St. Louis Cathedral is among the oldest churches in the United States and one of New Orleans' most notable landmarks. Its prominent facade overlooks Jackson Square and has stood at the heart of old New Orleans since its opening in 1727. St. Louis Cathedral has played host to some of histories most prominent figures as well as having been a sight of several tragedies. 

St. Louis Cathedral

<div>Originally called the Casa Curial (Ecclesiastical House), the Presbytère derives its name from its location as the former site of the residence, or presbytére, of the Capuchin monks. Although designed in 1791 by Gilberto Guillemard to match the Cabildo, or Town Hall, on the other side of St. Louis Cathedral, construction on the building went slowly; a city fire in 1794 halted construction until 1798. As a result, it took seven years to complete the first floor (1798) and another 15 years to complete the second floor (1813). &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Despite its original purpose of housing clergy, the Presbytère served as a both a commercial building and home to the lower Federal courts until 1834, and then it served as the home to the Louisiana Supreme Court until 1853 when Cathedral officials sold the Presbytère to the city. The building again changed hands in 1908 because New Orleans sold it to the state, which fostered its new purpose as the Louisiana State Museum, opening In 1911.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The building received National Historic Landmark status in 1970. In 2005, the cupola, lost in the New Orleans hurricane of 1915, was replaced atop the Presbytère.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The principal goal of the museum involves a demonstration of two facets of New Orleans life; both centered on the idea of survival, whether it be through human strife or that of natural disasters -- hurricanes. The first permanent exhibition is titled, "Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana." The festival's musical expression, Middle Ages roots, and historical traditions are all explored in the exhibit. The second exhibition focuses on the many hurricanes that have affected New Orleans, notably Hurricane Katrina. The display enjoys a title, "Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond."&nbsp;</div>

Designed in 1791 to match the Cabildo and St. Louis Cathedral, the Presbytere, originally called Casa Curial or "Ecclesiastical House" was built on the residence of the Capuchin monks. However, despite original intentions and its current name, the Presbytere was never used by the clergy. Instead, it held commercial enterprises until 1834, when it became a courthouse. In 1911, it became a part of the Louisiana State Museum.

The Presbytere and Louisiana State Museum

<p>"The Upper and Lower Pontalba Buildings were built in 1850 by the Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba, the daughter of Don Andres Almonester y Roxas, the Spanish colonial landowner associated with the neighboring Cabildo. Inspired by the imposing Parisian architecture the Baroness favored, the distinctive rowhouses were intended to serve as both elegant residences and fine retail establishments.</p>
<p>Baroness Pontalba employed Samuel Stewart as the builder. She convinced authorities to renovate the Square, Cabildo and Presbytere, and church authorities to enlarge the Cathedral. When the Pontalba buildings were completed in 1849 and 1851, each contained sixteen separate houses on the upper floors and self-contained shops on the ground floors.</p>
<p>During the mid-19th century, the first floor of the Pontalba buildings housed businesses, including dry goods stores, clothing stores, law offices and even a bank and railroad company. Upstairs are the parlor, dining room and three bedrooms. The homes also comprises a back wing, which served multiple purposes, including storage, workspace and housing for slaves or servants.</p>
<p>City directories from the 1850s and the 1860 census show that many Pontalba heads of household were merchants who were affluent enough to afford to rent in one of New Orleans's most fashionable locations. Children, slaves, and servants completed the Pontalba household. An average of nine residents occupied each dwelling.</p>
<p>In 1921 the Pontalba family sold the Lower Pontalba Building to philanthropist William Ratcliff Irby who subsequently, in 1927, donated it to the State Museum. The 1850 House was opened to the public in 1948. Because residents of this row house were tenants who lived here for a few years at a time, the 1850 House does not represent any single family. Rather it reflects middle-class life in mid-nineteenth-century New Orleans. The house museum is furnished with art and furnishings representative of the era."1&nbsp;</p><p>Baroness Pontalba (Micaela Leonarda Antonia Almonester y Rojas, Baroness de Pontalba, November 6, 1795- April 20, 1874), an accomplished businesswoman, invested in real estate, purchasing the land on the upriver and downriver sides of the Place d’Armes. She constructed two Parisian-style row house buildings in the 1840s, at a cost of over $300,000. The buildings include the first recorded instance in the city of the use of iron railings, now a prominent feature of the city's residential architecture. The building fronting Rue St. Peter, upriver from Jackson Square, is the upper Pontalba. The building on the other side, fronting Rue St. Ann, is the lower Pontalba Building.</p><p>Baroness Pontalba died in France in 1874, and the Pontalba family retained ownership of the buildings until the 1920s; but they did not take an interest in the townhouses, so they fell into disrepair. The heirs sold the lower building to local philanthropist William Ratcliffe Irby, who in turn bequeathed the property to the Louisiana State Museum. Local civic leaders acquired the upper building, which they sold to a foundation in 1930, the Pontalba Building Museum Association. The foundation turned the upper building over to the City of New Orleans, which has owned it since the 1930s.<br></p><p>According to Christina Vella, historian of modern Europe, the Pontalba Buildings were not the first apartment buildings in the present-day U.S., as is commonly believed. They were originally built as row houses, not rental apartments. The row houses were turned into apartments during the 1930s renovations (during the Great Depression).<br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

The Louisiana State Museum's 1850 House is an antebellum row house furnished to represent life in mid-nineteenth-century New Orleans. It is located in a row house building on the northern side ofJackson Square in the French Quarter. There is another such building on the opposite side of the square and together they are known as the Pontalba Buildings. Together, they comprise a National Historic Landmark.

1850 House (Pontalba Buildings)

<p>The Vieux Carré, more commonly known as the French Quarter, is the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans. Vieux Carré means “Old Square” in English. Nearly all buildings in the French Quarter are historic. Since the 1920s, all the historic buildings in the area are protected and cannot be torn down. The area used to be largely populated by French Creole families. However, they began becoming a minority before the Civil War. By the late nineteenth century, immigrants relocating from Ireland and Southern Italy began moving into the Quarter because it started to be viewed as a less desirable place to live. When Storyville, New Orleans’ red light district, closed in 1917 much of the business previously concentrated there moved to the Quarter. Most remaining French Creole families moved out of the Quarter and into uptown during this time.</p>

<p>The red brick row houses of Cucullu Row were unusual for the area at the time. Following the Louisiana Purchase, Americans moving to the area introduced this type of architecture, usually seen on the east coast in places such as Philadelphia and Baltimore. In 1828, Bernard Marigny built row houses of the type seen on Cucullu Row on his plantation. After Cucullu Row was built, this architectural style started becoming more popular. The Ursuline Nuns even built twelve row houses at the back of their new property after moving from their old Chartres Street location.</p>

Built in 1828, these six row houses make up Cucullu Row, the oldest intact row in New Orleans’ historic Vieux Carré. The row was once home to historic sites such as the Desporte Pharmacy, open from 1887 to 1970. Before Cucullu Row existed, Pierre Baron’s celestial observatory stood in this area. In 1782, the Conde Market replaced the observatory, which was replaced in 1784 by a fish market. In 1788, one of the city’s worst fires destroyed the market area. James Lambert and Louis Lemoyne built the row in 1828 for Simon Cucullu.

Cucullu Row- Historical Marker

<p>If you’ve
ever watched the 1973 James Bond flick, Live and Let Die (the first one with
Roger Moore as Bond), or American Horror Story: Coven, and wanted to learn more
about this distinct religion, then the Historic Voodoo Museum was made for
you.&nbsp; Consisting of two rooms, a hallway
and a gift shop that sells unique items, such as Voodoo dolls, love potions,
and snake scales, the museum tells the tale of Voodoo from its origins in West
Africa, to its forced migration across the Atlantic with the slave trade, and
finally, its influence within the city of New Orleans.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>While within
the museum’s confines you’ll learn about New Orleans’ Skull and Bone Gangs,
Mardi Gras Indians, Rougarous (not the coaster at Cedar Point), gris gris bags,
New Orleans’ most famous Voodoo queen (Marie Laveau) and, of course,
zombies.&nbsp; And while the museum is not
organized in typical museum fashion, one should enter it with an open mind and
simply enjoy learning something you knew little about prior to your visit.</p>

<p>The museum
also conducts the occasional Voodoo ceremony, psychic reading&nbsp;and wedding complete with Voodoo
drums to summon spirits and snake dances.&nbsp;
It also conducts haunted cemetery walking tours to complete your Voodoo
experience.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Located within New Orleans’ French Quarter since 1972, the Historic Voodoo Museum pays homage to the history, mystery and legacy of the centuries old religion.  What it lacks in size, the museum makes up for with spooky artifacts, art, human skulls, and statues that make you continually look over your shoulder.  The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 6:00 and has a $5 admission fee.

New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum

<p>Jean Lafitte and his older brother Pierre were notorious 19th-century privateers/pirates who operated out of New Orleans and Barataria Bay.&nbsp; Details of Jean’s first twenty years are hard to come by, but by 1806 there were several men named Captain Lafitte who sailed from the ports of New Orleans. The brothers moved their smuggling operation from New Orleans to Barataria Bay as a result of the 1807 Embargo Act that prevented trade with foreign powers.&nbsp; By 1810, the port was a thriving headquarters for Caribbean smuggling activities that preyed largely upon Spanish ships hauling silver, merchandise, and slaves to and from the Caribbean and Central and South America.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Their operations caught the attention of the authorities, and both were arrested in 1812.&nbsp; However, they were released to await their trial, for which, not surprisingly, they failed to appear.&nbsp; Their island compound was again raided by the authorities in 1814, and many of Lafitte’s compatriots were arrested. During the War of 1812, however, Lafitte and his captains were given authority to raid British ships on the condition that they turn over the goods to the U.S. government. &nbsp;</p><p>After once again running afoul of the law, Jean negotiated full pardons for himself, his brother and his fellow privateers by working with future President Andrew Jackson. Jackson utilized the services of the pirates against the British during the Battle of New Orleans and, by all accounts, these men served Jackson well.&nbsp; Jean is then thought to have died in 1823 off the coast if Honduras after an encounter with the Spanish.</p>

<p>As for their namesake bar, there is some evidence that Pierre was a Blacksmith and that their associate, René Beluche, owned the building at one time. &nbsp;The building seems to have later served as an oyster and cobbler’s shop, that was owned by C. Mongo, sometime around the turn of the 20th century.&nbsp; It also had an outbuilding, that housed the oyster shop, which was demolished around 1910.&nbsp; Records also reveal the building served as a grocers and dentist office.&nbsp; Its first recorded use as a bar dates from 1933.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the 1940s, the abandoned building was used by Roger “Tom” Caplinger as the Café Lafitte, a bohemian nightspot that catered to the likes of playwrights Tennessee Williams and Noël Coward.&nbsp; However, since Caplinger did not own the building, it was sold at auction in 1953. Caplinger then opened Café Lafitte in Exile at the other end of the block which is still in operation.&nbsp; Lafitte’s is a wonderful example of the branch of French Colonial architecture known as briquette-entre-poteaux (brick between post) that feature double louvered doors, a flared hip roof, dormers, and shutters.</p>

As much fog and mystery surround this building as surrounds the life of one of New Orleans’ favorite sons, Jean Lafitte.  The former (perhaps) Blacksmith shop that bears the Lafitte name is now a famous bar located in the city’s French Quarter.  It was built sometime between 1722 and 1732 making it one of the older buildings within the city.  It is rumored the Lafitte brothers used the building to plan their privateering operations and as a front to sell goods smuggled into the city.  Despite its unknown past, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop

Born in 1775, Delphine Macarty married three times, lastly to Louis LaLaurie in 1825. The cause of death of LaLaurie's first two husbands remains unknown. Madam LaLaurie acquired a fair bit of wealth from her first two husbands and so in purchased the lot at present-day 1140 Royal Street in 1831. &nbsp;She then had a three-story family residence constructed on the property. &nbsp;Louis, Delphine, and Delphine's two of&nbsp;Delphine's daughters moved into the house.&nbsp;<br><br>Delphine and her husband became well known for the lavish parties they hosted in their large&nbsp;home. She was well-know in local social circles and was reportedly "sweet" and "graceful" &nbsp;in her manners toward those she considered her equals. Some said she was likewise sweet and soothing in front of others toward her slaves, but rumors also surfaced of a cruel and barbaric side to Madame Delphine.<br><br>In 1833,&nbsp;neighbors witnessed Delphine chase a 12-year-old slave girl off the roof of the mansion with a whip. The child died from the impact of the fall. Though the LaLauries attempted to cover up the event,&nbsp;an investigation found the child's body hidden in a well. The LaLauries were fined and forced to sell the rest of the slaves on the estate. However, Madame Delphine arranged for other family members and relatives to purchase the slaves and return them to her home.<br><br>On April 10, 1834, a slave woman who had been chained to the stove to cook for the family,&nbsp;attempted suicide by&nbsp;starting a fire.&nbsp;She later reported that she would rather die than be taken to the upper room for punishment.&nbsp;<br><br>Firefighters and bystanders worked to bring everyone in the house to safety. However, the LaLauries refused to hand over the key to the upper room, where it was believed there were more slaves. &nbsp;After breaking down the door, firefighters found at least seven imprisoned and mutilated victims of Madame Delphine's torture, some held by iron collars. Though there are conflicting accounts as to what else was discovered in the attic, the resulting outrage speaks to extreme depravity on Delphine's behalf. &nbsp;As word spread, a&nbsp;mob of angry citizens attacked the house. Delphine is said to have escaped to Paris with her daughter, where she later died. &nbsp;Her husband's fate remains unknown.<br><br>Further exhumations of the house revealed more bodies and remains, including that of another child, leading to the realization that either Madame Delphine, her husband, or both had been serial murderers.<br><br>Madam Delphine LaLaurie is portrayed&nbsp;by Kathy Bates in the popular FX installment of&nbsp;the 2013-2014 3rd&nbsp;season of <i>American Horror Story: Coven</i>. &nbsp;This fictionalized account&nbsp;tells the story of Madame Delphine's life and the torture and murder she inflicted on the slaves her family owned. &nbsp;Many believe the house to be&nbsp;haunted.&nbsp;

The Marie Delphine LaLaurie Mansion strikes horror in the minds of all who know its history. In this building, Marie Delphine LaLaurie tortured, mutilated, and murdered a number of the family's slaves.  This lavish residence was constructed for the Lalaurie family in 1831.  A fire in 1834 revealed both dead and tortured slaves in the home's upstairs attic.  Though it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction, it is commonly understood that Madame LaLaurie's actions were horrific enough to enrage the otherwise complacent white, slave-holding residents of the city. While historians may never fully know the true horror that went on in the house, the tragic accounts known are recalled and remembered out of respect for those who suffered at her hands.

Marie Delphine LaLaurie Mansion

At the time, this home was one of the most beautiful buildings in New Orleans. It was and is still considered an architectural achievement. This home was extremely technologically and architecturally advanced for the time period it was built in.<br><br>When visitors walk inside, they can already tell this home was different from the others around it. It is very open; when you first walk inside, you enter one of the two parlors. It is also very ornate and&nbsp;boasts many rare luxuries of the time including an interior kitchen (most kitchens were outside). It also has running hot and cold water that run into the bathroom and kitchen.&nbsp;<br><br>The exterior of the home is also very unique. All of the wrought iron that was used on the home was custom made and you cannot find it anywhere else in the French Quarter. Four iron pillars&nbsp;hold up the balcony that comes off of the second floor and four wrought- iron arches that come off of the balcony extend all of the way up to the roof. As such, the house has some of the best latticework of any other home in the Quarter. There are also four large windows that open up all of the way to the top so that you can step onto the balcony. The home also has a carriageway in the front and slave quarters and garden in the rear.<br><br>The Gallier House was such an important home that it was restored and turned into a museum. Today, anyone can tour this house so they can see its beauty up close. It has been restored, but all of the original designs of the house have remained the same.&nbsp;All of the other features of the house, including the slave quarters and the garden, have been restored as well.<br>

Built in 1860, the Gallier House provides one of the best examples of classic New Orleans history and architecture. Located in the French Quarter, the house is bordered by many other historical landmarks, like the Beauregard-Keyes House and the Lalaurie House. This home was designed and built by the father-son duo James and James Jr. Gallier. They were two of the most prominent architects in New Orleans and designed many of the other landmarks in the city including the French Opera House. This house was known for being very advanced for its time and is one of the most architecturally beautiful homes in New Orleans and became a National Historic Landmark in 1974.

Gallier House

<p>The Old Ursuline Convent is the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley. Constructed by French Colonial Engineers, the convent was designed in 1745 and completed in 1752-1753. Over the centuries, this building has served various purposes: a convent for the Ursuline nuns, a school, an archbishop's residence, the archdiocesan central office, and a meeting place for the Louisiana Legislature. Later, it served as a residence for priests serving mainly the Italian community and then housed the Archdiocesan Archives.&nbsp;It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. Today, together with the St. Louis Cathedral and St. Mary's Church, it forms the Catholic Cultural Heritage Center of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.</p>
<p>The Old Ursuline Convent’s facade is simple, with twelve bays, two floors and an attic level made of three dormers. Having many doors and windows available and across from each other is a feature that was developed specifically for this climate as a way to battle heat and humidity. Placing the doors and windows parallel creates a cross ventilation, forcing warm interior air out and cool outside air in.&nbsp;</p><p>The Convent standing today is the second such building constructed on this site. &nbsp;The first building for the Ursuline nuns in New Orleans was designed by&nbsp;Ignace François Broutin&nbsp;in 1727 when the nuns arrived in New Orleans. Michael Zeringue (Johann Michael Zehringer), the King's Master Carpenter from Franconia, Bavaria and progenitor of all "Zeringue" families in Louisiana was the builder. Planning, collecting material, and construction took years. Existing drawings show the building in 1733, although it was not officially finished until the following year.</p><p><i>Colombage</i>&nbsp;(half-timbered) or&nbsp;<i>briquette-entre-poteaux</i>&nbsp;(brick-between-post) was the major form of&nbsp;French Colonial&nbsp;construction in the colony during the 18th century (see also&nbsp;Pitot House). Usually the exterior walls were then given a protective covering of&nbsp;stucco&nbsp;or wooden boards; but the fact that the timbered walls of the Ursuline Convent were left exposed is confirmed by a drawing from 1737. Such construction proved to be inappropriate for the humid climate of New Orleans (with significant deterioration already apparent by 1745),&nbsp;in addition to being a fire hazard.</p><p>In 1745 plans for a new building of brick and protected colombage were prepared by Ignace Broutin. The contractor was Claude Joseph Villars Dubreuil, Contractor of Public Works for the King. His wife, Marie Payen de Noyan, was Bienville's sister. This structure was completed in 1751. It is likely that Alexandre de Batz also took part in the design because several payments are listed to him for work on the new building. The new building was laid out adjacent to the site of the older structure, and some materials from the older building were used in the construction of the newer one.</p><p>Built of stucco-covered brick, the new building, also known as Old Ursuline Convent, is typical for the French neoclassical architecture. It is a formal, symmetrical building, severely designed in its lack of ornamentation. No applied orders of pilasters or columnns relieved the plain walls. Only the slightly arched window set in shallow moldings, the rusticated quoins at the corners and narrow central pedimented pavilion break the even rhythm of the fenestration. The broad plain hipped roof, broken only by small low-set dormers contrasts well with the multi-windowed façade and completes the austere but not unpleasant, finely proportioned building.<br></p><p>The ground floor was used largely for the dormitory, classrooms, refectory, and infirmary of the orphanage, maintained by the nuns. The second floor contained cells for the nuns, a library, another infirmary, and storerooms. The winding stairway visible from the main entrance hallway is believed to be from the original convent, installed in the new building.<br></p><p><br></p>

Complete in 1752-53, the Old Ursuline Convent is the oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley. The Old Ursuline Convent is located in the French Quarter and now functions as a museum. 

Old Ursuline Convent Museum

The Chartres St. house was built in 1826&nbsp;by Francois Correjolles, one of the first native-born Americans to gain success as an architect. He built the house for Joseph Le Carpentier.<br><br>It was Joseph Le Carpentier's grandson, Paul Morphy, who became the main character of future occupant's, Frances Parkinson Keye's, book&nbsp;<i>The Chess Players: A Novel of New Orleans.&nbsp;</i>In 1857, Paul Morphy was more than the champion of the Grand Tournament at the First American Chess Congress--he dominated, winning ninety-seven out of one hundred games! While the fictional account makes Morphy a Confederate spy during the Civil War, there is no evidence to suggest any reality in this piece of the story.<br><br>Le Carpentier sold the house to John Ami Merle in 1833. Merle then became the first Consul of Switzerland to New Orleans in 1838. However, due to financial troubles, the Parish Court for the City of New Orleans ordered the sale of much of Merle's assets, including the house.<br><br>Thus the house passed into a new family's hands, who would carry the house through the civil war. Widow Josephine Laveau Trudeau purchased the house in 1841. The house passed from Mrs. Trudeau to her daughter and then to her daughter's daughter, who lived in the house during the civil war. <br><br>General P.G.T. Bureaugard never owned the Chartres St. house, but he did&nbsp;&nbsp;honeymoon there&nbsp;with this second wife, Caroline Deslonde Bureaugard, while he and his sons rented the house.<br><br>The house continued to pass hands until in 1904, it was purchased by Corroda Giacona. The Giacona's operated a wholesale liquor store, which made headlines, when a murder occurred in its back gallery.<br><br>During the first half of the 20th century, the house suffered severe disrepair and neglect. Not yet treasured for its unique history and architecture, the house served as a homeless shelter at one point and later for Alcoholics Anonymous.<br><br>Finally, Frances Parkinson Keyes purchased the house in 1945 and began attempting to restore it to reflect the era in which Bureaugard and his sons would have rented the house. She then wrote her famous book on Paul Morphy, previous occupant and champion chess player.

Built in 1826, the Chartres Street house is named after two of its most famous former occupants: Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant (P.G.T.) Beuregard and American author Frances Parkinson Keyes. However, over several generations, many other notable Americans also lived in this historic house, including a world chess champion and a Swiss consul. Additionally, the house was at various points used for a liquor business (during which a famous murder occurred), a home for homeless men, and Alcoholics Anonymous. With its rich and diverse history, the home tells an interesting story of New Orleans.

Beauregard-Keyes House and Garden Museum

<p>Danny Barker (January 13, 1909-March 13, 1994) was born in
New Orleans to a musical family. He was the grandson of Isidore Barbarin, a
notable bandleader, and the nephew of Paul and Louis Barbarin, who were
drummers. The first instruments he learned to play were the clarinet and the
drums. He later switched to a ukulele his gave him and later still learned to
play the banjo. Barker played rhythm guitar for bands such as Cab Calloway,
Lucky Millinder, and Benny Carter during the thirties. He played with a number
of legendary musicians, including Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, and Mezz
Mezzrow. He married singer Blu Lu, who he also recorded and toured with. Blue
Lu Barker was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame in 1997.</p>

<p>Danny Barker’s first music group was a street band called
the Boozan Kings. Before moving to New York in 1930, he also toured throughout
Mississippi with Little Brother Montgomery. Shortly after moving to New York,
he played with Fess Williams, Billy Fowler, and the White Brothers. He
collaborated with Buddy Harris in 1933 and with Albert Nicholas in 1935. From
1937-38 he worked with Lucky Millinder and with Benny Carter later in 1938.
During the fifties, he traveled to California to record with Albert Nicholas.</p>

<p>He moved back to New Orleans in 1965 and began working as a
curator’s assistant at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. He started the Fairview
Baptist Church Marching Band in 1970. This later became the popular Dirty Dozen
brass band. He was also the bandleader for the French Markey Jazz Band during
this period of his life.</p>

This historical marker indicates the birthplace of Danny Barker. Barker is best known for his musical accomplishments, but was also a historian, teacher, author, actor, and a painter. He played on over 1,000 records during his illustrious musical career.

Historical Marker- Birthplace of Danny Barker

<span><p>The Market’s life began in 1779 when the Spanish authorities decided that it would be beneficial to create a protective enclosure for their goods. Prior to this, they had used an open-air market directly on the river. In 1782, they completed construction of a building at Dumaine and Chartres streets. This facility, along with many adjacent buildings, was destroyed by a&nbsp;fire in 1788. A new building was constructed at its current location between Ursulines Avenue and Barracks St, along North Peters Street. This, though, was again soon replaced.</p><p>In 1808, the market was replaced by a Halles de Boucheries, or meat market. This consisted of a three hundred foot long, forty nine foot wide hall made up of a one hundred four columnns forming three alleys with a series of stalls, each designated as either meat or produce. But this structure too would be destroyed by a hurricane in 1812. Finally, the market which still stands today was built in 1813.</p><p>Throughout the 19th century the market slowly expanded. In 1823 a vegetable market was added, in 1833 dry-goods, 1835 a vacant space, known as the “Neutral Ground” was set aside specifically for Non White and Indian traders and in 1853 a nearby waterworks was converted to a fruit market. Conditions in the market, which were largely unregulated, were finally handled by Union Commandant Benjaming Butler, who realized that the market was a breeding ground for the yellow fever which had been running rampant through the city. Finally, in 1870 a bazaar market, dedicated to drygoods, was constructed.</p></span><p>The market was a favorite of&nbsp;John James Audubon, who often purchased birds from local vendors at the market.&nbsp;Today, the French Market remains as diverse and&nbsp;dynamic as the city of New Orleans.&nbsp;The market remains popular with locals as well as visitors.&nbsp;</p>

The oldest public market in the United States, the Old French Market was established by the Spanish in 1782 in response to their need to protect goods from the the elements. Prior to the establishment of this market, most goods were sold near the river. The market has expanded and moved slightly over the years, but today occupies the same area as it did in 1791. The market boasts a wide range of produce and culinary goods, including a number of restaurants and coffee houses.

The French Market

<p>The
Old U.S. Mint Building in New Orleans was designated a National Historic
Landmark in 1975 as the nation's most prominent of the first branch mints and
illustrating the movement to decentralize the American monetary system.
Constructed in red brick like most 19th century public buildings in the United
States, the Greek Revival-style building was designed by architect William
Strickland. Built 1835-38, the Old U.S. Mint is the only such building in
America to have served both the United States and the Confederacy. When
Louisiana seceded from the Union in 1861, state authorities seized the property
and transferred it to the Confederate Army. The building was used both to mint
Confederate currency and to house Confederate troops. Following the Civil War,
minting of United States coins resumed and continued until 1909. From 1910 to
1932 the building was, variously, an assayer’s office, a public health service
station, and offices of the Veterans Bureau. Under the direction of architects
Diboll and Owen and altering the appearance as little as possible, in 1932 the
building was transformed into a Federal prison. In 1943 the building was
transferred to the Coast Guard which used it as a receiving depot and later as
a supply depot. In 1966 the building was transferred to the State of Louisiana
through the Historic Surplus Property Program.&nbsp;
Since 1981 the Old Mint Building has been part of the Louisiana State
Museum Complex. Damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, after over two years of
repairs and renovations the museum reopened in October 2007. Today's visitor finds a
number of stunning permanent exhibits in the Old U.S. Min including the “New
Orleans Jazz” exhibit featuring instruments played by significant jazz
musicians, sheet music, and memorabilia chronicling the history of Jazz from
its humble beginnings on the streets of New Orleans.</p>

The Old U.S. Mint Building in New Orleans was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975 as the nation's most prominent of the first branch mints and illustrating the movement to decentralize the American monetary system. Built in 1835-38, the Old U.S. Mint is the only building in America to have served both as a United States and a Confederate Mint. In 1966 the building was transferred to the State of Louisiana through the Historic Surplus Property Program. Since 1981 the Old Mint Building has been part of the Louisiana State Museum Complex. 

Jackson Square to the French Market and Old Mint

Madame John's Legacy

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information