The Historic French Quarter New Orleans, Louisiana

Zebra rug hung on a early wrought iron balcony on The Pedesclaux Le Monnier house on Royal street designed in 1794. George Washington Cable set his story Sieur George's here.  

I have been lucky to live in the French Quarter for nine years before Hurricane Katrina changed the type of people that lived in the Quarter. New Orleans is the most European city in America and living in the French Quarter is like living in a European Village!  The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest and most famous neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans (La Nouvelle Orléans in French) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré ("Old Square" in French) as it was known then. While the area is still referred to as the Vieux Carré by some, it is more commonly known as the French Quarter today, or simply "The Quarter." The district as a whole is a National Historic Landmark, and contains numerous individual historic buildings. It was affected relatively lightly by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, as compared to other areas of the city and the region as a whole.




Many of the buildings date from circa 1800 to 1860 the antebellum period. New Orleans became part of the United States in 1803 with the Louisiana purchase, although there are some late 19th century and early 20th century buildings in the area as well. Since the 1920's the historic buildings have been protected by law and cannot be demolished, and any renovations or new construction in the neighborhood must be done according to regulations to match the period historic architectural style.

Zebra rug hung on a early wrought iron balcony on The Pedesclaux Le Monnier house on Royal street designed in 1794. George Washington Cable set his story Sieur George's here.  

The Pedesclaux Le Monnier house on Royal street designed in 1794. George Washington Cable set his story Sieur George's here.  

Top of Italianate doorway

"cornstalk" cast iron fence. It was commissioned and erected in 1856 by Dr. Joseph Secondo Biamenti who had purchased the mansion in 1834. The famous Cornstalk Fence is truly a landmark that in itself has helped make the old French Quarter famous. Natives and tourists alike never cease to wonder at its beautifully ornate and delicate iron handicraft. Ripe ears of corn a-shucked on their stalks are seemingly ready for the harvest, each kernel a work of art. Pumpkins form the base of the massive iron columns around which are entwined by pumpkin vines and the leaves and morning glories. A yellow butterfly is spotted on the front gate.

There is a lovely story of the early owner who brought his young bride to live here far from her native Iowa. To soften some of her loneliness for the waving fields of corn back home, he caused this replica to be made in graceful iron so that from her front gallery she could forever see something of her native land. One of the highlights of any visit to "America's Most Interesting City" is viewing the cornstalk fence and staying at the Cornstalk Hotel.

The back of the St Louis Cathedral, 1852 by French architect J.N.B. de Pouilly

18th century wrought iron bracket supports

18th century wrought iron bracket supports

Greek Revival wrought iron

Wrought iron spear points

1820's Creole building on Royal Street

1799 Creole house

Cast & wrought iron in a Spanish Colonial House on Royal street now Brennan's restaurant

Brennan's opened in this building at 417 Royal St., also built by Vincent Rillieux, in 1855. The structure was erected after the fire of 1794 destroyed more than 200 of the original buildings along this street. (This is why we are so confident New Orleans will rise again. It's happened before!) From 1805 to 1841, it was home to the Banque de la Louisiane. The world-famous chess champion Paul Charles Morphy moved here as a child in 1841. The parents of Edgar Degas also lived here.

Creole wrought iron

 Bank of Louisiana building 1826

Across the street, this old bank was erected in 1826 at 334 Royal St. by Philip Hamblet and Tobias Bickle, after the designs of Benjamin Fox. Its Greek Revival edifice was erected in the early 1860s, and the bank was liquidated in 1867. The building has suffered a number of fires (in 1840, 1861, and 1931) and has served as the Louisiana State Capitol, an auction exchange, a criminal court, a juvenile court, and a social hall for the American Legion. It now houses the police station for the Vieux Carré.

Early wrought iron balcony on circa 1800 built by Barthelemy Lafon for Vincent Rillieux the great grandfather of Edgar Dagas

Wrought iron bracket

Louisiana State bank building designed in 1819 by Bejamin Henry Latrobe and built by Bejamin Fox builder 1821

Benjamin H. B. Latrobe died of yellow fever shortly after completing designs for the Louisiana State Bank, which opened in this building in 1821. At the time of his death, Latrobe was one of the nation's most eminent architects, having designed the Bank of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (1796) and contributed to the design of the U.S. Capitol. You can see the monogram "LSB" on the Creole-style iron balcony railing.

Early wrought iron balcony on circa 1800 built by Barthelemy Lafon for Vincent Rillieux the great grandfather of Edgar Dagas

Early wrought iron balcony on circa 1800 built by Barthelemy Lafon for Vincent Rillieux the great grandfather of Edgar Dagas

the Rillieux-Waldhorn House, this is now the home of Waldhorn Antiques (est. 1881). The building was built between 1795 and 1800 for Vincent Rillieux, the great-grandfather of the French Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. Offices of the (second) Bank of the United States occupied the building from 1820 until 1836 when, thanks to President Andrew Jackson's famous veto, its charter expired. Note the wrought-iron balconies -- an example of excellent Spanish colonial workmanship.

Detail of cast & wrought iron on the Bank of Louisiana building 1826

Detail of cast & wrought iron on the Bank of Louisiana building 1826

Detail of Greek Revival doorway

The Casa Correjolles house shows the finest example of early wrought iron craftsmanship

The Casa Correjolles house shows the finest example of early wrought iron craftsmanship

1840's Home

Henry Clay's brother, John, built a house for his wife here in 1828

A Shotgun double house

1830's house made of Quincy granite

The Gauche house 1856

Surrounded by grape vines and carrying a wreath of a tambourine, a bacchant parades around the balcony

Surrounded by grape vines and carrying a wreath of a tambourine, a bacchant parades around the balcony

The Gauche house court yard 1856

The Gally houses built in 1830 by Gurlie and Guillot

Early 19th century Creole home

Building made of red brick from the East Coast and Quincy Granite

A late 19th century building

Cast iron on the U.S. Custon House 1848

French Quarter Alley

Cast iron on the U.S. Custon House 1848

St Louis Cathedral, 1852 by French architect J.N.B. de Pouilly

Andrew Jackson on horseback rears before St, Louis Cathederal

The Pontalba apartment building built in 1850 by the Baroness de Pontalba the architect James Gallier, Sr.,

Andrew Jackson on horseback rears before St, Louis Cathederal