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NOLA GARDEN D ISTRICT SELF -GUIDED TOUR INFO

GARDEN DISTRICT HOLIDAY HOMES ON TOUR: ..................................................................................................... 3
GONOLA TOPS: CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS IN NEW ORLEANS .............................................................................. 3
1. HOTEL MONTELEONE ...........................................................................................................................................4
2. ROOSEVELT HOTEL ..............................................................................................................................................4
3. FRENCH MARKET..................................................................................................................................................4
3. GARDEN DISTRICT ......................................................................................................................................................5
4. FRENCH QUARTER ...............................................................................................................................................5
5. ALL AROUND US ...................................................................................................................................................5
NEW ORLEANS GARDEN DISTRICT WALKING TOUR FROM BIG BOY TRAVEL .......................................................... 6
OVERVIEW OF THE GARDEN DISTRICT: ..............................................................................................................................6
THE GARDEN DISTRICT WALKING TOUR: ............................................................................................................................7
1. Claiborne Cottage (2524 St. Charles Avenue):..................................................................................................7
2. Briggs-Staub House (2605 Prytania Street): .....................................................................................................8
3. Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel (2523 Prytania Street):.........................................................................8
4. Women’s Opera Guild Home (2504 Prytania Street): ......................................................................................9
5. “Cornstalk Fence” House (1448 Fourth Street):................................................................................................9
6. “The Rink” Garden District Bookshop (2727 Prytania Street): .......................................................................10
7. Lafayette Cemetery #1 (1400 Washington Avenue): .....................................................................................10
8. Commander’s Palace Restaurant (1403 Washington Avenue): .....................................................................11
9. “Benjamin Button” House (2705 Coliseum Street): ........................................................................................12
10. Koch-Mays House (2627 Coliseum Street):...................................................................................................12
11. Walter Robinson House (1415 Third Street): ................................................................................................12
12. Musson-Bell House (1331 Third Street): .......................................................................................................13
13. Montgomery-Hero House (1213 Third Street):.............................................................................................13
14. “Stained Glass” House (1137 Second Street):...............................................................................................13
15. Warwick Manor (2427 Camp Street): ..........................................................................................................13
16. “Jefferson Davis” House (1134 First Street): ................................................................................................14
17. “Mayfair Manor” (1239 First Street): ...........................................................................................................14
18. Carroll-Crawford House (1315 First Street): .................................................................................................14
19. Morris-Israel House (1331 First Street): .......................................................................................................15
20. “Seven Sisters” Houses (2329-2305 Coliseum Street): .................................................................................15
21. Joseph Merrick Jones House (2425 Coliseum Street):...................................................................................15
22. Pritchard House (1407 First Street): .............................................................................................................16
23. Archie Manning House (1420 First Street): ..................................................................................................16
24. “Toby’s Corner” House (2340 Prytania Street): ............................................................................................16
25. “Horse” House (1500 First Street): ...............................................................................................................17
26. Bradish Johnson House (2343 Prytania Street): ...........................................................................................17
27. Buckner Mansion (1410 Jackson Street): .....................................................................................................17
28. Magnolia Mansion Hotel (2127 Prytania Street): ........................................................................................18
29. House of Broel (2220 St Charles Ave): ..........................................................................................................19
30. Anne Rice’s Childhood Home (2301 St. Charles Avenue): .............................................................................19
31. John Morris House (2525 St. Charles Avenue): .............................................................................................20
32. Alfred Grima House (2701 St. Charles Avenue): ...........................................................................................20
33. Elms Mansion (3029 St Charles Avenue): .....................................................................................................20
34. Columns Mansion Hotel & Restaurant (3811 Saint Charles Avenue): ..........................................................20
FROMMER’S WALKING TOUR 2 IN NEW ORLEANS: THE GARDEN DISTRICT .......................................................... 21
1. 2727 Prytania St., The Garden District Book Shop .........................................................................................22
2. 1448 Fourth St., Colonel Short’s Villa .............................................................................................................22
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3. 2605 Prytania St., Briggs-Staub House ...........................................................................................................22

4. 2523 Prytania St., Our Mother of Perpetual Help ..........................................................................................22
5. 2504 Prytania St., Women’s Opera Guild Home ............................................................................................22
6. 2340 Prytania St., Toby’s Corner ....................................................................................................................23
7. 2343 Prytania St., Bradish Johnson House & Louise S. McGehee School .......................................................23
8. 1407 First St., Pritchard-Pigott House ............................................................................................................23
9. 1331 First St., Morris-Israel House .................................................................................................................23
10. 2329–2305 Coliseum St., The Seven Sisters ..................................................................................................23
11. 1239 First St., Brevard-Mahat-Rice House ...................................................................................................24
12. 1134 First St., Payne-Strachan House ..........................................................................................................24
13. 1137 Second St. ............................................................................................................................................24
14. 2425 Coliseum St., Joseph Merrick Jones House ..........................................................................................24
15. 1331 Third St., Musson-Bell House ...............................................................................................................24
16. 1415 Third St., Robinson House ....................................................................................................................25
17. 2627 Coliseum St., Koch-Mays House ..........................................................................................................25
18. 2707 Coliseum St., Benjamin Button House .................................................................................................25
19. 1403 Washington Ave., Commander’s Palace .............................................................................................25
20. 1400 Washington Ave., Lafayette Cemetery ................................................................................................25
FROMMER’S WALKING GUIDE 3: CITY PARK AREA ............................................................................................... 26
1. 2023 Esplanade Ave., Charpentier House ......................................................................................................26
2. 2033–2035 Esplanade Ave., Widow Castanedo’s House ................................................................................26
3. 2139 Esplanade Ave. ......................................................................................................................................27
4. Goddess of History—Genius of Peace Statue .................................................................................................27
5. 2306 Esplanade Ave., Degas House ...............................................................................................................27
6. 2212, 2216, 2222 Esplanade Ave. ..................................................................................................................27
7. 2326 Esplanade Ave., Reuther House .............................................................................................................27
8. 2337 & 2341 Esplanade Ave. ..........................................................................................................................28
9. 2453 Esplanade Ave. ......................................................................................................................................28
10. 2623 Esplanade Ave. ....................................................................................................................................28
11. 2809 Esplanade Ave. ....................................................................................................................................28
12. 2936 Esplanade Ave. ....................................................................................................................................28
13. 3330 Esplanade Ave. ....................................................................................................................................29
14. Luling Mansion, 1438 Leda St.......................................................................................................................29
15. 3421 Esplanade Ave., St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 ...........................................................................................29
16. 1440 Moss St., Pitot House...........................................................................................................................29
17. Esplanade & City Park Aves., City Park .........................................................................................................30
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G ARDEN D ISTRICT H OLIDAY H OMES ON T OUR :

Seven stunning private residences all dressed up for the holidays in New Orleans’ picturesque
Garden District. The Garden District’s opulent architecture and classic Christmas decor go
together like hot chocolate and marshmallows.

 Susu and Andrew Stall (1136 Second Street)

 Catherine Newstadt Makk (1434 Toledano Street)
 Annie and Jeff Strain (1424 Fourth Street)
 Mark Hensgens and Tim Armstrong (2352 Camp Street)
 Billy and Leigh Bell (2801 Prytania Street)
 Nancy and Michael McSween (1422 Harmony Street)
 Lauren and Ryan Haydel (3230 Camp Street)
 Bonus: Jackson Evangelical Congregation (2221 Chippewa Street)

G O NOLA T OPS : C HRISTMAS D ECORATIONS IN N EW O RLEANS

The holiday season is in full swing and New Orleans is sparkling everywhere with beautiful
holiday decorations. By Paul BroussardNovember 20, 2016
The lobby of the Hotel Monteleone at Christmas is one of my favorite photo ops during the
holidays. Don't forget to enjoy a Vieux Carre cocktail while taking a slow, 15-minute spin around
the Carousel Bar working adult amusement, a New Orleans tradition during the holidays and
year round if there ever was one!
New Orleans begins its extended holiday season in December — which starts with
Christmas and ends some time after crawfish season is over and the balmy summer
weather kicks in — with pomp, elegance, and traditions that date back to generations
before us. We know how to celebrate, whether it be keeping alive the spirit
of Réveillon dinners, which has now grown into a month-long “restaurant week” of
festive dinners, or caroling happily with strangers in Jackson Square, or taking in a
holiday concert at St. Louis Cathedral, Snug Harbor, or Preservation Hall.
Look for real cypress tree garland and wreaths, which to me signifies New
Orleans at Christmas and isn’t something often duplicated elsewhere.
In addition to the time-honored tradition of Celebration in the Oaks in New Orleans City
Park, there are so many lights and decorations across the city to explore. There are
French Quarter balconies decked out with garland and lights, and fabulous hotel
decorations that will make even the most Scrooge-iest member of your group stop and
smile. While you’re out and about enjoying the New Orleans holiday festivities, stop and
take in these stunning Christmas decorations, starting with our top five favorites.
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1. H OTEL M ONTELEONE
The lobby of the Hotel Monteleone at Christmas is one of
my favorite photo ops during the holidays. Don’t forget to
enjoy a Vieux Carre cocktail while taking a slow, 15-minute
spin around the Carousel Bar working, a New Orleans
tradition during the holidays and year round if there ever
was one!
The brass shines a little brighter during the Christmas
season at the grand dame of landmark French Quarter hotels. Before taking a spin and
having cocktails at the Carousel Bar and Lounge, enjoy the intimate but ornate lobby of
the Hotel Monteleone as it complements the understated elegance of its decor with
Christmas trees just begging for photo-ops.

2. R OOSEVELT H OTEL
New Orleans’ most famous lobby is worth the stroll-
through, with at least one pit stop at The Sazerac Bar, or
chefs Alon Shaya and John Besh‘s Domenica for happy
hour and a pizza. This is one stop on the holiday
decorations tour that New Orleanians have made into a
tradition for generations. It’s not uncommon for cab drivers
to drop passengers off on the University Place entrance in
the CBD, circle around the block and meet their
passengers around the corner at the Baronne Street entrance to the Roosevelt, and we
can’t blame them for indulging anyone the pleasure of sauntering through this block-
long paradise.
Saunter through the block-long Waldorf Wonderland Lobby at the Roosevelt Hotel.

3. F RENCH M ARKET
Before or after enjoying beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe
du Monde, the French Market — the six-block stretch of
shops and stalls along the river, all bedecked with garland
and lights — will get you in the mood for a slow stroll
through the French Quarter, and maybe a concert in St.
Louis Cathedral. Don’t miss the several-stories-tall
Christmas tree in Washington Artillery Park overlooking
Jackson Square on Decatur Street, just next door to Cafe
du Monde, where it “snows” year round with ample amounts powdered sugar on every
order of beignets. And what could be more festive than ordering a strong cup of chicory
coffee to-go as you walk and see the lights?
Stroll along the French Market adorned with garlands and lights for the holidays.
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3. G ARDEN D ISTRICT
This Garden District home on Coliseum Street is just one
of more than a half a dozen homes decorated and open to
the public on the Preservation Resource Center Holiday
Home Tour.
It’s romantic at any time of the year, but the Garden
District’s opulent architectureand classic Christmas decor
go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows. While a
walk around the neighborhood is the panacea to any bah-humbug feelings you may be
harboring, a chance to visit the decorated interiors of not one but seven homes in the
Garden District at the annual Preservation Resource Center Holiday Home Tour always
impresses and inspires. Throughout the Garden District, you’ll find elegant yet often
understated decorations during the holiday season. Look for real cypress tree garland
and wreaths, which to me signifies New Orleans at Christmas and isn’t something often
duplicated elsewhere.
The Garden District’s opulent architecture and classic Christmas decor go
together like hot chocolate and marshmallows.

4. F RENCH Q UARTER
I was standing with a big smile on my face, photographing
one beautifully decorated building on Royal Street while
calling my mother asking where this other house we both
love to seek out every year is. Sure enough, I was standing
underneath it the whole time. Lesson learned: walk down
both sides of the street to see all the holiday cheer!
Maybe my favorite decorated home in New Orleans, this
cheery shotgun style home on St. Ann Street between Rampart and Burgundy in the
French Quarter is decorated to the nines year round for every holiday.
Another rare opportunity to peek into some homes in the French Quarter happens
yearly around Christmas: the Patio Planters Holiday Home Tour is Sunday, Dec. 18.
It’s hard to miss this sincere holiday wish as it lights up Royal Street at the corner of
Dumaine Street.

5. A LL A ROUND U S
Take a look as you’re riding the St. Charles Avenue
streetcar, or exploring on Magazine Street, or driving down
Esplanade Avenue, or walking in the Marigny: New
Orleanians love to decorate for any occasion, and Christmas
is no exception. Without much effort, you’ll find traditional
decorations, some that are funky and humorous, and even a
few weird atypical holiday decorations that will give you that
“Only in New Orleans” experience you’ve been looking for.
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This bed and breakfast on Esplanade Avenue pulls out all

the stops for their holiday decorations each year. It’s
beautiful during the day and intricately lit at night. I pass by
this center hall mansion regularly, and it never fails to
make me stop and appreciate the wonder of the holidays in
New Orleans.
All photos by Paul Broussard

N EW O RLEANS G ARDEN D ISTRICT W ALKING T OUR FROM B IG B OY T RAVEL

https://www.bigboytravel.com/louisiana/neworleans/gardendistrictwalkingtour/
Walking Tour Location: New Orleans Garden District
Cost: Free, Self-Guided (Optional costs listed below)
Style: Do-It-Yourself Walking Tour (Self Guided)
Starting Point: Third Street Street Car Stop
End Of Tour: Washington Avenue Street Car Stop
Walking Distance: Approximately 2.2 miles
Time Required: 1.5 Hours of walking (+1 hour for the official cemetery tour)
Best Time To Go: Begin your walk around 9:30am so you can get a coffee at stop #6 and join
the 1 hour long SOC Cemetery Tour mentioned at stop #7 which leaves daily at 10:30am.
Getting Here: The historic Saint Charles Street Car only takes 14 minutes from Common Street
the edge of the French Quarter (see map). Cost is $1.25 per ride, or $3 for a 1-Day Jazzy Pass
which can be purchase from the driver, must have cash in exact change.
Fun Scale: 8.5 out of 10 | Pop Out & Printable Map

O VERVIEW O F T HE G ARDEN D ISTRICT :

Our free, self-guided Garden District walking tour is one of the
best day time activities New Orleans has to offer. You’ll be able to
get a relaxing escape from the madness of Bourbon Street and
a taste of the wealthy side of early-day New Orleans. From
historic mansions, to beautiful vegetation, and an impressive
cemetery, there is a lot to see in the Garden District.
The entire Garden District neighborhood was once the
vast Livaudais Plantation, (pronounced Lee-Voo-Day). In 1826,
Jacques Livaudais lost ownership of the plantation to his wife
Celeste Marigny (sister of Bernard de Marigny) when he failed to
show up for a divorce court proceeding. Celeste later sold the
family plantation to a group of businessmen in 1832 for $490,000 who quickly parceled off and
gridded the land into 80 city blocks. The businessmen saw their new neighborhood as the
American answer to the French & Creole dominated Vieux Carré (pronounced Vue Ca-
Ray), know today as the French Quarter. There had been an influx of affluent Americans to
New Orleans following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and after 30 years later they finally
got their own community outside of the the Vieux Carré (meaning the Old Square in
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French). Originally called the Village of Lafayette, the development efforts paid off immediately
as wealthy Americans flocked to build their mansion estates on the edge of New Orleans. In
1835, the Village of Lafayette got an extra luxury when the steam-powered Saint Charles Street
Car started service. The Saint Charles Street Car, now electric, is currently the oldest
active street car line in the World.
With plenty of space and fertile plantation soil, the mansions in the Village of Lafayette were
each surrounded by huge lawns and gardensthat spanned up to a full city block. Because of
the large lawns, the community was fittingly nicknamed the Garden District. The Garden
District name officially stuck when the neighborhood was annexed in a as part of New Orleans
in 1852. This incorporation also lead to a second building boom, making the community one of
the most desirable to live in. While there are some bigger Antebellum mansions further in
the countryside, the Garden District offers a rare chance to see an entire neighborhood
of preserved mansions from the 1800s. Strolling past the rod iron fences, Greek Revival
facades, and magnolia trees, you’ll fall more in love with the Big Easy. While the lawns aren’t as
big as they originally were, it is impressive that so many mansions have together survived the
test of time against war, fire, and a number of devastating hurricanes. Still today it is easy to
see the combination of both wealth and pride that made the stunning Garden District
possible. Hope you enjoy our map and do-it-yourself New Orleans Garden District walking tour.

T HE G ARDEN D ISTRICT W ALKING T OUR :

*Stepping off the historic Saint Charles Street Car at 3rd Street puts you right in front of the…

1. C LAIBORNE C OTTAGE (2524 S T . C HARLES A VENUE ):

This elegant yellow cottage was built for Sophronie Louise
Claiborne in 1857. Sophronie was extremely well
connected in New Orleans as her father was William
Claiborne who served as Louisiana’s 1st Governor in
1812. Prior to moving to Louisiana, her father had
filled Andrew Jackson’s seat in the US Congress
in Tennessee while Jackson served as President of the
United States. After her father’s time Governor, William
also served in the US Senate. Sophronie’s
husband Antonie Mandeville de Marigny was a US Marshal after serving in the French Army and
was also very well connected from his own wealthy family. His father, Bernard de Marigny, got
rich from the Marigny family sugar mill and plantation established in 1829 North of Lake
Pontchartrain. With a playboy reputation, Bernard gained hero status in the Creole community
after being elected President of the Louisiana Senate. Bernard’s sister Celeste de Marigny is
also the one who sold the Livaudais Plantation in 1832 to create the Garden District
neighborhood. As you can see from connecting all the dots, this was the ultimate power
family.
The Redemptorist Fathers later bought the Claiborne Cottage in 1923 to be a chapel, but ended
up converting it into a school instead. After later being turned back into a home, a 14 year
old Anne Rice moved here when her family rented it in 1955. Just 2 block from her childhood
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home, the young author Rice was deeply inspired by the cozy Claiborne Cottage during her
teenage years. Forty years later in 1995, Rice bought the Cottage and it became the primary
setting for her famous ghost novel Violin published in 1997. In the book, the main character
Triana sees a ghost playing a violin on the street corner in front of the house. This is just one of
the many Anne Rice related stops you will visit on the New Orleans Garden District walking
tour.
*As you reach the end of the first block, look for the unique windows of the…

2. B RIGGS -S TAUB H OUSE (2605 P RYTANIA S TREET ):

When Charles Briggs had this Gothic Cottage built in 1849,
most of his rich neighbors looked down on the Gothic Style,
but Briggs was from London and didn’t care what they
thought. The neighbors real reason for not liking the style is
because it reminded them, mostly Protestant, of their
Catholic Creole counterparts living on the French
Quarter. Even though the cottage isn’t mansion sized, we
really like how it contrasts the other homes in the area
with its small, church-like windows. The Charles Briggs’
home was also one of the first in the neighborhood to have Irish indentured servants and free
men of color as workers instead of using slaves. The home is still considered the only Gothic-
style mansion in the Garden District. You will get a better view of the front of the Briggs home
when we pass by it again in a few stops.
*Taking up half of a city block are the beautiful grounds of…

3. O UR M OTHER OF P ERPETUAL H ELP C HAPEL (2523 P RYTANIA S TREET ):

Built in the mid-1800’s by merchant Henry Lonsdale, this is one
of the most iconic homes on our New Orleans Garden
District walking tour. Lonsdale had started his career as a
16 year old burlap trader, then hit it big after the Civil War with a
unique blend of coffee mixed with bitter chicory roots. The
blend was first introduced in the after a French blockage in the
early-1800’s, but thanks to Lonsdale, is still very popular in New
Orleans today. In 1925 the Redemptorist Fathers bought this
Greek Revival-style mansion and turned it into a Catholic
Chapel. The Redemptorist Fathers were in desperate need of a
new chapel as the group’s church had been badly damaged by a
hurricane in 1918.
Local writer Anne Rice bought the Chapel as a home in 1996 and used it for some of the scenes
in her book the Violin. Even at 13,000 square feet, the Chapel was only a fraction of Rice’s
primary home at the huge former Saint Elizabeth Orphanage on the far West side of the Garden
District. The coolest remaining element from the mansion’s time as a chapel is a vine-
covered, iron cast pavilion near the fence line which shields a statue of the Virgin Mary. The
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pavilion is capped with a dedication to “Our Mother of Perpetual Help” in big letters and a large
gold cross. Actor Nicolas Cage later lived here from 2005 until 2009 before hitting
foreclosure and the property is currently part of the Saint George Episcolpal School.

4. W OMEN ’ S O PERA G UILD H OME (2504 P RYTANIA S TREET ):

This magnificent mansion was built in 1859 for merchant
Edward Davis. It was later purchased in 1944 by Doctor &
Mrs Herman Seebold who then willed it to Women’s Opera
Guild upon their deaths in 1965. The mansion was
originally filled with European & American furniture,
artwork, and antiques from the 1700-1800’s and most of it
is still on display there today. The well preserved interior is
fitting as the Opera Guild itself has been in New Orleans
since 1796. Because of the strong attention to detail with
the furnishings, the mansion has been featured in numerous Hollywood films including Elsa
& Peter as well as Django Unchained. Today the Women’s Opera Guild Home is available to
rent for weddings, receptions, dinners, luncheons, coffees, teas and beautiful social events.
Guided Tours: Mondays from Mid-September-May from 10am-4pm for $15. Outside of the
official tour times you can also enter for $37 with the Grey Line walking tour company, but it’s
the only home they enter so following our free walking tour makes more sense. Mansion
Website: (HERE).

5. “C ORNSTALK F ENCE ” H OUSE (1448 F OURTH S TREET ):

The “Cornstalk Fence” House, also known as Colonel Short’s Villa,
is one of the most beautiful homes in New Orleans. In 1859,
merchant Colonel Robert Short bought the empty lot and began
work on what is maybe the most popular home on this free
Garden District walking tour. The main draw to the magnolia
lined mansion is the decorative rod iron cornstalk fence that
circles the entire lawn. It is said that Short ordered the lavish
custom fence for his wife after she started to miss the cornfields
of her native Iowa. The fence itself was cast by the Foundry of
Wood all the way in Philadelphia which was a fairly expensive
thing to do back then. During the Civil War in 1863, Short’s
Villa was seized by the Federal Army and served as the home to
the new Federal Governor of Louisiana Michael Hahn. This arrangement was short-
lived however as the US Government returned the home to Colonel Short right after the Civil
War and he lived here until his death in 1890.
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6. “T HE R INK ” G ARDEN D ISTRICT B OOKSHOP (2727 P RYTANIA S TREET ):

Originally called the Crescent City Skating Rink, this historic
bookstore started out as a wooden floor roller rink built for
the 1884 World’s Fair. The Rink, as it was nicknamed, became
very popular as rollerskating was a huge craze at the time. After
staking died out, the building was later used as a livery stable, a
mortuary, a grocery store, and a gas station. Today the building
holds a series of small shops and a popular bookshop which is a
favorite of local famous writer Anne Rice. Anne often holds book
signings at the bookstore, but in case you don’t catch her, they
always have signed books on hand that you can buy. The
bookshop always seems to have an event of some kind going on
and their selection of novels set in New Orleans are awesome. If
you need a little pick-me-up or snack for your walk stop in the Still Perkin Cafe on the street
level corner of the Rink building. One of the local specialty coffees served here is blended with
bits of Chicory root which started during a French blockage in the early 1800s and became more
widely popular after the Civil War.
Bookshop Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm; Sunday 10am-5pm. Bookshop
Website: (HERE). Cafe Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-6pm; Saturday-Sunday 8am-
6pm. Cafe Website: (HERE).

7. L AFAYETTE C EMETERY #1 (1400 W ASHINGTON A VENUE ):

The historic, and spooky, Lafayette Cemetery #1 was established in
1833 with Spanish-style above ground tombs, the same year a Yellow
Fever outbreak hit the city. The large family tombs were often
called Cities of the Dead as they followed grids of walkways resembling
streets. While above ground cemeteries were also popular in France
and Spain at the time, it became an important way to do things in New
Orleans. Formed off the swampy delta of the Mississippi River, New
Orleans has a very high water table and large parts of the city sitting
below sea level, which made burials difficult. Placing caskets more
than a couple feet under the ground put them into soggy, waterlogged
soil which often slowly pushed the below ground caskets back to the surface. Another reason
for using above ground tombs was that bodies didn’t decompose well in the swampy soil,
but cremation was still frowned upon. The large tombs would basically serve as cement
ovens in the Summer heat, quickly breaking down the bodies and wooden caskets. After 1 year
and 1 day had passed, the bones would be pushed to the back of the tomb and another
member of the family could take its place. When epidemic would hit and a large number of
bodies were buried above ground at once, it caused horrible smells so the practice was banned
except in existing cemeteries.
Famous figures buried here include Judge Ferguson of the Plessy vs. Ferguson separate-but-
equal case, Brigadier General Harry T. Hays who led the 1st Louisiana Brigade in the Civil War,
 11

and the Brunies family of jazz musicians. Walking among the shades tombs is and learning the
history quite enjoyable and is really great if you like taking photos. Perhaps the most famous
tombs of the cemetery are the fictional ones. Among the fictional characters to buried here are
family of Mayfair Witches from Anne Rice’s Witching Hour book series and the vampire Lestat
from the another Rice novel Interview with a Vampire. In 1994 Interview with a Vampire was
made into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise and all the cemetery scenes were filmed at
Lafayette Cemetery #1. Numerous other movies have also been filmed here including Double
Jeopardy in 1999.
Cemetery Hours: Dawn to Dusk. Entrance Cost: Free to walk through and explore. Guided
Tours: The best tour is run by Save Our Cemeteries (website). Their 1 hour tour leaves Daily at
10:30am and costs $15, but is free for kids. Get to the cemetery gates 10-15 minutes early and
bring cash. The tour by Save Our Cemeteries goes very in-depth not only into the cemetery
itself, but also the time in which it grew, and how it contrasts with cemeteries in the French
Quarter. Other tour companies charge from $30 to $50 per person for pretty much the same
tour, however, the money that Save Our Cemeteries makes goes toward restoration of the
tombs. Cemetery Safety: While the other historic cemeteries in the French Quarter can be
dangerous to visit alone, even during the day, this one is pretty safe just like the rest of the
central Garden District. We always use caution in any big city, but have had no issues and
always felt comfortable at this cemetery.

8. C OMMANDER ’ S P ALACE R ESTAURANT (1403 W ASHINGTON A VENUE ):

Emile Commander started a large Saloon here in 1880
which was often visited by famous clients from Jefferson
Davis and Mark Twain. By the 1900’s Commander’s Palace
had already turned into one of the top restaurants in the
Unites States. Today the Restaurant is still one of the best
and its classic bright blue and white exterior taking up half a
city block if a favorite amount photographers. It is one of
the most popular places for locals to eat, especially for
weekend brunch.
Restaurant Hours: Lunch Monday-Friday 11:30am-2pm; Dinner Daily 6:30-10pm; Jazz Brunch
Saturday & Sunday 10:30am-1pm. Dress Code: No shorts or t-shirts. Jackets preferred at
dinner. Men must wear closed toed shoes. Restaurant Website: (HERE).
*Movie fans always love the…
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9. “B ENJAMIN B UTTON ” H OUSE (2705 C OLISEUM S TREET ):

Built in 1832, this large white house draws in tourists as it
served as the main house in the Brad Pitt movie Benjamin
Button. In the movie, based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald story,
the lead character Benjamin Button is raised in this
home. If you’ve seen the movie you can recall many of the
scenes which take place on both the porch and steps
leading up to the home. Although other homes on this free
Garden District walking tour are more impressive, the
Benjamin Button House continues to be a tourist favorite.
*Make sure to check out the creole-style James McCracken House on the way to…

10. K OCH -M AYS H OUSE (2627 C OLISEUM S TREET ):

The postcard perfect Koch-Mays House was built by US
Senator and Ambassador to France James Eustis in
1876. It’s said that the inspiration for the the style of the
home came from a plate in a home catalog. The coolest
thing about the home’s layout is how the 3 main sections of
the house are staggered to maximize the sunlight each area
gets no matter what time of day it is. Later owned by
historian Richard Koch. Has been the home to actress
to Sandra Bullock since 2009.

11. W ALTER R OBINSON H OUSE (1415 T HIRD S TREET ):

Walter Robinson, a banker from Virginia, was able to build this
mansion in 1859 thanks to the fortune he made off tobacco. The
mansion is one of the first in the Garden District to have 15-foot-
high ceilings and the 1st in New Orleans to have indoor
plumbing thanks to a water collection roof design. The Walter
Robinson House has been featured in many movies over the years
including Jason Statham’s The Mechanic in 2011. The
neighboring carriage house has been turned into a home itself
and is believed to have been part of the large plantation that
covered the neighborhood before it was divided out into the
Garden District.
 13

12. M USSON -B ELL H OUSE (1331 T HIRD S TREET ):

This big pink house was originally completed in 1850 for the
wealthy tobacco grower, and President of the Cotton Exchange,
Michael Musson. He was one of the few Creoles to build
mansions in the largely American Garden District. Musson was
also the uncle of painter Edgar Degas who stayed a short time
before moving back to the Quarter to be closer to the other
Creoles. After the Civil War began to dig into his fortune
Musson sold the home to a new new owner added the beautiful
black cast iron gallery in 1884.

13. M ONTGOMERY -H ERO H OUSE (1213 T HIRD S TREET ):

The president of the Crescent City Railroad, Archibald Montgomery, had this large Swiss Chalet-
style house built in 1867 to reflect new homes he liked on America’s Northeastern coast. It’s
interesting the the property has retained its large 360 degree lawn over the years as many of
the homes divided out their lots and now have other homes really close to them.

14. “S TAINED G LASS ” H OUSE (1137 S ECOND S TREET ):

The Stained Glass House is very unique to the Garden
District and the Victorian style was mainly in the Uptown
neighborhood of New Orleans. What really stands out
though is the over the top amount stained glass that lines
the doors and windows of the home.

15. W ARWICK M ANOR (2427 C AMP S TREET ):

Built for merchant Hiram Anderson in 1852, this huge pink mansion has served as a home and
also as a private school for wealthy children. Since its heyday, Warwick Manor is one of the
only mansions in the Garden District that has been divided into a multi-unit apartment
building. Knowing that so many different people live here now makes it hard to imagine that it
used be a home for a just a single family when it was built.
 14

16. “J EFFERSON D AVIS ” H OUSE (1134 F IRST S TREET ):

Officially called the Payne-Strachan House, this mansion was built in
1849 for Jacob Payne who got rich marketing and shipping
cotton. Payne was very well connected from is own business and from
his son-in-law Charles Fenner who was a local judge. One of Fenner’s
friends was Jefferson Davis, who was President of the Confederate
States of America. Jefferson Davis was brought to the Payne House
after becoming ill and later died in the upstairs of the home on
December 6th, 1889.

17. “M AYFAIR M ANOR ” (1239 F IRST S TREET ):

The eerie Brevard-Rice House was built in 1857 by merchant Albert Hamilton Brevard. The
section facing Chestnut Street was built as a library wing. Anne Rice fans will know it as Mayfair
Manor as the author bought the home in 1989. Anne used the home as the setting for her
famous book The Witching Hour which started a series about the fictional Mayfair family of
witches who lived in the home. Rice was already renown for her other hit series of books
called The Vampire Chronicles.

18. C ARROLL -C RAWFORD H OUSE (1315 F IRST S TREET ):

In the 1860’s, bricklayer Samuel Jamison decided to try his
had at building houses on his own. His successful career
began here with a home built for Virginia cotton man
Joseph Carroll. Completed in 1869, the design included
one of Jamison’s signatures with the amazing plaster work
which can be seen throughout the interior. The outside of
Carroll-Crawford House just screams Halloween with its
dark iron accents and gnarly oak trees. The exterior
grounds are truly stunning. Maybe the coolest thing is that
author Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) often came to the huge parties the original
owner Joseph Carroll would throw. While this is one of the coolest home in New Orleans, it is
not the inspiration of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion as some other websites say as they look
nothing alike. Disney used the Shipley-Lydecker House in Baltimore for the mansion in his
theme park.
 15

19. M ORRIS -I SRAEL H OUSE (1331 F IRST S TREET ):

Along with the mansion you just saw at 1315 1st Street, this
was bricklayer Samuel Jamison’s second home as a new
builder. It was also completed in 1869, but has a little
different style to it. Even more than the style, maybe the largest
difference in the two homes is that locals tell us that this one is
haunted. The biggest scare that happened here was when a skull
and bones were found under some floor boards during repairs to
the mansion. It’s not so much that everyone feels there are
ghosts that reside inside the house, but that ghosts are drawn to
the home and try to get in your pictures after dark. If you
remember the Musson-Bell House from stop #11, you’ll notice it
looks almost exactly like this one as Jamison had worked on it
with other partners in 1859 before starting his solo career.

20. “S EVEN S ISTERS ” H OUSES (2329-2305 C OLISEUM S TREET ):

Local folklore says that these houses were made for a wealth man
who wanted all 7 of his daughters to live by each other. The story is
more legend than truth and there are actually 8 houses but they are
still unique. What makes them cool is that they were all designed as
side-hall Shotgun Houses. This mean that if you shot a shotgun
through the front door of any of the long 1-room-wide houses the
pellets would pass untouched through the back of the house. These
skinny houses are still very today popular today mainly in New
Orleans’ poor neighborhoods.

21. J OSEPH M ERRICK J ONES H OUSE (2425 C OLISEUM S TREET ):

Built in 1850, this huge house became home to lawyer Joseph Merrick Jones in the mid-
1900s. In addition to being an attorney, Jones also served as Secretary for Public Affairs for the
US State Department in WW2. He continued serving the State Department off and on but is
best known as the President of Tulane University where he had gone to college. Jones became
one of the first school presidents in the country to allow integration in 1963, but he and his
wife were killed in a house fire shortly after. A student hall at Tulane was later named in his
honor.
In the 1990’s, Rockstar Trent Reznor from the band Nine Inch Nails lived in Jones former home
and was known for throwing huge parties. Large parties are fun, unless your neighbor happens
to be a local Council Woman (Peggy Wilson), so it didn’t take long for a noise ordnance to kick
in and drive Trent away. Celebrities seem to love the house as actor John Goodman then
became the next owner in 2005. John’s wife Annabeth even owns a children’s clothing store
called Pippen Lane located at 2930 Magazine Street.
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22. P RITCHARD H OUSE (1407 F IRST S TREET ):

In 1858 wealthy cotton farmer Richard Pritchard started
building this home, although it took him many years to
finish it. The next owner tried to completely change the
style and remove the Greek columns in the early 1900’s,
but did a very poor renovation. Luckily in the 1990s Dr.
John Piggot bought the Pritchard House and resorted it to
its former glory. With its 4 powerful columns, the Pritchard
House is one of the few really great examples of Greek
revival in the Garden District. We have always been a fan of
the grand Romanesque columns on mansions as it tends to make them look even bigger than
they are. *Make sure to check out the neighbors carriage step on your way to…

23. A RCHIE M ANNING H OUSE (1420 F IRST S TREET ):

This was the home of beloved former NFL
Quarterback Archie Manning who played for the New
Orleans Saints in the 1970s. Archie is still highly regarded
by football fans in New Orleans even he didn’t win a
Championship because he showed great loyalty by staying
with the Saints even though he was the team’s only bright
spot. For people who didn’t follow the Saints the 1970’s
know Archie better as the father of his Super Bowl winning
sons Eli & Peyton Manning. Both of the boys in this stellar
football family and their brother older Cooper all grew up in this house. Cooper is a little lesser
known outside of New Orleans as he had to end his very promising football career early due to
medical issues with his spine in college. You can imagine the family all playing catch in the large
front yard.

24. “T OBY ’ S C ORNER ” H OUSE (2340 P RYTANIA S TREET ):

Philadelphia plantation manager Thomas Toby built this
timeless home in 1838, making it the oldest home in the
Garden District still standing today. Toby’s plantation
background is definitely visible as the home is built in a
Creole-style much like the famous Laura Plantation just
outside of New Orleans. A series of columns circle the
entire house creating a covered wrap around patio and the
raised brick foundation not only protects floods, but also
helps to circulate air in the mid-Summer heat. If you look
closely you can even see the fountain with a sugar cane bowl which also ties back to Toby’s
roots as a plantation manager. There used to be a sweeping staircase leading from the 2nd
floor into the home’s large garden, but it was removed during a remodel shortly before Toby
lost the home to foreclosure in 1858. There to quickly buy Toby’s Corner was Thomas Dugan of
 17

the Westfeldt Family who still owns the mansion today. We love the heavy foliage which
creates almost a jungle of a yard and gives you a great vision into why the Garden District got
its nickname.

25. “H ORSE ” H OUSE (1500 F IRST S TREET ):

This large pink house has a giant relief below its front gable
of two large white horses. There are also numerous horse
elements through the lawn sparking us to dub it the Horse
House. We really couldn’t find much verifiable info on the
beautiful mansion, but it is one of our favorite in the
neighborhood to take photos of. By far one of the most
memorial stops on the free Garden District walking tour.

26. B RADISH J OHNSON H OUSE (2343 P RYTANIA S TREET ):

This amazing mansion was built in 1872 for Bradish Johnson, who
had gotten super rich from his family’s sugar cane
plantations. Bradish’s Whitney Plantation, named after his
grandson, opened for tours in 2014 and focuses on the lives of the
salves, (more info). The impressive Garden District home built
with the plantation income cost of $100,000 to build which was a
huge amount of money back then, equal to over $1.5 million
today.
Since 1929 the Mansion has served as the private Louise S.
McGehee School (website) for girls which was founded in
1912. The move helped the school grow from 30 to over 200
students with classes starting at 5th grade. The school has since expanded to cover an entire
city block with pre-kidengarden through high school buildings, but the Bradish House is still
used for academics. To get an idea of the scale of the original Bradish property, the old
carriage house is now the school gym and stable is the cafeteria. Today the McGehee School is
very esteemed in not only academics, but also arts and athletics. Thinking about sending your
daughter here? Tuition ranged from $11,000-18,000 per year.

27. B UCKNER M ANSION (1410 J ACKSON S TREET ):

Wealthy cotton grower Henry Sullivan Buckner had this
plantation-style mansion built in 1856. The 22,000 square
foot home has 48 Ionic and Corinthian fluted cypress
columns on wraparound double galleries. In addition to the
sure size of the home and number of columns, the mansion
also has excellent iron work and floor-to-ceiling
windows. This is one of the finest examples of Southern
Antebellum architecture and elegance still standing inside
the city of New Orleans. The huge mansion was home to
the prestigious Soule Business School from 1923-1983 before being turned back into a private
 18

home. The Buckner Mansion was also one of the filming locations for the hit TV
show American Horror Story which filmed its third season in New Orleans.

28. M AGNOLIA M ANSION H OTEL (2127 P RYTANIA S TREET ):

With an eerie history, this mansion was built in 1858 by
cotton merchant Alexander Harris for his young
bride Elizabeth Thompson. Nicknamed Lizze, Elizabeth was
still a minor as the time of their marriage. The mansion was
designed by James Calrow who also made the home at 1239
First Street which vampire novelist Anne Rice later used as
Mayfair Manor. That is just the start of the spooky
connections as there were also a series of unlucky
events surrounding Magnolia Mansion.
In 1869 the original owner Alexander Harris and his brother Aaron both mysteriously died from
yellow fever with in 24 hours of each other. Alexander’s funeral took place right in the
mansion. Following his death, the mansion and family fortune of $200,000 were left to
Alexander’s young bride Lizzie. There were huge family trust issues between Lizzie and her
family following the deaths. The cast aside her brother-in-law’s widow and then shortly after
remarrying Lizze sold the mansion and land to cotton miller John Henry Maginnis in 1879
instead of willing it to her own children.
John Maginnis, who was one of the richest men in the deep South, didn’t last long as he was
struck by lightening and killed while on vacation in Mississippi on the 4th of July, 1889. His
fortune and 1,000 employee cotton empire was then left to his wife Elizabeth Tweed, who also
nicknamed Lizzie just like the first widow owner. Lizzie Maginnis had already had rumors
floating around her as her sister had mysteriously died just 2 years before her husband’s
lightening strike. The luck started to change when the Maginnis’ daughter Josephine took over
the property. Josephine was named the Queen of multiple Mardi Gras parades and hosted
many social events. When she died in 1939, Josephine willed the estate to the American Red
Cross.
Today the Mansion is not the Widow Maker it started and
has served as an award winning bed & breakfastsince
2001. The awards range from Most Romantic B&B in
Louisiana to one of the Top Ten Haunted Inns in
America. Even cooler than the hauntings are the 9 uniquely
themed rooms throughout the mansion. The best ones are
the Gone With the Wind room with a grand bed and large
draped green blinds, the Moulin Rouge themed room,
and Lafitte’s pirate hideaway, not to mention the grand
common areas. Hotel Website: (HERE).
 19

29. H OUSE OF B ROEL (2220 S T C HARLES A VE ):

In 1851, local merchant George Washington Squires built
his home here just before the neighborhood was annexed
into the City of New Orleans. The next owner raised the
house up and added the current grand 1st floor to the
mansion in 1884. The Polish Countess, and local dress
maker, Bonnie Broel bought the mansion and threw her
own wedding here in 1980. It was such a success that Ms.
Broel decided to open her home for tours and other couples
weddings. The first floor is staged in all of its 1800’s beauty
and has a great intimate feel. Upstairs is the real treat where you can tour the collection of
antiques Ms. Broel collected over the decades. The collection includes a desk made for the
Duke of Dresden in 1800, a piece of linen from Egypt that is over 2000 years old, a chandelier
with hand-blown grapes cascading from its arms.
Maybe the best area of the house is a an extensive collection of magical dollhouses that Ms.
Broel personally designed and decorated for over 15 years. The enchanting collection of 60
historically has accurate scale model mansions, houses, and shops filled with elaborately
costumed figures from the mind of a dress maker. With great decor, our favorite models are
the English manor house, an antebellum plantation, a sweet shop, and a 28 room Russian
Palace. The Palace is 10 feet tall and 12 feet wide, and covers almost an entire wall of the
second floor hallway. The display is filled with rich tapestries, romantic paintings, fine wall
coverings, ornate furniture and period-dressed dolls. The faux Fabergé eggs and spiral
staircases of the Palace model remind us of a time before the Russian Revolution, in the early-
1900’s. Also featured are charming Victorian homes, an Asian art shop, a Baronial hall and the
smallest house of all, a fairy hut complete with lace curtains. Guided Tours: Tours available
Monday-Friday 10am-3pm, by appointment only. Call 504-494-2220 for your guided tour. Tour
Cost: Adults $10, Children $5. Mansion Website: (HERE).

30. A NNE R ICE ’ S C HILDHOOD H OME (2301 S T . C HARLES A VENUE ):

Fans of Author Anne Rice will be happy to know that this home on
St Charles Street is where the famous local author grew up as a
child until age 14. This is where Anne’s stories of Vampires and
Witches that so many readers have grown to love got their true
start. After visiting so many home associated with the author,
seeing where the young Anne Rice grew up helps to bring this free
New Orleans Garden District walking tour full circle.
 20

31. J OHN M ORRIS H OUSE (2525 S T . C HARLES A VENUE ):

In the 1860’s a small cottage stood here with a lot that went an entire block to the North. The
large lot bought in 1888 by the wife of gambler John Morris who built the current home you see
today. After graduating from Harvard, John Morris started a horse race track outside of New
York City. This racing facility hosted the Belmont Stakes from 1890-1904 as well as the
Preakness Stakes in 1890. After starting the horse track, Morris moved to New Orleans and
invested heavily in stocks of the State Lottery which made him very rich. His wife sold the
home when Morris died in 1895. Robert Downman later bought the home and quickly became
the King of Mardi Gras or Rex. Each year he would stop the Mardi Gras parade in front of his
house to give a toast which the each year’s Rex still does today.

32. A LFRED G RIMA H OUSE (2701 S T . C HARLES A VENUE ):

Built by Bicknell Payne in 1859, but drastically remodeled by attorney Alfred Grima in 1890 into
an Italianate style. During the remodeling the entrance was moved from 2701 Saint Charles
Avene to 1604 Forth Street. When Alfred’s widow Clarisse died in 1981 he donated the
property to the Historic Society of New Orleans, but has been a private home since 1987.
Other Nearby Attractions: *After you finish our free New Orleans Garden District walking tour,
consider this worthwhile nearby stops…

33. E LMS M ANSION (3029 S T C HARLES A VENUE ):

Amazing large white mansion was built in 1869 for, “Yankee
in Gray”, Watson Van Benthuysen II. Watson was a relative
of Jefferson Davis by marriage and served as an officer in
the Confederate Army prior to building his mansion. His
wealth mainly came from wine & tobacco trading,
but Watson also served as the President of a Saint Charles
streetcar company. From 1931 until the start of WWII, the
mansion served as the German Consulate. In 1952, John
Elms Sr., owner of the largest coin operated amusement
company in the South, purchased the home. Since Elms’ death in 1968, the family has been
using the mansion to host weddings and special events. Mansion Tours: Self-guided tours are
available Tuesdays-Fridays, 10am-2pm. Mansion Website:(Here).

34. C OLUMNS M ANSION H OTEL & R ESTAURANT (3811 S AINT C HARLES A VENUE ):
This enchanting columned mansion was built in 1883
for cigar baron Simon Hernsheim. By the 1890, Simon’s
company sold 39 million La Belle Creole cigars a year. After
Simon’s death in 1898, the mansion switched hands many
times before being turned into the Columns Hotel in the
1980’s. Today the mansion is the only survivor out of a
group of Italianate-style mansions that famed local
architect Thomas Sully built nearby in the 1880s. The
 21

interior of the mansion is still considered one of the grandest in any late-nineteenth century
Louisiana residence. One of the most dramatic interior features is the mahogany stairwell
which rises to meet an extraordinary square domed, stained glass skylight in a sunburst
motif. The Hotel’s Victoria Lounge is one of the most unique places to get a drink in New
Orleans as you are transported back into the 1880’s. This is also a great place to grab lunch and
recharge from our free self-guided Garden District walking tour. They also have a jazz brunch
every Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Mansion Website: (Here).

35. National WW2 Museum (945 Magazine Street): Often considered the best museum in New
Orleans. The museum original opened as a D-Day museum as the amphibious Higgins vehicles
used in the beach invasions of WW2 were made and tested in New Orleans. As the excellent
museum expanded, Congress declared it America’s official National World War II Museum in
2003 and it gained association with the Smithsonian Institution. Some of the many highlights
include aircraft displays, D-Day exhibits, plus interactive areas covering the Road to Berlin and
the Road to Tokyo. The museum does a great job and letting you experience what the war and
planning were like in both Europe and the Pacific. Food is available. Museum Website: (Here).

F ROMMER ’ S W ALKING T OUR 2 IN N EW O RLEANS : T HE G ARDEN D ISTRICT

Start: Prytania Street and Washington Avenue.
Finish: Lafayette Cemetery.
Time: 45 minutes to 2 hours.
Best Time: Daylight.
Worst Time: Night, when you won’t be able to get a good look at the architecture.
Walking through the architecturally astounding Garden District, you could get the impression
that you’ve entered an entirely separate city—or time period—from the French Quarter.
Although the Garden District was indeed once a separate city (Lafayette) from the Vieux Carré
and was established later, their development by two different groups is what most profoundly
distinguishes the two.
The French Quarter was settled by Creoles during the French and Spanish colonial periods, and
the Garden District was created by Americans after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. The lucrative
combination of Mississippi River commerce, abundant slave trade, and national banks fueled
the local economy, resulting in the remarkable antebellum building boom still seen here.
Thousands of Americans moved here after the Louisiana Purchase. Friction arose between
these new residents and the Creoles around language barriers, religious division, competition
over burgeoning commerce, and mutual snobbery. With inferior business experience,
education, and organizational skills, the Creoles worried that les Americains would drive them
out of business. Americans were thus barred from the already overcrowded French Quarter.
 22

The snubbed Americans moved upriver and created a residential district of astounding, in-your-
face opulence: the Garden District. It is, therefore, a culture clash reflected through
architecture, with Americans creating an identity by introducing bold, new styles.
Note: With few exceptions, houses on this tour are occupied, private homes and are not
open to the public. Several are owned by celebrities (names are omitted for privacy). Please be
respectful of the residents.

To reach the Garden District, take the St. Charles streetcar to Washington Avenue (stop no. 16)
and walk 1 block toward the river to:

1. 2727 P RYTANIA S T ., T HE G ARDEN D ISTRICT B OOK S HOP

A stellar collection of national and regional titles, with many signed editions, makes this
bookshop an appropriate kickoff for a Garden District tour. The historic property was built in
1884 as the Crescent City Skating Rink, and subsequently acted as a livery stable, mortuary,
grocery store, and gas station. Today “the Rink” also offers a coffee shop, restrooms, and air-
conditioning (crucial in the summer).
Across Prytania Street, you’ll find:

2. 1448 F OURTH S T ., C OLONEL S HORT ’ S V ILLA

This house was built by architect Henry Howard for Kentucky Colonel Robert Short. The story
goes that Short’s wife missed the cornfields in her native Iowa, so he bought her the cornstalk
fence. But a revised explanation has the wife requesting it because it was the most expensive,
showy fence in the building catalog. Second Civil War occupational governor Nathaniel Banks
was quartered here.
Continuing down Prytania, you’ll find:

3. 2605 P RYTANIA S T ., B RIGGS -S TAUB H OUSE

This is the Garden District’s only example of Gothic Revival architecture (unpopular among
Protestant Americans because it reminded them of their Roman Catholic Creole antagonists).
Original owner Charles Briggs built the relatively large adjacent servant quarters for his Irish
slaves. Irish immigrants were starting to create the nearby Irish Channel neighborhood across
Magazine Street from the Garden District.

4. 2523 P RYTANIA S T ., O UR M OTHER OF P ERPETUAL H ELP

Once an active Catholic chapel, this site was one of several in the area owned by Anne Rice and
the setting for her novel Violin. The author’s childhood home is down the street at 2301 St.
Charles Ave.

5. 2504 P RYTANIA S T ., W OMEN ’ S O PERA G UILD H OME

Some of the Garden District’s most memorable homes incorporate more than one style.
Designed by William Freret in 1858, this one combines Greek Revival and Queen Anne styles.
 23

It’s now owned by the Women’s Opera Guild. Tours are offered on Mondays from 10am to
12pm and 1 to 4pm; $7. (tel. 504/899-1945).

6. 2340 P RYTANIA S T ., T OBY ’ S C ORNER

The Garden District’s oldest known home was built in 1838 for Philadelphia wheelwright
Thomas Toby in the then-popular Greek Revival style. The “non-Creole” style still followed
Creole building techniques, such as raising the house up on brick piers to combat flooding and
encourage air circulation.

7. 2343 P RYTANIA S T ., B RADISH J OHNSON H OUSE & L OUISE S. M C G EHEE S CHOOL

Paris-trained architect James Freret (cousin of William, see stop #5) designed this French
Second Empire–style mansion for sugar factor Bradish Johnson in 1872 at a cost of $100,000
($1.6-plus million today). Contrast the house’s awesome detail with the stark classical simplicity
of Toby’s Corner across the street—it illustrates the effect that one generation of outrageous
fortune had on Garden District architecture. Since 1929 it has been the private Louise S.
McGehee School for girls.
Turn down First Street (away from St. Charles) and it’s a short block to:

8. 1407 F IRST S T ., P RITCHARD -P IGOTT H OUSE

This grand, Greek Revival double-galleried townhouse shows how, as fortunes grew, so did
Garden District home sizes.

9. 1331 F IRST S T ., M ORRIS -I SRAEL H OUSE

As time passed, the trend toward the formal Greek Revival style took a playful turn. By the
1860s, Italianate was popular, as seen in this (reputedly haunted) double-galleried townhouse.
Architect Samuel Jamison designed this house and the Carroll-Crawford House on the next
corner (1315 First St.); note the identical ornate cast-iron galleries.
Follow Coliseum Street to the left, less than half a block to:

10. 2329–2305 C OLISEUM S T ., T HE S EVEN S ISTERS

This row of “shotgun” houses gets its nickname from a (false) story that a 19th-century Garden
District resident built these homes as wedding gifts for his seven daughters. Actually, there are
eight “Seven Sisters,” and they were built on speculation. “Shotgun”-style homes are so named
because, theoretically, if one fired a gun through the front door, the bullet would pass
unhindered out the back. (Also, a West African word for this native African house form sounds
like “shotgun.”) The shotgun house effectively circulates air and is common in hot climates. The
relatively small shotguns are popular throughout much of Orleans, but rare along the imposing
Garden District streets.
Now turn around and go back to First Street and turn left. At the corner of First and Chestnut,
you’ll see:
 24

11. 1239 F IRST S T ., B REVARD -M AHAT -R ICE H OUSE

This 1857 Greek Revival townhouse was later augmented with an Italianate bay, in a fine
example of “transitional” architecture. The fence’s rosettes begat the house’s name,
“Rosegate,” and its woven diamond pattern is said to be the precursor to the chain-link fence.
This was novelist Anne Rice’s home and a setting in her Witching Hour novels.

12. 1134 F IRST S T ., P AYNE -S TRACHAN H OUSE

As the stone marker out front notes, Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of
America, died in this classic Greek Revival antebellum home, that of his friend Judge Charles
Fenner. The sky-blue ceiling of the gallery is believed to keep winged insects from nesting there
and to ward off evil spirits. Many local homes adhere to this tradition (now that you’re aware of
it, you’ll notice it everywhere).
Turn right on Camp and go less than a block to:

13. 1137 S ECOND S T .

This house exemplifies the Victorian architecture popularized in uptown New Orleans toward
the end of the 19th century. Many who built such homes were from the Northeast and left New
Orleans in the summer; otherwise, it would be odd to see this claustrophobic, “cool climate”–
style house. Note the exquisite stained glass and rounded railing on the gallery.
Turn right onto Second Street and go 2 blocks to the corner of Coliseum:

14. 2425 C OLISEUM S T ., J OSEPH M ERRICK J ONES H OUSE

When previous owner Trent Reznor of the band Nine Inch Nails moved in, new anti-noise
ordinances were introduced at city council. His next-door neighbor was Councilwoman Peggy
Wilson. Coincidence?
Turn left onto Coliseum Street and go 1 block to Third Street. Turn left to get to:

15. 1331 T HIRD S T ., M USSON -B ELL H OUSE

This is the 1853 home of Michel Musson, one of the few French Creoles then living in the
Garden District and the uncle of artist Edgar Degas, who lived with Musson on Esplanade
Avenue during a visit to New Orleans. On the Coliseum Street side of the house is the
foundation of a cistern. These once-common water tanks (Mark Twain once commented that it
looked as if everybody in the neighborhood had a private brewery) were mostly destroyed at
the turn of the 20th century when mosquitoes, which breed in standing water, were found to
be carriers of yellow fever. Yellow-fever epidemics infamously killed 41,000 New Orleaneans
between 1817 and 1905.
Turn around and cross Coliseum to see:
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16. 1415 T HIRD S T ., R OBINSON H OUSE

This striking home was built between 1859 and 1865 by architect Henry Howard for tobacco
grower and merchant Walter Robinson. Walk past the house to appreciate its scale—the
outbuildings, visible from the front, are actually connected to the side of the main house. The
entire roof is a large vat that once collected water. Add gravity and water pressure: thus begat
the Garden District’s earliest indoor plumbing.
Continue down Coliseum Street 2 blocks to the corner of Washington Avenue:

17. 2627 C OLISEUM S T ., K OCH -M AYS H OUSE

This picturesque chalet-style dollhouse (well, for a large family of dolls) was built in 1876 by
noted architect William Freret for James Eustis, a U.S. senator and ambassador to France
(perhaps justifying the full-size ballroom). It and four other spec homes he built on the block
were referred to as Freret’s Folly. No detail was left unfrilled, from the ironwork to the gables
and finials.

18. 2707 C OLISEUM S T ., B ENJAMIN B UTTON H OUSE

This 8,000 square-footer is best known as the title character’s home in the film, The Curious
Case of Benjamin Button. Ergo Brad Pitt slept here, fictionally (he bought his own French
Quarter home soon after filming). The house was owned by the same family from 1870 until its
2009 sale. Thus when the “Button” location scouts came calling they dealt with the family’s 90-
year-old matriarch, who had raised seven kids under this roof. Or roofs, perhaps, since it’s
actually two houses combined: the original 1832 cottage sits atop a columned, 1908 Colonial
number.

19. 1403 W ASHINGTON A VE ., C OMMANDER ’ S P ALACE

Established in 1883 by Emile Commander, this turreted Victorian structure (a bordello back in
the 1920s) is now the pride of the Brennan family, the most respected and successful
restaurateurs in New Orleans. Commander’s Palace has long reigned as one of the city’s—nay,
the country’s—top restaurants.

20. 1400 W ASHINGTON A VE ., L AFAYETTE C EMETERY

Established in 1833, this “city of the dead” is one of New Orleans’s oldest cemeteries. It has
examples of all the classic above-ground, multiple-burial techniques. These tombs typically
house numerous corpses from an extended family—one here lists 37 entrants; others are
designated for members of specific fire departments or fraternal organizations.
Walk to St. Charles Avenue to pick up the streetcar (there is a stop right there) or flag down a
cab to return to the French Quarter. Wind Down at Still Perkin’, Tracey’s, Coquette, or Sucré
[cup]
Now go back to your first stop, the Rink, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and some light
refreshments at Still Perkin’. Or head south on Washington to Magazine Street, where a po’ boy
at Tracey’s, lunch at Coquette, or a sweet from Sucré will satisfy other appetites.
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F ROMMER ’ S W ALKING G UIDE 3: C ITY P ARK AREA

 Walking Tour 3: Esplanade Ridge & Bayou St. John
 Start: Esplanade Avenue and Johnson Street.
 Finish: City Park.
 Time: Allow approximately 2 hours, not including museum, cemetery, lunch stops.
 Best Times: Monday through Saturday, early or late morning.
 Worst Times: Sunday, when attractions are closed, or after dark. If you decide to
stay in City Park or in the upper Esplanade area until early evening, plan to return on
the bus or by taxi.

If you’re heading to City Park, the New Orleans Museum of Art, or the Jazz & Heritage Festival,
consider some sightseeing in this overlooked region. We particularly enjoy the quiet,
meandering stretch along St. John’s Bayou. Historically, the Esplanade Ridge area was Creole
society’s answer to St. Charles Avenue—it’s an equally lush boulevard with stately homes and
seemingly ancient trees stretching overhead. The lots are not quite as expansive as along St.
Charles, so the grand front lawns are not in evidence. Originally home to the descendants of the
earliest settlers, the avenue had its finest days toward the end of the 19th century, and some of
the neighborhoods along its path have seen better days. Still, it’s closer to the soul of the city
than St. Charles Avenue (read: regular people live here, whereas St. Charles always was and still
is for the well-heeled).

You can catch a bus on Esplanade Avenue at the French Quarter, headed toward the park and
your starting point. Otherwise, stroll (about 15 min.) up Esplanade Avenue to:

1. 2023 E SPLANADE A VE ., C HARPENTIER H OUSE

Originally a plantation home, this house was designed in 1861 for A. B. Charpentier and now
operates as Ashton’s Bed & Breakfast.

2. 2033–2035 E SPLANADE A VE ., W IDOW C ASTANEDO ’ S H OUSE

Juan Rodriguez purchased this land in the 1780s, and his granddaughter, Widow Castanedo,
lived here until her death in 1861 (when it was a smaller, Spanish colonial–style plantation
home). Before Esplanade Avenue extended this far from the river, the house was located in
what is now the middle of the street. The widow tried and failed to block the extension of the
street. The late-Italianate house was moved to its present site and enlarged sometime around
the 1890s. It’s been split down the middle and is inhabited today by two sisters.
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3. 2139 E SPLANADE A VE .
A great example of the typical Esplanade Ridge style. Note the Ionic columns on the upper level.

After you cross North Miro Street, Esplanade Avenue crosses the diagonal Bayou Road, which
was the route to the French-Canadian settlements at St. John’s Bayou in the late 17th century.
Veer left at the fork to stay on Esplanade Avenue and look for:

4. G ODDESS OF H ISTORY —G ENIUS OF P EACE S TATUE

In 1886, this triangular plot, called Gayarre Place, was given to the city by Charles Gayarre.
George H. Dunbar donated the terra-cotta statue, a victory monument. It was destroyed in
1938 and replaced with the present cement and marble model.

5. 2306 E SPLANADE A VE ., D EGAS H OUSE

The Musson family rented this house for many years. Estelle Musson married René Degas,
brother of Edgar Degas, the French Impressionist artist. (She and her descendants dropped his
last name after he ran off with a neighbor’s wife.) Degas is said to have painted the portrait of
Estelle, now in the New Orleans Museum of Art, during his brief time living here. The house was
built in 1854, and the Italianate decorations were added later when it was split into two
buildings. It’s a B&B now.

6. 2212, 2216, 2222 E SPLANADE A VE .

Originally built as spec townhomes in 1883, these three Candy Crush–colored Italianate houses
now comprise Le Belle Esplanade B&B inn. Although they look like triplets now, they each have
their own architectural identities, and their intricate millwork and detailing surely stood on
their own stead long before the eye-catching paint job was applied.

7. 2326 E SPLANADE A VE ., R EUTHER H OUSE

Check out the collection of metal and cinder-block sculptures in this front yard. The current
resident of this house is a founder of the Contemporary Arts Center and a major figure in the
city’s arts community.

In passing, take a look at nos. 2325, 2329, and 2331—all are interesting examples of Creole
cottages. Then, continue to:
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8. 2337 & 2341 E SPLANADE A VE .

These houses were identical structures when they were built in 1862 for John Budd Slawson,
owner of a horse-drawn-streetcar company that operated along Bayou Road in the 19th
century. Back then, they were both single-story shotgun-style houses. Notice the unusual
ironwork underneath the front roof overhang.

Cross North Dorgenois Street to:

9. 2453 E SPLANADE A VE .
This house was one of a pair of matching homes at the corner of Dorgenois Street; the other
was demolished. Though its architecture has been changed extensively, it’s one of the few
remaining mansard-roofed homes on Esplanade Ridge.

Cross North Broad Street to:

10. 2623 E SPLANADE A VE .

The Corinthian columns denote the home’s classical revival style. Built in 1896 by Louis A. Jung,
the Jungs donated the triangular piece of land at Esplanade Avenue, Broad Street, and Crete
Street to the city on the condition that it remain public property. Now called DeSoto Park, it is
graced by an Art Nouveau fence.

11. 2809 E SPLANADE A VE .

This is one of the more decorative Queen Anne–style center-hall Victorian houses on Esplanade
Ridge.

12. 2936 E SPLANADE A VE .

A nice example of what’s known as a Gothic villa. Take a Break at Café Degas, Terranova’s, or
Fair Grinds [cup]

The shops and restaurants at the intersection of Mystery Street and Esplanade Avenue offer
fine lunchtime options. If the weather is nice, the semi-outdoor setting is exceedingly pleasant
at Café Degas. For snacks or picnic food for City Park, try the family-run Terranova’s Italian
Grocery, 3308 Esplanade Ave. (tel. 504/482-4131), across the street. Or opt for the quirky Fair
Grinds coffeehouse behind Café Degas at 3133 Ponce De Leon St. (tel. 504/913-9072).

Continue to:
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13. 3330 E SPLANADE A VE .

A galleried frame home built in the Creole-cottage style. Also note the orientation of this
stretch (and many of the houses along Esplanade Avenue). The lots are on a diagonal, so houses
face Esplanade at a slight angle.

Continue along Esplanade until Leda Street, and turn right for a 1/2-block detour off Esplanade
to:

14. L ULING M ANSION , 1438 L EDA S T .

Florence Luling, a German sugar and cotton baron, purchased 80 acres and commissioned
famed architect James Gallier, Jr., to build this elaborate, three-story Italianate mansion in
1865. Built with a full moat, its ornate formal gardens once stretched all the way to Esplanade
Avenue. Later it served as the Louisiana Jockey Club (it backs up to the Fair Grounds Race
Track). Although unfortunate modern adjustments have taken a toll, its original magnificence is
still apparent.

Return to Esplanade Ave. and turn right. On your right is:

15. 3421 E SPLANADE A VE ., S T . L OUIS C EMETERY N O . 3

The public Bayou Cemetery, established in 1835, was purchased and expanded by the St. Louis
diocese in 1856. It contains the burial monuments of many of the diocese’s priests and religious
orders. It might be called “Restaurateurs’ Rest”: the tombs for the Galatoire, Tujague, and
Prudhomme families are here. If you’ve been squeamish about going into the cemeteries
because of safety concerns, you can explore this one on your own—though as always, you
should still be alert.

From the cemetery, head back out to Esplanade Avenue and continue walking toward City Park.
When you get to the bridge, go left, following the signs, along Bayou St. John (one of the nicest
and least touristy areas of the city), to:

16. 1440 M OSS S T ., P ITOT H OUSE

This Creole country house overlooking the historic Bayou was home to the city’s first mayor.
Open to the public, knowledgeable docents offer a window onto life in the day when Bayou St.
John was the city’s main trade route.

Head back to Esplanade Avenue, turn left, cross the bridge, and walk straight into:
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17. E SPLANADE & C ITY P ARK A VES ., C ITY P ARK

Explore the sculpture garden, amphitheater, museum, botanical gardens, lakes, and much more
in this glorious, expansive park.