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Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings

	VIEUX CARRÉ HISTORIC DISTRICT Louisiana	Vieux Carré Historic District
Orleans Parish, the section of the city of New Orleans bounded by the Mississippi River, Rampart Street, Canal Street, and Esplanade Avenue. Jean Lafitte National Historic Park & Preserve French Quarter

Ownership and Administration. Various.

Significance. Covering some 85 blocks, the Vieux Carré is the nucleus of the original city of New Orleans and the scene of many historic events—from the initial French settlement through the French, Spanish, and early American eras. Many of its buildings represent a unique fusion of architectural styles, which reveal the growth of New Orleans in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the blending of diverse national influences into a cosmopolitan metropolis.

The Frenchman Jean Baptiste le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, founded New Orleans in 1718, and 3 years later military engineers platted it into 80 rectilinear blocks. In 1722 it became the capital of French Louisiana and, because of its location 100 miles above the mouth of the Mississippi, thrived as a trade center. By the mid-l8th century it had gained a reputation for glamorous living and was the cultural center of Louisiana. In 1762, when western Louisiana passed from France to Spain, it became the capital of Spanish Louisiana and grew rapidly. Although fires in 1788 and 1794 nearly destroyed it, its residents erected substantial buildings to replace the old ones.

St. Louis Cathedral and the Presbytere are situated on Jackson Square, in the Vieux Carré. Most of the buildings in this section date from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Courtesy, New Orleans Chamber of Commerce.

In 1803 New Orleans officially passed from Spain back to France, and 20 days later from France to the United States. At the very end of the War of 1812, British forces attempted to capture the city, but U.S. forces defeated them in the Battle of New Orleans. After the war the city continued to prosper, particularly because it became the major port for the newly developing steamboat traffic on the Mississippi and its tributaries. The influx of U.S. settlers and traders, Latin American political refugees, and European immigrants made ante bellum New Orleans one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the United States. By mid-century it had become the commercial and financial emporium of the entire Mississippi Valley, the fourth largest city in the United States, and the second most active port. Today, it is a thriving port city and center of culture.

The Vieux Carré Historic District is eligible for the Registry of National Historic Landmarks relating primarily to French exploration and settlement.

Facade of a Porte-Cochere Creole townhouse. The Porte-Cochere Creole townhouse, whose name means "coach door," was common from about 1800 to 1850. These two- to four-story houses had a carriageway entrance leading to a rear courtyard. The ground floor was generally used as a shop, while the upper floor/floors were used as living space. Courtesy, Photo by Byron Fortier.

Present Appearance. Most of the buildings in the Vieux Carré date from between 1794, when the second of two disastrous fires swept the town, and 1850. They are a mixture of various European styles of architecture, primarily French and Spanish. To some extent, however, they also reflect the Greek Revival style, which swept the country in the 19th century. Sites and buildings in the Historic District that are eligible in their own right for the Registry of National Historic Landmarks and are described separately elsewhere in this volume are The Cabildo and Jackson Square. Some of the other buildings in the district that date back to and are typical of the period of history encompassed in this volume include the following: St. Louis Cathedral, 711 Chartres Street; the Presbytere, 713 Chartres Street; the French Market, extending from Jackson Square to Barracks Street; Montegut House, 731 Royal Street; Nicholas House, 723 Toulouse Street; Bosque House, 617 Chartres Street; Le Petit Theatre, 616 St. Peter Street; Thierry House, 721 Gov. Nicholls Street; Banque de la Louisiane, 417 Royal Street; Bank of the United States, 339 Royal Street; Bank of Louisiana, 344 Royal Street; and the Absinthe House, 238 Bourbon Street.

NHL Designation: 12/21/65