Architecturally, there’s nothing quite like New Orleans. A blend of French, Spanish, and American influences combine to tell the fascinating story of the Big Easy. So it’s no surprise that it’s one of the most rewarding places in the U.S. for those who love to take a guided walking tour or simply wander through a city’s historic districts without any firm plan. Discover its rich tapestry as we dive into the uniquely beautiful architecture of New Orleans.
A Brief History of New Orleans
New Orleans was founded by Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville on behalf of the French in 1717, and it became the capital of the French colony of Louisiana five years later. After France ceded Louisiana to Spain in 1762, brick-built homes replaced wooden constructions under Spanish rule, but many of them were lost in two devastating fires in 1788 and 1794.
Spain handed the territory back to France in 1800, but three years later France sold it to the U.S. in the Louisiana Purchase. Even after the city became American, though, its Francophile ways endured, particularly among the Creole population descended from early settlers. French was spoken by a majority of the city’s population until 1830.
During the first half of the 19th century, New Orleans became the wealthiest city (and third-largest by population) in the United States, thanks to its thriving port trade. By the turn of the 20th century, transportation improvements such as the city’s electric streetcar and the automobile, as well as new levees and drainage systems, made it possible for more low-lying areas to be developed. Many of the city’s wealthy residents chose to live further out, and built grand homes on leafy avenues.
Early New Orleans: Creole Cottages
Today, you’ll see a distinctly French influence in New Orleans’ Creole cottages, though some were built by free people of color who’d arrived in Louisiana from Haiti. Still commonplace in the French Quarter and the Faubourg-Marigny neighborhood, these homes date back to the early decades of the 19th century, and many have been well preserved.
These dwellings are typically 1.5 stories, with a ground level and a partial upper story that occupies a steeply pitched roof. Usually, they have either four doors with no windows or two sets of French doors that open right onto the street. Dormer windows allow light into the upper part of the house, while the steep pitch of the roof is advantageous during heavy downpours. Inside, a fireplace is typically positioned on the wall that divides the two front rooms.
The Big Easy’s Townhouses
The townhouse is probably the most iconic architectural style of the Big Easy. Boasting two to four floors, this type of home sprang up in the French Quarter after the Great Fire of 1788 and continued to be built for many decades. Creole townhouses were often lavish affairs, built of brick or stucco, with arched windows and a noticeable Spanish influence. They’re best known for their elaborate cast-iron balconies, which can be seen throughout the French Quarter.
One of the most famous examples of the Creole townhouse in New Orleans is the LaBranche House, erected in 1835. Some believe the building is haunted by a couple of ghosts, one a melancholy figure of a woman who gazes out from an upstairs balcony and the other a playful child who is said to roam around indoors in search of fun.
The Mansions of St. Charles Avenue
Traveling along St. Charles Avenue, you can easily appreciate the array of styles of the magnificent mansions that line this wide, tree-lined thoroughfare, one of the Big Easy’s most famous streets. A few older residences survive, though most development followed the introduction of the St. Charles Streetcar line in 1835. It remains the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world.
Greek Revival and Italianate mansions were initially popular on St. Charles Avenue, while Queen Anne-style houses were all the rage by the 1880s. Architect Thomas Sully designed the famous Hernsheim House for tobacco merchant Simon Hernsheim in 1884. A few years later, the architect became his neighbor as he built himself a splendid home at No. 4010. The Grand Victorian Bed and Breakfast at 2727 St. Charles Avenue is another notable example of his work.
Shotgun Houses
Not everyone in New Orleans could afford a mansion, of course. For many others, the answer to their housing needs came in the form of shotgun houses: single-story homes usually built out of wood. Long and narrow, they’re typically large enough only for one room across.
As New Orleans experienced significant growth in the latter part of the 19th century, standard lots were laid out measuring 30 feet across and 120 feet from front to back. Modest in size and often simple in design, shotgun houses were economical to construct and could be built not only cheaply but also quickly, so they sprang up all over the city.
While there are several theories on the origin of their name, a popular one comes from the idea that if you fired a shotgun at the front of the building, the cartridge would pass right through the house and out the other side. A variation called the camelback features a two-story addition to the rear, giving it a humped appearance. Today, you can admire shotgun houses throughout New Orleans, in neighborhoods such as the Marigny, Bywater, Irish Channel, Esplanade Ridge, and Algiers Point.
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