Streetcars in Faubourg St. John 1927

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Many thanks to Gary Parky for sharing his 1927 streetcar map!

streetcar1927-fsjClick on the map for a larger view.
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What is now Desmare Playground was the Esplanade Barn in 1927.
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The Arabella Barn is now Whole Foods on Magazine.
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Reported in the Times Picayune newspaper:
November 1, 1901
1901nov1-streetcars-fsj

Reported in the Times Picayune newspaper:
April 28, 1873

ORLEANS RAILROAD.

– Owing to the energy shown by the officers and directors of this company, the double track on Broad Street and Grand Route Saint John is completed. In consequence of this wise improvement, the line of this company is now the shortest from Canal street to the Fair Grounds. The cars run without change as far as the turning-table, opposite the central gate of the Fair Grounds, fronting on Savage Street, between the third and fourth building, a few steps from the stand. The Orleans Railroad cars start without interruption, from the Clay Statue, corner of St. Charles and Canal Streets.
Click here to view the original article from April 28, 1873.

July 3, 1868

Inauguration of the Orleans City Railroad

The first trip over the Orleans City Railroad was made the occasion of a pleasant excursion yesterday.

About 6 o’clock p.m. the officers of the road – President, George Clark; Secretary, Jules Benit; Directors, G.W. Hynson, D.B. Macarthy, B. Saloy, Joseph Hernandez, L.E. Lemarie and Frances Mouney – together with a large number of stockholders and invited guests, proceeded from opposite the office of the company, on Dauphine street, in two of the bright, new and elegant cars provided for the occasion, to travel over the length of the road and make as thorough an inspection of the same as circumstances would admit.
The route of the road is down Dauphine to Dumaine, out Dumaine to Broad, down Broad and beneath the overhanging branches of the trees that line this street, to Laharpe, and down Laharpe to the terminus of the road, where the spacious though as yet incomplete stables, etc., of the company are situate.(now Stallings Playground)
The depot is located on two squares of ground situate at the head of Bayou Savage, and near the Gentilly Road.
Though, the buildings have not been completed, the stables will be ready to afford shelter to the animals by tomorrow, when twelve cars will be placed upon the line.
Returning to the city the route passes down Grand Route Saint John, up Dumaine street to Broad, and thence by St. Peter and Basin streets to Canal.
After the excursion there was a very delightful collation spread at the office of the company, at which the greatest good feeling prevailed, and many toasts were drank to the success of the road, etc.
Click here to view the original article from July 3, 1868.


Click on the map for larger view and to see the dotted lines where the streetcars ran.
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EsplanadeAveStreetcar1921-photobyCharlesFranck-websiteStreetcar on Esplanade in 1921. Photo by Charles L. Franck

research by Charlie London

On June 6, 1883, the Times Picayune reported the following:
“A boy named Albert Musgrove while running after a street car at the corner of Esplanade and Grand Route St. John, at 7 o’clock yesterday morning, fell and fractured his arm. Dr. Souchon attended the boy at his residence, No. 108 Grand Route St. John.”

Click here to see the original article from 1883

Old Soldiers Home

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blake-7879The Confederate Soldiers’ Home at 1700 Moss St. was built for veterans of the Civil War and was named Camp Nicholls to honor local Civil War Brig. Gen. Francis T. Nicholls, who later was a two-term governor of Louisiana.

  In March 1866, shortly after the end of the war, the Louisiana Legislature decided to provide for local veterans, and the result was the Confederate Soldiers’ Home for Louisiana. The original home operated in Mandeville until the Reconstruction government stopped funding it. Reconstruction ended in 1877, but it wasn’t until 1882 that a reorganized board of commissioners purchased land on Bayou St. John to build a residence for the soldiers.

  The new home was dedicated with a ceremony on May 16, 1884. Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s wife made a flag of Louisiana with “Camp Nicholls” embroidered on it, and this flag was raised to the top of a 70-foot pole.

  As a special surprise, the Washington Artillery loaned a mounted brass howitzer named “Redemption” for the ceremony and hid it behind a grove of trees. When the canon was fired, folks were startled.

  The property where the soldiers’ home was built measured 325-by-350 feet and had several buildings already on the grounds, but more buildings were added for living quarters. The property also had amenities such as live oak and magnolia trees, a stocked pond for fishing and vegetable gardens. Years later, several old cannons taken from Spanish Fort were placed at the home, and in 1908, a submarine torpedo boat constructed during the Civil War resided at the grounds until it was moved again in 1942.

  Camp Nicholls filled an urgent need for housing among indigent and disabled Civil War veterans, and 25 men became its first residents. By 1901, 117 veterans were living there. During its 60 years of operation, it was home to more than 300 Civil War veterans. After World War II the National Guard established a camp that operated there into the 1970s. Before Hurricane Katrina, the property was occupied by the New Orleans Police Department’s 3rd District, special operations division and EMS.

  All the buildings on the property were razed in 2009. It is the future home of Deutsches Haus, which moved to Metairie after the building it had occupied for 82 years was demolished in 2011 as part of the University Medical Center/VA hospital complex. Deutsches Haus President Keith Oldendorf says his group will begin clearing the property in January 2013. He says plans are to begin construction in the fall and open in 2014.

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/hey-blake-what-can-you-tell-me-about-the-old-soldiers-home-on-bayou-st-john-across-from-city-park/Content?oid=2116431

***
February 15, 2011

CLICK HERE for Stephanie Bruno’s article about Deutsches Haus at 1700 Moss


Curt Sprang talks with Kerry Tully of Swirl Wines about the Deutsches Haus planned relocation to the property at 1700 Moss Street.

Curt Sprang of ABC 26 News did “man on the street” interviews February 15, 2011 in Faubourg St. John about the possibility of Deutsches Haus relocating to the property at 1700 Moss.

1700 Moss is also the site of the old Confederate Soliders Home.

April 9, 2009 video below by Charlie London. The video shows the demolition of the Old Soldiers Home.


Just outside the fencing around the old Police Station at 1700 Moss Street there is embedded in the grass some blue-and-white lettered tiles which say “SOLDIERS’ HOME.”
‘On this site at 1700 Moss St. there was a Confederate soldiers’ home named “Camp Nicholls” in honor of Gov. Francis T. Nicholls, a Civil War hero.

In March 1866, the Louisiana Legislature established a Confederate Soldiers’ Home for Louisiana. The home operated at Mandeville until 1868 when the Reconstruction government halted the appropriation. Then under an 1882 amendment of the 1866 Act, a reorganized Board of Commissioners bought the tract of land on Bayou St. John for the purpose of building a soldiers’ home.

The new home was dedicated with great ceremony on May 16, 1884. Mrs. T.J. (Stonewall) Jackson had herself made a flag of Louisiana, and this flag was raised to the top of a 70-foot flagpole by her daughter, Miss Julia Jackson; the daughters of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Mildred and Mary; Gen. D. H. Hill’s daughter, Nanny; and Mary May, daughter of Col. A.H. May, veteran officer of the Washington Artillery. The large brass howitzer “Redemption” of the Washington Artillery fired a salute of 13 rounds.

The camp was home for many years to Confederate veterans, and on the grounds a visitor could see several old cannons taken from Spanish Fort and a submarine torpedo boat constructed during the Civil War.

Then in 1949, it became the State Headquarters for the 39th Infantry Division of the National Guard; and in April 1951, a new $120,000 armory was constructed, and the site became the home of the 135th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron of the Louisiana Air National Guard.

After a period of vacancy, the building was renovated in 1983, and the Police Department took up residence.’

http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/…

“Camp Nicholls, 1700 Moss Street, is a Confederate soldiers’ home established in 1883 during the Administration of Governor Nicholls. Only a few veterans remain in the institution. On the grounds may be seen several old cannon taken from Spanish Fort and a submarine torpedo boat, said to be the first of its kind, constructed by a Captain Hunley during the Civil War. The boat sank in the bayou on its first trial, and lay submerged many years before being salvaged.”

The New Orleans City Guide, 1938 Federal Writers Project, WPA

Photo by Jim Danner

Neighbors Celebrate Holiday Lights

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The streetlight in front of 1313 Vignaud was repaired December 15, 2012. The whole head of the streetlight blew off August 29, 2012.
The streetlight in front of 1313 Vignaud was repaired December 15, 2012.
The whole head of the streetlight blew off August 29, 2012.

Faubourg St. John neighbors have been celebrating
the repair of streetlights around the neighborhood.

Most of the streetlights in Faubourg St. John were working
before the August 29, 2012 storm blew through.

Charlotte Pipes said on December 13th, “Altec bucket truck in the 2900 block of Ursulines Avenue. Our light at the corner of N. Dupre & Ursulines, out since before Issac, is fixed. Thank you, Altec!”
Kim Gilberti also said on December 13th, “The light on Bell, near Dupre, was also fixed this past Tuesday, that had been out since mid-September! Yea – best Christmas present ever!”
Mary Phyllis Bosch said on December 14th, “The street light that had been out in the 1200 block of North Lopez Street was replaced yesterday afternoon around 4 PM as well.”
Tiffany Goebel also said on December 14th, “The street light behind CC’s that was damaged during the hurricane has also been repaired this week. Excellent!”

Steps to get your streetlight fixed:
1) Call 311 with BOTH the number on the pole AND the address nearest the pole. (about 6ft up — has 2 letters and 3 numbers i.e. PQ103)

2) Ask for the item number for the streetlight you called in with the pole number and address.

3) Send the POLE NUMBER, ADDRESS, and
ITEM NUMBER to –> info at fsjna dot org

This past summer the city began its online tracking system. So, getting an item number is important because citizens will be able to track the progress of the work on the city’s website.

The Department of Public Works is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and administration of transportation elements affecting vehicular, pedestrian, and rail movement within the public right-of-way in New Orleans. This includes repairs to potholes in the city’s streets, maintenance of street lights, cleaning of catch basins, parking enforcement, maintenance of street signs and traffic signals, issuance of street closure permits and towing of abandoned vehicles among other duties.

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Get Your Streetlight Right Here

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photo by Charlie London

To report a street light outage
please call (504) 658-8080

Mayor Landrieu announced earlier this year that all streetlights in the City of New Orleans will be fixed by 2013!

Steps to get your streetlight fixed:
1) Call 311 with BOTH the number on the pole AND the address nearest the pole. (about 6ft up — has 2 letters and 3 numbers i.e. PQ103)

2) Ask for the item number for the streetlight you called in with the pole number and address.

3) Send the POLE NUMBER, ADDRESS, and
ITEM NUMBER to –> info at fsjna dot org

This summer the city will “go live” with its online tracking system. So, getting an item number is important because citizens will be able to track the progress of the work on the city’s website.

The Department of Public Works is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and administration of transportation elements affecting vehicular, pedestrian, and rail movement within the public right-of-way in New Orleans. This includes repairs to potholes in the city’s streets, maintenance of street lights, cleaning of catch basins, parking enforcement, maintenance of street signs and traffic signals, issuance of street closure permits and towing of abandoned vehicles among other duties.

******************************************************************

Magical Mystery Tour – Streetlights

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photo by Charlie London

Mayor Landrieu announced today that all streetlights in the City of New Orleans will be fixed by 2013!

Steps to get your streetlight fixed:
1) Call 311 with BOTH the number on the pole AND the address nearest the pole. (about 6ft up — has 2 letters and 3 numbers i.e. PQ103)

2) Ask for the item number for the streetlight you called in with the pole number and address.

3) Send the POLE NUMBER, ADDRESS, and
ITEM NUMBER to –> info at fsjna dot org

This summer the city will “go live” with its online tracking system. So, getting an item number is important because citizens will be able to track the progress of the work on the city’s website.

The Department of Public Works is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and administration of transportation elements affecting vehicular, pedestrian, and rail movement within the public right-of-way in New Orleans. This includes repairs to potholes in the city’s streets, maintenance of street lights, cleaning of catch basins, parking enforcement, maintenance of street signs and traffic signals, issuance of street closure permits and towing of abandoned vehicles among other duties.

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FAUBOURG ST. JOHN – Streetlights surveyed March 27th…resurveyed May 3rd, 2012

PQ116 – Esplanade in front of Santa Fe Restaurant at 3201 Esplanade – OUT – yellow and orange ribbons 

AS49 – 3200 block of Esplanade @ Maurepas – OUT – yellow and orange ribbons

 AS90 – Verna @ 3300 Esplanade – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 AS43 – 3400 Esplanade in front of the Grotto by Cabrini High School – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 AS44 – 3400 Esplanade in front of Cabrini – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 AS45 – 3368 Esplanade in front of Holy Rosary – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 AS46 – to the left of the front of Holy Rosary at 3368 Esplanade – OUT – yellow ribbon

 AS47 – 3346 Esplanade at Bus Stop 1026 at Church Parking Lot – OUT – yellow and orange ribbons

 AS48 – 3336 Esplanade – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ104 – 3314 Esplanade – REPAIRED – yellow ribbon

 no tag – 3308 Esplanade @ Ponce de Leon (in front of Terranova’s Superette) – REPAIRED – yellow ribbon

 PQ131 – 3120 Grand Rt St John – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ132 – Grand Rt St John @ 3200 Esplanade – OUT – yellow ribbon

 PQ107 – at Bus Stop on 3200 Esplanade @ Grand Rt St John – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ115 – Mystery street @ 3135 Esplanade in front of Canseco’s Foods – OUT – yellow and orange ribbons

 PQ130 – Mystery Street @ 3200 Esplanade – OUT – yellow and orange ribbons

 PQ128 – 3209 Grand Rt St John – OUT – yellow and orange ribbons

 PQ126 – 3237 Grand Rt St John – Cycles on/off – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ127 – 3244 Grand Rt St John – Cycles on/off – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ153 – 1314 N. Rendon – Cycles on/off – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ173 – 3211 DeSoto – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ168 – 3320 DeSoto – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ101 – Moss @ DeSoto – ALWAYS ON both day and night

 UA941 – Mid-Block 1308 Vignaud – OUT

 UA942 – 1311 Vignaud – OUT

 PQ173 – Desoto and N. Rendon – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 MK196 – 1500 Block of Sauvage – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ134 – in front of 3063 Grand Route Saint John – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 PQ113 – 3100 block Esplanade in front of Deblanc’s Pharmacy – REPAIRED – no ribbons

 MK142 – 2870 Grand Route Saint John – OUT

 MK135 – 3027 Grand Rte St John St. directly in front of the house – OUT – yellow/orange ribbons

 MK141 – corner GRSJ & North White – cycles on and off – Stalag 13 type light across the street.

 MK44 – corner of Crete and Esplanade – across the street from 2700 Esplanade – OUT – yellow ribbon

 MK60 – corner of Crete and Esplanade by the Park – OUT – yellow ribbon

 MK61 – corner Bell and Esplanade by the Park – across from 2610 Bell Street – OUT – yellow ribbon

 

2805 Bell Street

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article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center

photo by Ian Cockburn

Home of Shawn Kennedy & Hal Brown
by Charlotte Jones

ONCE A SHOTGUN, this five-bay house with its central entrance between two large windows appears today to be a characteristic raised center-hall cottage. However, before the extensive 2002 renovations it actually was a typical double shotgun.

Visitors are greeted with a fleur-de-lis capped iron-fence, a myriad of hanging ferns and a leaded glass front door. Through this door is the center hall, flanked by an open parlor and dining room.

Windows and light are abundant throughout the house. Ample natural light permeates the vibrant blue master bedroom through french doors that replaced most of the traditional windows in the most recent renovation. For Brown and Kennedy, this has been a benefit for the many plants that adorn their home. Also illuminating the home is a glass wall leading to an insulated breezeway that connects the house and the garage. Through the glass wall, the deep blue walls of the primary living space contrast beautifully with the antiques and wooden furniture.

Despite these modern renovations, the house retains much of its historic character, in part by maintaining the traditional placement of the kitchen in the rear of the shotgun home. The garage along with a mother-in-law suite accessed through the breezeway stand where an outbuilding was once located.

After the house was sold by the original owners in 1904, it passed through inheritance to Leila Soniat Dufossat, with whom it remained until 1946 when, after changing hands several times over the course of a decade and one-half, it found its way to the family of Henry Songy, Jr. and his wife in 1961. The Songy’s raised their five children in the house and passed the property on to their children, who sold it to Russel Feran in 2002.

Click here to view the original article as printed in the March, 2012 issue of Preservation in Print. Article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center.

Doesn’t this house sound great? You can see more of this house and many more during the Preservation Resource Center’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John homes on Saturday, March 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The headquarters for the PRC’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John will be at the PITOT HOUSE at 1440 Moss Street on Bayou St. John.

The tour is just…
$16 for PRC and Louisiana Landmarks Society members
$20 for non-members
$10 each for groups of 10 or more

All tickets are $25 at the Pitot House on the day of the tour so get your tickets early!

Ticketholders will receive discounts from area businesses including Bayou Beer Garden, Cafe Degas, CC’s Coffee House, Cork & Bottle Wine Shop, Fair Grinds Coffee House, Liuzza’s by the Track, Lux Day Spa, Pal’s Lounge, and Swirl Wine Bar & Market.

For more information call (504) 581-7032 or visit prcno.org

SPONSORS of the PRC Home Tour
Abry Brothers, Inc.
Cork & Bottle Wine Shop
Louisiana Landmarks Society
Mothership Foundation
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Soprano’s Meat Market
Stafford Tile
Uptown Insurance Agency

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

Built in 1799, the Pitot House is one of the oldest Creole country house buildings in New Orleans. It is traditional stucco-covered, brick-between-post construction with a double hipped roof and wide galleries. The house is named for James Pitot, the first mayor of incorporated New Orleans, who lived here from 1810 -1819.

Now open for tours and special events, the house was restored in 1960 by the Louisiana Landmarks Society, which uses the building as its headquarters.

Shotgun House ticket holders will have the opportunity to visit the historic Pitot House.

2819 Bell Street

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article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center

photo by Ian Cockburn

Home of Lynn Reeves, Laura & Sophie Vagianos

by Valorie Hart
Research by Valorie Hart and Sharon McManis

“LIVING SMALL” is a resurging option for many people, and the sweet shotgun home of Laura and Sophie Vagianos and Lynn Reeves epitomizes the advantages of preserving an historic home’s original footprint. The owners have lovingly renovated their 100-year-old cottag to utilize every inch of its 1,000 square feet.

“Before our renovation, we had a dysfunctional, strange space. We did not have a functional kitchen and our single bathroom was extremely small,” Laura said. It added up to about 300 square feet of usable space — a hefty percentage in a small house. The side-hall shotgun felt closed in, so the owners removed the wall dividing the living space from the hall, allowing in light from the exterior wall of windows. Reeves and Vagianos take great pride that much of the house is original including the walls, floor and most of the trim work, as are the side hall and the pocket doors.

The finishing touch to the renovation is the witty and unique decor of the house. From the cement pigs that grace the front porch (and get seasonal costume changes that the neighbors look forward to) to the spicy and warm color scheme, this is definitelya New Orleans home. The owners share the philosophy that, in decorating, they just include what they like while also striving to maintain the integrity of the structure and respecting the many years it sheltered others before them.

They love to collect art, and their favorite artists include Amy Cespedes Glisan, Bill Hemmerling and their daughter, Sophie. One of the most sriking installlations is where the humble kitchenmantel has been decked out with religious items and mementos, creating an altar of sorts.

At the back of the house is a funky, colorful garden that includes a place to dine among the tropical foliage and handmade metal art pieces created by Lynn’s brother, Paul.

Click here to view the original article as printed in the March, 2012 issue of Preservation in Print. Article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center.

Doesn’t this house sound great? You can see more of this house and many more during the Preservation Resource Center’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John homes on Saturday, March 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The headquarters for the PRC’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John will be at the PITOT HOUSE at 1440 Moss Street on Bayou St. John.

The tour is just…
$16 for PRC and Louisiana Landmarks Society members
$20 for non-members
$10 each for groups of 10 or more

All tickets are $25 at the Pitot House on the day of the tour so get your tickets early!

Ticketholders will receive discounts from area businesses including Bayou Beer Garden, Cafe Degas, CC’s Coffee House, Cork & Bottle Wine Shop, Fair Grinds Coffee House, Liuzza’s by the Track, Lux Day Spa, Pal’s Lounge, and Swirl Wine Bar & Market.

For more information call (504) 581-7032 or visit prcno.org

SPONSORS of the PRC Home Tour
Abry Brothers, Inc.
Cork & Bottle Wine Shop
Louisiana Landmarks Society
Mothership Foundation
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Soprano’s Meat Market
Stafford Tile
Uptown Insurance Agency

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

Built in 1799, the Pitot House is one of the oldest Creole country house buildings in New Orleans. It is traditional stucco-covered, brick-between-post construction with a double hipped roof and wide galleries. The house is named for James Pitot, the first mayor of incorporated New Orleans, who lived here from 1810 -1819.

Now open for tours and special events, the house was restored in 1960 by the Louisiana Landmarks Society, which uses the building as its headquarters.

Shotgun House ticket holders will have the opportunity to visit the historic Pitot House.

3100 Desoto Street

by

article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center

photo by Ian Cockburn

Home of Missy & Bill Dalton

by Angela Timberlake
Research by Missy Dalton and Angela Timberlake

MISSY AND BILL DALTON are celebrating an anniversary this month. Ten years ago they spent an idyllic weekend at a neighborhood bed and breakfast and vowed then that they would live in Faubourg St. John. Their dream came true in early 2004 when they purchased this lovely shotgun.

Missy’s extensive research found that the home was likely constructed in 1892 by George William Bertoniere and changed hands fewer than five times before it was sold to The Fairgrounds Corporation in May, 1984 for use as a groundskeeper’s residence.

1996 renovations to the home by then owners Laura and Jim Elms included updating plumbing and electrical systems, swapping the functions of two rooms to include a modern kitchen, adding a staircase to the attic, which was renovated to include a sleeping area, installing a new bathroom adjoining he master bedroom and moving the kitchen forward to create privacy in the rear. These changes were featured on the 2003 PRC Shotgun House Tour.

The most recent renovations to the property include an indoor staircase to improve access to the basement laundry. As a bonus, after removing the rickety outdoor stairway, the Daltons were able to enclose the small back porch for a cheery sunroom hat looks out onto a newly built, larger back porch situated under a shady tree. Despite renovations through the years, the house maintains many original features such as the pocket doors between the parlors.

Click here to view the original article as printed in the March, 2012 issue of Preservation in Print. Article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center.

Doesn’t this house sound great? You can see more of this house and many more during the Preservation Resource Center’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John homes on Saturday, March 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The headquarters for the PRC’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John will be at the PITOT HOUSE at 1440 Moss Street on Bayou St. John.

The tour is just…
$16 for PRC and Louisiana Landmarks Society members
$20 for non-members
$10 each for groups of 10 or more

All tickets are $25 at the Pitot House on the day of the tour so get your tickets early!

Ticketholders will receive discounts from area businesses including Bayou Beer Garden, Cafe Degas, CC’s Coffee House, Cork & Bottle Wine Shop, Fair Grinds Coffee House, Liuzza’s by the Track, Lux Day Spa, Pal’s Lounge, and Swirl Wine Bar & Market.

For more information call (504) 581-7032 or visit prcno.org

SPONSORS of the PRC Home Tour
Abry Brothers, Inc.
Cork & Bottle Wine Shop
Louisiana Landmarks Society
Mothership Foundation
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Soprano’s Meat Market
Stafford Tile
Uptown Insurance Agency

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

Built in 1799, the Pitot House is one of the oldest Creole country house buildings in New Orleans. It is traditional stucco-covered, brick-between-post construction with a double hipped roof and wide galleries. The house is named for James Pitot, the first mayor of incorporated New Orleans, who lived here from 1810 -1819.

Now open for tours and special events, the house was restored in 1960 by the Louisiana Landmarks Society, which uses the building as its headquarters.

Shotgun House ticket holders will have the opportunity to visit the historic Pitot House.

1450 Moss Street

by

article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center
Photo by Ian Cockburn

The home of Daniel Samuels and Dr. Nona Epstein
by Valorie Hart
Research by Valorie Hart and Sharon McManis

WHERE ARCHITECT DANIEL SAMUELS and his wife Dr. Nona Epstein saw the potential of the circa 1912 raised shotgun on the banks of the bayou, their family and friends saw rot, unfortunate facade proportions and an outdated floor plan.

Despite protests that they were crazy, the Samuels bought the house in 1992. The renovation was major — 40 percent of the sills and 60 percent of the floor joists were replaced, but with the expertise and skill of contractors such as Abry Brothers, Inc., the Samuels transformed the dilapidated shotgun into a warm family home.

Other improvements during the initial renovation included replacing the pediment and columns, moving the front door to the side gallery and redoing the facade with more Neo-Classical and refined architectural details. The Samuels also raised the house two feet in the hopes of, someday, building additional living space on the ground floor. These changes led the house to visually “grow up” to match the grandiose stature of its neighbors. Beyond that, the family lived in the house much the way a family in 1921 had, making the most of the great room proportions, high ceilings, cypress floors, pocket doors in every room, claw-foot bathtub, and, of course, that view of
Bayou St. John.

After returning from Austin, Texas following Hurricane Katrina, the Samuels immediately obtained permits to complete their ground floor addition, which includes a stair hall, two bedrooms, a bathroom, laundry room, windows on all sides and eight-foot ceilings that diminish any feeling of being in a basement addition.

Upstairs, the master bedroom utilizes the original front door as an entrance to a porch overlooking the bayou. The Neo-Classical porch railings, designed by Samuels, were fabricated by Ironworks Service. The stair hall that divides the master bedroom and office from the living space is an amazing aerie with tall windows and striking modern iron and cable stair banisters.

The elegant living/dining room has a set of original bay windows overlooking the side gallery and a decidedly Southwest-style fireplace that Samuels clad in plaster over brick. The house is eco-friendly with bamboo floors used in the new addition and Marmoleum floors, a type of sustainable linoleum, in the kitchen. Windows have been liberally added so that every room has a view of the bayou, while providing extra light to the house.

Click here to view the original article as printed in the March, 2012 issue of Preservation in Print. Article and photo used with permission of the Preservation Resource Center.

Doesn’t this house sound great? You can see more of this house and many more during the Preservation Resource Center’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John homes on Saturday, March 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The headquarters for the PRC’s Shotgun Tour of Faubourg St. John will be at the PITOT HOUSE at 1440 Moss Street on Bayou St. John.

The tour is just…
$16 for PRC and Louisiana Landmarks Society members
$20 for non-members
$10 each for groups of 10 or more

All tickets are $25 at the Pitot House on the day of the tour so get your tickets early!

Ticketholders will receive discounts from area businesses including Bayou Beer Garden, Cafe Degas, CC’s Coffee House, Cork & Bottle Wine Shop, Fair Grinds Coffee House, Liuzza’s by the Track, Lux Day Spa, Pal’s Lounge, and Swirl Wine Bar & Market.

For more information call (504) 581-7032 or visit prcno.org

SPONSORS of the PRC Home Tour
Abry Brothers, Inc.
Cork & Bottle Wine Shop
Louisiana Landmarks Society
Mothership Foundation
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Soprano’s Meat Market
Stafford Tile
Uptown Insurance Agency

Tour Headquarters: PITOT HOUSE

Built in 1799, the Pitot House is one of the oldest Creole country house buildings in New Orleans. It is traditional stucco-covered, brick-between-post construction with a double hipped roof and wide galleries. The house is named for James Pitot, the first mayor of incorporated New Orleans, who lived here from 1810 -1819.

Now open for tours and special events, the house was restored in 1960 by the Louisiana Landmarks Society, which uses the building as its headquarters.

Shotgun House ticket holders will have the opportunity to visit the historic Pitot House.

FISHday FRY

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Feb 24 | Mar 2 | Mar 9

Our Lady of the Rosary Church will be hosting
their famous fish fry for 3 Fridays this year.
Tonight from 5 pm to 8 pm. and the next two Fridays.

*Look for the big dome on
the bayou at 3368 Moss Street on beautiful Bayou
St. John. Fish, Shrimp and FUN too!*