Page 76 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New Orleans

74  NE W ORLEANS AREA B Y AREA

7 Gallier House
Museum
1132 Royal St. Map 5 D1. Tel 525-
5661. @ 5, 55, 81. Open 10am–
3:30pm Mon & Thu–Sat. Closed public
hols. & 8 ∑ hgghh.org
In 1857, James Gallier, Jr.
designed this attractive
residence, which combines
architectural elements of the
Creole, with great height and
verticality, and the American
townhouse, with Federal-style
windows and doorways
(see pp36–7). The interior
incorporated many innovations
of its time, including an
ingenious hot-water and
ventilation system. The kitchen
was also inside the house,
which was unusual for the
period because of the danger
of fire. On the exterior, the
rosebud design of the railings
is striking.
Inside, visitors can view the
“isolation room,” a sparsely Lalaurie House, associated with ghostly visions
furnished room designed for the
sick. Many households had such 8 Lalaurie House destroying the place. During
a room, which was not surprising 1140 Royal St. Map 5 D1. @ 5, 55. the melee, Madame Lalaurie
in a city that experienced 23 Closed to the public. and her husband escaped
yellow fever epidemics between unharmed. After she died in
1718 and 1860. Residents of the French Quarter 1842, it is believed that her
James Gallier, Jr. was the still hurry past this otherwise body was secretly returned
son of the city’s renowned lovely building because of from Paris and was buried
architect James Gallier, Sr., its grim associations and in St. Louis Cemetery #1
who designed Gallier Hall (see reputation for ghosts. It (see p84) or #2 (see p85).
p97). Gallier Hall served as the was built in 1832 for a During the Civil War
City Hall until the 1950s. James distinguished couple, (see pp20–21), the
Gallier, Jr. also designed the Dr. Leonard Louis house served as a
portico of the Louisiana State Nicolas Lalaurie and his Union headquarters;
Bank building (see p50). wife, Delphine, who later it was used
were well known for variously as a school,
their fashionable and conservatory of music,
lavish parties. and gaming house.
At these social A private residence
events, though, guests Front door at now, some locals still
could not help but Lalaurie House swear that the house is
notice the condition of haunted, and that the
the servants, who were clanking of chains can be heard.
painfully thin and seemed to be
terrified of their mistress. The
gossip about how she treated 9 Latrobe House
her slaves was confirmed on 721 Governor Nicholls St. Map 5 D1.
April 10, 1834, when a fire @ 5, 55. Closed to the public.
broke out at the residence.
When neighbors rushed in to When Benjamin Henry Latrobe
extinguish the fire and save designed this building in 1814,
the contents, they found seven with its sturdy Doric columns,
half-starved and manacled he helped launch the mania in
slaves. A story in the local press New Orleans for Greek Revival-
Gallier House, an innovative 19th- further fueled the outrage, style architecture. Known as
century residence and a mob arrived intent on the first professional architect in

074-075_EW_New_Orl.indd 74 05/08/16 3:49 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm