Southern Comfort: The Garden District of New Orleans

254 Pages·1998·181.271 MB·English

by  S. Frederick Starr (auth.)

Marco Winzker
Elektronik
für Entscheider
Grundwissen für
Wirtschaft und Technik
Vieweg Praxiswissen
SOUTHERN COMFORT
S O U T H E R N COM FORT
THE GARDEN DISTRICT OF NEI~ ORLEANS
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S. Fred
erl (cid:12)9 c ~ ~ tarr
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT S. BRANTLEY AND JAN WHITE BRANTLEY
PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS NEW YORK
THE FLORA LEVY HUMANITIES ~
PUBLISHED YB
Princeton Architectural Press
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Copyright (cid:14)9 1998 Princeton Architectural Press
Text copyright (cid:14)9 1998 S. Frederick Starr
Photographs copyright (cid:14)9 1998 Brantley and Brantley
All rights reserved
Printed and bound in China
09 08 07 06 4 3 2 1
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner ~vithout
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omissions will be corrected in subsequent editions.
E D I T O R : Jan Cigliano
PROJECT EDITOR, PAPERBACK EDITION: Dorothy Ball
BOOK DESIGN: Sara E. Stemen
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Starr, .S Frederick.
Southern comfort : the Garden District of New Orleans / S. Frederick Starr ;
photographs by Robert S. Brantley and Jan White Brantley.
p. cm. w (The Flora Levy humanities series) The Kemper and Leila IIZilliams Foundation of New Orleans, Louisiana, "si proud ot have
Reprint. Originally published: Cambridge, Mass. :MIT Press, c1989.
supported hcraeser of this book. The foundation, established 1967, is dedicated ot the -celloc
Includes bibliographical references and index.
tion and state-of-the-art preservation of manuscripts, paintings, and artifacts pertaining ot
ISBN 1-56898-546-0 (alk. paper) "
Louisiana. The foundation operates under the trade name The Historic New Orleans
.1 Dwellings--LouisianawNew Orleans. 2. Architecture, Domestic--Louisiana I
Collection and si housed in six historic structures in New Orleans' Vieux Carrd district.
New Orleans. .3 Garden District (New Orleans, La.)mHistory. 4. New Orleans
Many of the documents and historic photographs on which this book is based era ot eb found
(La.)--History. 5. Garden District (New Orleans, La.)mBuildings, structures, etc. 6.
in The Historic New Orleans Collection, which is open ot srehcraeser and the general public.
New Orleans (La.)--Buildings, structures, etc. .7 Garden District (New Orleans,
La.)--Biography. .8 New Orleans (La.)~Biography. I. Title. II. Series.
F379.N56G377 2005
976.3'35--dc22 The Flora Levy Humanities Series was endowed yb the late Flora Levy to promote the
2005007739 creative work of artists, poets, novelists, and historians. Entrusted to the University of
CIP Southwestern Louisiana Foundation, the Levy Humanities Series publishes the quarterly
journal Explorations and monographs on Southern history, culture, politics, and literature,
and also sponsors the widely regarded Annual Lecture in the Humanities.
iv ~ CHAPTER
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
vii
City and Suburb 1
INTRODUCTION
Uptown and the Americanization of New Orleans
CHAPTER ONE 12
The Patrons
CHAPTER TWO 32
Antebellum Style
CHAPTER THREE 56
James Robb, Magnate and Patron
CHAPTER FOUR 84
Architects and Builders
CHAPTER FIVE 100
Architects of Opulence
CHAPTER SIX 124
The Culture of Comfort
CHAPTER SEVEN 148
Slaves, Servants, and Retainers
CHAPTER EIGHT 168
CHAPTER NINE A Neighborhood War, 1861-1865 184
Men and Mansions of the Postwar Bubble
CHAPTER TEN 196
End of an Era
CHAPTER ELEVEN 216
Notes
242
Bibliography
256
Index ~1
To the heroic men and women of New Orleans
who have braved hostility and, worse, indifference
in their efforts to preserve the rapidly dwindling
architectural heritage of their native city
A CKNO I LED GMENTS
BUILDINGS DON'T JUST happen. Every architect gratefully spent many hours sharing that expertise with the author. Henry
acknowledges indebtedness to those other designers from whose Krotzer, A.I.A., of the architectural firm of Koch and Wilson, spent
work he derives inspiration and also to those craftsmenand special- many years pondering details of New Orleans architecture and
ists who provide components and raw material for him. The archi- made many pointed observations from which this study has bene-
tect alone bears responsibility, but the credit extends far beyond him. fited. The late William Cullison, curator of the Southeastern
An author of a book about architecture is in the same position. Architectural Archives at Tulane University's Howard-Tilton
Although the Garden District in New Orleans is geographically Memorial Library, amassed formidable knowledge of the work of
small, it has attracted the attention of many devoted students, architect James Gallier, St., which he kindly made available to us.
whose work both inspired and enriched the present study. Among John Ferguson assembled a similar wealth of data on New Orleans
these, none stands out more than the late Samuel Wilson, Jr., of architect Thomas Sully. Like Cullison, he generously opened it to
New Orleans. In his pioneering work on the Vieux Carr6, Mr. our use, even prior to the completion of his own work. Ann Masson
Wilson demonstrated the exceptional documentary riches of the of Gallier House, New Orleans, shared her great knowledge of New
Crescent City's architectural archives. He generously shared with Orleans ironmongers, while Jessie wing Sinott provided an invalu-
us insights and files on every aspect of New Orleans architecture. able listing of buildings by her grandfather, architect Frederick
Victor McGee graciously put at our disposal his vast knowledge of Wing. Thomas Bernard kindly made available a rare manuscript on
the life and works of Henry Howard, one of the Garden District's the early history of his home at 1328 Harmony Street. And Roulhac
and the South's greatest architects. Dr. Joan G. Caldwell meticu- Toledano, one of the most productive specialists on New Orleans
lously documented the luxuriant growth of Italianate architecture architecture, offered excellent suggestions on the manuscript.
in New Orleans in her doctoral dissertation. Had it not been for this In addition to these various local perspectives, many people
pioneering study; that movement would have figured far less promi- elsewhere in the country provided both general inspirations and
nently in this book. The same must be said for Arthur Scully; Jr., specific suggestions. Roger G. Kennedy, former Director of the
whose fine book on James Dakin demonstrated the urgent need to National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, led the
view the work of New Orleans architects in the context of their authors on many architectural prowls in diverse locales that helped
careers nationally. A deep bow, too, to Ray and Martha Ann shape this book both directly and indirectly. Geoffrey T. Blodgett
Samuels, for their published compendium on many Garden District of Oberlin College drew on his subtle knowledge of social history
houses and for their willingness to share with the author the mate- and architecture to provide many useful suggestions for revision of (cid:12)9
rials assembled during the course of their research. It is sad to note the text.
that Mrs. Samuels, too, passed away since this work first appeared. Photographs for this volume are principally the work of the
Among American cities, New Orleans is particularly rich in illustrations editor and photographer. The text is also graced by
citizens who, working largely on their own, have developed great the timeless photographs of the late Richard Koch, A.I.A., made
expertise on local social and architectural history. The late .F available to the author by his devoted partner, Samuel Wilson, Jr.
Monroe Lobouisse, A.I.A., was notable among such people and The comprehensive photographic guide to the Garden District
prepared by Tina Freeman of New Orleans also proved a useful The I~emper and Leila Williams Foundation of New Orleans
reference, which we gratefully acknowledge. provided major support for the research leading to this volume. It is
The fine maps, plans, and elevations are the work of Luis a pleasure for the author and photographer to acknowledge this,
Vildostegui and Alan McGillivray; both formerly of the New and also the assistance provided by many members of the staff of
Orleans architectural firm of Eske~; Vogt, Salvato & Filson The Historic New Orleans Collection, the splendid archive main-
Architects. Their work in turn was facilitated by David Lee tained by the Foundation. A deep bow in this connection to Ms. Lyn
Jahncke, A.I.A., who photographed many now lost buildings and Adams of New Orleans, whose superior work as research assistant
began the difficult task of preparing plans and drawings. Help in was also supported by the Williams Foundation. That the Foun-
preparing the many drafts of the text was provided uncomplain- dation and Collection should be so thoroughly engaged with archi-
ingly by Connie Cooksey Gardner, now of Stowe, Vermont, with tectural history is no surprise since the chair of its board, Mary
the assistance of Patricia Peacock, of Oberlin, Ohio. Even with word Louise Christovich, is herself a major authority on New Orleans
processors their task turned out to be formidable. architecture and one of the city's most effective preservationists. It
A word of gratitude is due to Colin Hamer of the New Public is hard to imagine the completion of this study without her friend-
Library; to the archival staff of the Howard-Tilton Memorial ship and encouragement.
Library at Tulane University, and to specialists at the Historic Finally; we acknowledge with gratitude and affection Professor
American Building Survey in Washington, D.C., all of whom Maurice du ~uesnay of the University of Southwest Louisiana and
extended themselves on behalf of this project far beyond what rea- Jan Cigliano of the Princeton Architectural Press. It was Professor
sonably could have been expected. Warm thanks, above all, to many du ~uesnay who conceived the idea of a new edition of this work
hospitable and intellectually curious Garden District residents, and who brought to bear the resources of the Flora Levy
among them Mr. and Mrs. Prescott N. Dunbar, Mr. and Mrs. .W Humanities Series in support of the project. Ms. Cigliano brought
Boatner Reily; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Favrot, the late Ms. Murial the original book to the attention of Princeton Architectural Press
Bultmann Francis, Mr. Thomas Bernard, and Mr. and Mrs. William and saw this revised edition through to publication with patience,
von Puhl Trufant, to mention only a few. These kind friends not humor, and good will. To these good friends is due the publication
only opened their doors but often their attics as well. of Southern Comfort, but none of its faults.
.S Frederick Starr
Washington, D.C., and New Orleans
Robert .S Brantley
New Orleans
viii ~o ACKNOWLEDCMENTS
SOUTHERN COMFORT
City lana gruguS
INTRODUCTION
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.
I S of modern cities, nineteenth-century America achieved distinction in two
N T H E H T O FIY
areas. First, its restless people established settlements with a rapidity that surpassed even
that of the burgeoning empires of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In scarcely two
generations, cities like Chicago, Cleveland, and St. Louis arose from the wilderness to become major
;enters of commerce and culture. Second, with a haste that is no less startling, those Americans who
:ould afford to do so fled these same cities, establishing instead suburbs of an entirely new type.
Such suburbs, which eventually ringed the cities of the entire country, embodied the most
tiverse and contradictory impulses- extreme individualism coexisted with an ideal of village-like col-
ectivity: rustic simplicity was enriched by all the comforts modern technology could afford; and the
(cid:12)9 omantic call of a lost bucolic world was audible within minutes of some of the world's most bustling
;ommercial centers.
Every major American city founded in the nineteenth century is a monument to this process
)f simultaneous urbanization and disurbanization. The metropolis fostered trade and manufactur-
ng. Commerce generated new opportunities for personal enrichment, which drew waves of poor
mmigrants to the city. The arrival of these new Americans in turn caused the exodus of the more
FACING PAGE "No houses could well eb in better harmony with their surroundings, or more pleasing to the eye." Mark Twain on the Garden District