The Majesty of the Garden District

By Lee Malone and Paul Malone

Under a canopy of magnolias and live oaks, bordered by the streets of Jackson, Magazine, Louisiana, and St. Charles, spacious mansions serve as a gallery of fine architecture in a section of New Orleans known as the Garden District. Once home to a grand plantation, the property was sold and divided for residential use more than 150 years ago.

In his final work, critically acclaimed photographer Paul Malone visits forty-three picturesque landmarks of the Garden District. With historical text provided by his wife, Lee Malone, The Majesty of the Garden District displays these remarkable homes inside and out, with an emphasis on the gracefully decorated interiors. These brilliant full-color photographs capture the history, design, and grandeur of this New Orleans neighborhood.

Among the buildings in this collection are notable homes ranging from Toby's Corner, believed to be the oldest house in the district, to the Edward Davis house, which is now more commonly known as the headquarters of the New Orleans Opera Association's Women's Guild. The Malones even veer from the usual architectural features to focus on some unusual characteristics of the borough such as Christ Church Cathedral, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, and the world famous Commander's Palace restaurant.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jun 30, 1998
• ISBN: 9781455608232

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The Majesty of the Garden District

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To the memory of Paul Malone, my beloved husband, loyal companion, and friend, who died shortly after this book was completed

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Introduction

In 1816 a break in the levee at Macarty Plantation, located a few miles upriver in the town of Carrollton, caused the Mississippi River to inundate several plantations above New Orleans. This devastating flood left a thick layer of alluvial deposits over the vast Livaudais Plantation land located approximately four miles above the City of New Orleans. The combination of these deposits and the semitropical climate resulted in fertile soil, therefore promoting lush, verdant plant growth and an abundance of fragrant, colorful flowers. It also raised the ground level so that the result was better drainage of the land.

In 1825 the owners of the Livaudais Plantation, Francois de Livaudais and his wife, Celeste, were separated. Mrs. Livaudais received the plantation, among other properties, in the settlement. She moved to Paris and sold the plantation through her New Orleans attorneys.

The town of Lafayette was brought into being when the extensive Livaudais Plantation was divided into spacious lots and incorporated with two other New Orleans faubourgs (suburbs) in 1833. Construction of large, majestic homes was begun almost immediately. Each one was surrounded by flourishing gardens, featuring live oak, banana, palmetto, crepe myrtle, and magnolia trees.

The architects of homes built at that time, whatever architectural type, took into consideration the humid, warm climate of this region. The windows were large and many times situated opposite each other, creating cross-ventilation. Ceilings were high, so that the warmer air rose to the top of the rooms and the heavier cooler air was concentrated below. The rooms were large and airy. Many times the walls were fifteen inches thick, affording insulation from either summer or winter outdoor temperatures.

Of great importance was Toby's Corner (1838), which has been occupied by the Westfeldt family since 1858 when it was purchased after Thomas Toby's death. When the To by-Westfeldt house was built on Prytania Street, construction activity shifted from the area near the river toward the transportation system with the coming of the railway down Nayades Street (now St. Charles Avenue).

In