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Audubon Building: 1910
... Below the lower Pontalba Building, photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston , well known by Shorpy-fans. Also home of .. the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/26/2021 - 9:23am -

New Orleans circa 1910. "Audubon Building, Canal and Burgundy Sts." This former office building is now the Saint Hotel. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Now CanonizedAnd known as the Saint Hotel. It looked better thenA lot of ornate metal has been lost -- three stories of shade and balconies on the building to the left, the oversized coach lights flanking the front doors, the metal awning has been replaced but with something way less inspiring. And it didn't have those stupid looking palm trees! Life follows glass"Marshall Field and Co" proclaims the lettering from the fifth-floor window -- presumably an import office, since Nawlins was a major port. It's certainly gone from that window now, as it is from everywhere else (but memory, alas). Audubon canceled?Both the Audubon Building and the Audubon Hotel in New Orleans changed their names within the past decade: the building to the Saint, the hotel to the Quisby. Probably coincidental, but ironically just in time. The Audubon name is in big trouble today because the ornithologist was a slave owner and white supremacist. (The Audubon Society issued a statement in 2020 that it is "time to bring to the fore" his "ethical failings.") Plus he shot all those birds before he painted them. New Orleans balconiesI love those ornate cast iron 'galleries.' That type of galleries began with the two storey examples on the Pontalba Buildings on Jackson Square, completed in 1851. They set a fashion for others to follow. Below the lower Pontalba Building, photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston, well known by Shorpy-fans. Also home of.. the Burgundy Bar and Tempt restaurant, which is sadly closed. Mind your P's and Q's in this vicinityOn the fourth floor it looks like the Pinkerton Detective Agency has an office. Better behave yourself. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans)
Home Place: 1938
... Place. Hahnville vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Beautiful Home Place Home Place, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:04am -

St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, circa 1938. "Home Place. Hahnville vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Beautiful Home PlaceHome Place, built in the 1790s, is one of the oldest plantation houses in Louisiana. It hasn't been inhabited in many years, and is in a state of advanced decay. Here's the house from a distance (via Google Images): http://www.asergeev.com/pictures/archives/compress/2006/559/06.htm Four years ago, I was working on a film shoot down the road, and our trucks were were parked on the plantation grounds. The owner of Home Place, a genteel 85-year-old who'd grown up in the house, offered to take us inside to see the ground floor wine cellar. But our schedule was tight, and we didn't have time — something I've regretted ever since. ScaleThose columns on the porch are superb; very fine proportions, hard to duplicate today. Woodstove owner's opinionThe two chunks of firewood lying on the ground in the foreground -- someone was splitting firewood there and decided they had enough wood for the moment. The rest of the firewood is stowed where it will stay dry, under the veranda and under the attached building at right (summer kitchen?) Southern Decay"Home-Place is a near perfect example of a raised Creole plantation house." More here. Columns and kitchens Anonymous Arkie is right; love the columns, but I have some questions about the brick ones holding up the house. Again we have a semi-detached kitchen. Still standingThis looks like one of those casually wonderful plantations, nestled among the chemical plants, that make the drive along the river from New Orleans to Baton Rouge a beautiful but occasionally startling experience. [Birthplace of Howard Johnson! - Dave] Johnston's amazing gift Did Frances Johnston ever write about how she selected the perspectives and views for her photographs? Was it just her natural "eye" for the shot? She picks the most illuminating views. For instance, the standard photo of this fine 18th Century Creole plantation house is the head-on, symmetrical one which we see in the portrait shots from the Anonymous Tipsters. But Johnston has chosen a rear-yard shot that reveals the inner working of the plantation, along with the wear-and-tear of life itself. The detached kitchen, the chickens pecking under the porch, the pillars losing stucco, the brick path that vanishes, the graceful yet now unpainted columns original to the house ... all give us a more vivid image of domestic life in that home more than any book could have ever done. [She shot many views of each house. Lots of them including a finger in front of the lens. - Dave] (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Le Petit Theatre: 1937
... Chartres and St. Peter streets." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A Bourbon Street Retirement ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:52pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, Chartres and St. Peter streets." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A Bourbon Street RetirementThere's a excellent short biography of Frances Benjamin Johnston here. Her amazing life included, among many other things, White House Photographer to Presidents. If I may, quoting the last three paragraphs from Johnston's Clio profile. She went about the South in a chauffeur-driven automobile locating old buildings, and it was said that she could "smell out an old colonial house five miles off the highway." Her mission was not to photograph the prominent homes of colonial America, which, she argued, had already "been photographed often and well." Rather, she sought "the old farm houses, the mills, the log cabins of the pioneers, the country stores, the taverns and inns, in short those buildings that had to do with the everyday life of the colonists." She did her work well, and two books resulted from this venture, "Early Architecture of North Carolina" and "Early Architecture of Georgia." In 1945 she was awarded an honorary membership in the American Institute of Architects. Johnston moved to New Orleans in 1940 and entered a life of semi-retirement. Always independent, she lived a rather lonely life in her last years, but her energy did not subside. She bought a run-down house on the "respectable" end of Bourbon Street and transformed its dilapidated courtyard into a beautiful garden with a small pool. Continuing to pursue her interests in gardening, she often went out in her old Buick to give lectures. Her active days in the darkroom were over, even though she maintained a photographic work area in an alcove off her bathroom. Age was slowing her down. She walked with a cane, and her doctor weaned her from bourbon, so she drank cherry wine instead. Even at this stage of her life she remained staunchly indomitable. "I've learned not to depend on the Lord. I'll make the changes myself." She loved to roam the French Quarter and sit in bars and talk. Once when someone recognized her as a famous photographer, she agreed, "Yes, I'm the greatest woman photographer in the world." Thanks for introducing her to us. Obligatory time machine view First! (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Royal Castle: 1937
... residence of A. Fern. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Royal and Barracks The 1300 over ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/22/2014 - 3:42pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "1300 Royal Street." Longtime residence of A. Fern. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Royal and BarracksThe 1300 over the door at left is on Royal and 641 is on Barracks Street. This house looks much better now. View Larger Map What is it?What's the contraption on the upper porch? Something to rock a baby? Lese majesteDespite its shabbiness, the place has a sort of grandeur, a touch of mystery of the type that could kindle literary inspiration. The current image looks like a comfortable, refurbished building. Yet, if we compare the angle at which the old photo was taken and the street view, the latter is - at least in my opinion - definitely inferior. No thanksAll the years I've been coming to Shorpy every day and I've really never felt this before -- what a dump! The New Orleans Fern FamilyLikely relatives of the famous Boston branch of this fine old family, whose offspring are seen everywhere. Not quite DesireBut I swear I can see Blanche DuBois gazing out from yonder windows. Perfect locationThree blocks to the Old Mint, four blocks to Frenchmen Street and the best traditional New Orleans Jazz. At the edge of the Marigny, headed down river toward the Bywater. The quiet end of the Quarter. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Kids, New Orleans)
Street View: 1937
... just dropped by to say hi. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A new old favorite I've written ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:42pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "837 Gov. Nicholls Street." We just dropped by to say hi. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A new old favoriteI've written this before, Frances Benjamin Johnston has become my new favorite photographer. I love seeing her pictures here. With interest, I read on the Library of Congress web site: A grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York extended the survey to cover the entire state of Virginia under sponsorship of the University of Virginia. Successive Carnegie grants totaled $26,000 to cover the other States under Library of Congress sponsorship. This was between 1927 and 1929. I used an inflation calculator to translate that sum into 2010 dollars -- $325,763.56. Not bad. As a working photographer myself, I can imagine the freedom this allowed her to work. Another source reported that she was driven around the South in a chauffeured car when she worked on this project. I believe she had a wonderful eye. I would have loved to have met her. Lonely dormerThat single dormer looks like it might be a false one like they have been building in recent years. Wish I could linkBut this Interwebs stuff confounds me. Look up this address in Bing maps (birdseye view), the house has been fixed up right pretty and sits behind a brick wall. Well, hey. Look at that. And nowPlease ring at the gate. View Larger Map Good BonesI'm always amazed to see how these old houses have survived the years. When I first saw the large image of this one I thought that there was no way it could possibly still be standing, but sure enough, the records show that it is indeed still the same structure. So very Blanche DuBoisMy mother was born in 1937 in Mississippi but reared in Baton Rouge. She lived in the bottom half of a house a lot like this one, on Chippewa Street. How I love all Southern architecture but especially Louisiana's unique style. The second-story veranda, the floor-to-ceiling windows covered with plantation blinds, and the stairway on the side are particularly charming. A house dividedThis place looks to have been turned into a duplex. And am I the only person to have noticed the old man watching the world go by? I suppose he's the one with the "street view" of the title! FBJWhat a treasure in photographs she has left New Orleans. Here is Frances Benjamin Johnston in 1904. And the front yard today. DuplicityIndeed it does seem to be a duplex. There are two gas meters - at least I think that's what they are - under the stairs on the right. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
The Rookery: 1938
... now occupied by Negroes." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Whoa! I've been rooked! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:03am -

1938. St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. "The Rookery, Trepagnier House. Norco vicinity. Abandoned plantation house now occupied by Negroes." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Whoa!I've been rooked! Trepagnier PlantationThe Trepagnier Plantation was expropriated, along with several others, by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to build the Bonnet Carre' Spillway. http://www.pbase.com/septembermorn/image/99857528 Amazing perspectiveFrances Benjamin Johnston has definitely become my new favorite photographer. Her capture of dilapidated but still architecturally interesting buildings is beyond compare. While I'm sure this house was never grand, it was well-designed. I would love to have seen the inside of all of the homes FBJ photographed. Needs TLCThe stairs are the definition of negligence, and the porch roof isn't doing its job. Much. Now occupied by photographersInteresting to learn that Russell Lee also photographed this house. Too bad it's no longer available. Stranger than fiction"Always Something Interesting" just doesn't say it well enough. This is the fascinatingest image you have posted. Thanks, Dave, for such wonderful glimpses into our history that the books just don't cover. LaundryI'd guess that a laundress lives here, that the drying clothes are someone else's. Health and SafetyPersonally, I'd move the bed away from the area of the chimney. Wash n WearIf this photo was taken in the middle of summer, those clothes would be dry in no time flat! I know. I live here and it's normal for the summer days to be at 95 degees or more. Also from the tops of the trees, it looks like there might have been a recent hurricane pass through. That's about how they look after one. Fast Forward to...some areas in New Orleans, post Katrina, and there's not much difference! Looks like an old plantation house1700s. I see the timber/columbage construction...turned French columns. In a state of severe decay and I'm sure demolished today? Wash DayLooks like the washing machine works, but the dryer must be out of order. Need a new wordSubstandard doesn't quite work here. Ante-antebellumThat is the predecessor of the Palladian plantation houses you usually see in the Civil War movies. Notice the brick ground floor to protect against water, and the half timbered upper floor that still has some stucco that hasn't washed away yet. It's a combination of traditional European and African architecture that evolved in the extremely wet climate here in Louisiana. That's pure LouisianaNothing to do with Palladianism. Sleep under the starsDo you suppose that's for the cool night breeze, or out of fear of the roof collapsing while you are asleep? No CrackersThat's a Creole House! Yesiree. No white anglo-columns and palladian front doors here. Simple and breezy. It's trueWe may live in a dirty run down house, but gosh darnit our clothes are CLEAN! Tells a long and vast storySo correct about the laundress. This must be one of my very favorite photos seen on Shorpy. Top to bottom, what a picture! 1811 Revolt Trepagnier House was the primary site of an 1811 slave revolt that resulted in the killing of plantation owner Jean-François Trépagnier. Many of the descendants Trepagnier's slaves inhabited the plantation property years after the Civil War, well into the 20th century. Shell Chemical bought the plantation land in the 1950s, which is now the site of a refinery. The building was demolished at that time. Little boyI'm haunted by that beautiful little boy sitting on the stairs looking straight into the camera. Incredible to think that a slave revolt took place here. That's Creole, cherThis house is classic Creole architecture from the earliest years of the 1800s. To see an example of this style that isn't falling down, go to Laura Plantation, outside New Orleans. Trees and HurricanesThe records indicate a hurricane based through Morgan City on June 16th, 1934. This hurricane could have easily struck St. Charles Parish. At the same time, the trees haven't been seriously damaged in the past several years. Notice how fine the branches are on almost every major limb. I'm guessing they are just old trees. I'd also guess that if a hurricane had hit this area, the roof would be in much worse shape than it is. Don Hall Yreka, CA Re: 1811 Revolt Trepagnier House was a site along the way of a failed 1811 slave revolt that resulted in the murder of plantation owner Jean-François Trépagnier. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
The Sultan's Palace: 1937
... well as the Sultan's Palace. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Iron Lace There is nothing more ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 4:05pm -

New Orleans, 1937. "Le Pretre Mansion, 716 Dauphine Street, built 1835-6. Joseph Saba house. Also called House of the Turk." As well as the Sultan's Palace. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Iron LaceThere is nothing more iconically New Orleans than lacy ironwork balconies and long shuttered windows. I'm so in love with this image! Does anyone know if this building still exists? I'm from Oregon, but I've always loved New Orleans and will be back soon to visit. I'd love to put this gem on my list of places to see if it's there! One last question - is it because of potential flooding that the home appears to be built one story above the street entry level? Do those lower floors get used at all, or are they essentially a basement? IntoxicatingAnyone who has spent time in New Orleans knows there is no other place quite like it. It creates an atmosphere that is almost mind-altering, with the close, sultry, earthy air (no air conditioning in those days) and the curious, intimate stillness that occasionally occurs as in this photo, streets deserted with no signs of life except a bit of trash lying in the gutter. Where is everybody? They are inside and there lies the inspiration for the imagination. Especially intriguing are the rooms behind the real, fully functional shutters, open to air, closed to rain. Are the people within just trying to stay cool with overhead fans, are they cooking spicy, savory red beans and rice, are they making crazy love, sipping sweet tea and sampling pralines, listening to Louis Armstrong on the Victrola? I am transported back there by this so-accurate portrayal of a New Orleans street to where I can smell the smells and feel the surrounding humanity close, but unseen. Thank you Shorpy. As we know, you can leave New Orleans but New Orleans NEVER leaves you. Nice words, OTYYou've captured so beautifully what makes New Orleans unique. It is one of the world's great cities "with a feel" that you just can't and won't find anywhere else. I've been there half a dozen times or so, and every time I visit that curious intimate stillness you speak of strikes me. Harem of HorrorI've spent many a night in this house but I never heard the thump of heads of the Sultan's harem rolling down the stairs ... just the thump of tipsy neighbors falling up the stairs! http://www.nola.com/haunted/harem/hauntings/murder.html http://www.neworleansghosts.com/haunted_new_orleans.htm ["The Sultan's Massacre" makes a good ghost story, although it doesn't seem to be anything more than that -- a story. Any actual massacre would have been recorded in the newspapers of the day, and the "sultan" would have a name. If I had to pin one on him I'd say it was the Muslim entrepreneur Joseph Saba, who bought 716 Dauphine, along with several other New Orleans properties, after coming to America from Syria in 1886. What with Syria being part of the Ottoman Empire at the time, he could have been considered Turkish, although he wasn't a sultan, and seems to have died of natural causes. - Dave] The beauty of cast ironNow that large buildings are made of glass and steel, we see what we have lost: romance. Desiring a streetcarIts a shame that they tore out almost all of the streetcar system, the local traffic from Bywater to Carrollton and everywhere in between is miserable and could be seriously helped by better transit than the buses. Thank goodness for Google maps!This wonderful building still stands at the corner of Dauphine and Orleans Streets. It looks like most of the incredible ironwork is still there, as are the original shutters (some missing a few slats). The trolley car tracks are long gone, torn up and asphalted over, as happened in so many American cities in the decades between 1930 and 1950. Does the personal-injury lawyer who occupies the building know its history and alias? Let's hope a friend sends her to Shorpy if she doesn't. View Larger Map Thanks, Dave, for adding the map link. Shorpy has made a reflex out of the use of Google maps for street-level architectural site obit checking. Yes. The building is still there.This one, in particular has a good ghost story about it. A deposed Sultan rented the place and fillled it with harem girls and armed guards, not participating in the regular Creole culture of the City at all. Every single person in the building was found butchered to death one night. The people were chopped into little bits and the police couldn't tell how many people were killed. So the place is haunted. "They" say that it was his brother, the real Sultan who had the entourage killed, the murderers escaped before the crime was known to the public. I went to a garage sale in the courtyard once and pass by the building all the time. I just love living here in the Quarter. Many homes are elevated or have storage type basements that are actually sitting on ground floor. Re: Iron LaceThe French Quarter is on the highest ground in New Orleans, and since the installation of pumps in the 1890s, flooding, beyond an inch or so in the street, has been a rare event. The lower floors of all buildings in the Quarter are functional. True, subgrade basements are very rare in New Orleans. Dauphine dreamI was a bellman at a bed and breakfast on Dauphine Street my freshman year at Tulane in 1985. I had to be at work at 7 am Saturday and Sunday. I rode my bike from uptown, and this picture really reminds me of the early morning stillness of the Quarter. IronworkMuch of the intricate and beautiful wrought iron that has helped make New Orleans so unique was actually made in the industrial North, mostly Cincinnati. Then it was floated down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River and onto the balconies and steps and whatnot in N.O. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
The Quarters: 1937
... Street, "The Quarters." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Musings What would have been in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:40pm -

1937. Charleston, South Carolina. 7-9-11 Beaufain Street, "The Quarters." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. MusingsWhat would have been in the square that is between the steps, that appears to be filled with cinder blocks? I was surprised to see that in 1937 New Orleans had drains for rainwater. I suppose there is a correct word for that, but I can't think of it. And what is on the notice that is tacked to the left pillar? Looks like there have been others. ["Storm drains," and "For Rent." - Dave] CarefulWatch that first step, it's a lulu. VestigesThe wreckage of another fine old house. Look at the molding over the door. Feelgood Pic of the DayI love these -- they make me feel so much better about my own deferred D-I-Y projects. Back on BeaufainThis was the former rectory of St. Michael's Church. Below, a view of the house taken May 25, 1940, by C.O. Greene for the Historic American Buildings Survey. Additional information: "To be renovated 1941." And, from 1975: "Built before Revolution; demolished after 1944." Whereas FBJ gives the address as Nos. 7 through 11 Beaufain, HABS says 56 Beaufain. Click to enlarge. Clean cut kidsInteresting that the kids seem to be dressed so neatly, in contrast to some of the poor kids in other photos. White shirts and pants weren't part of the costume for the Boston newsies for example. https://www.shorpy.com/node/15 FBJI love Frances Benjamin Johnston's work. I need all of her we can get on Shorpy. [Only around 7,999 left to go. Pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. - Dave] (The Gallery, Charleston, F.B. Johnston, Kids)
Uneeda Baby: 1937
... Momma's balcony scene. 8x10 inch safety negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A closer look The house on ... a sharp eye (and memory). - Dave] (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Kids, New Orleans) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:55pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "Dumaine Street at Bourbon." Momma's balcony scene. 8x10 inch safety negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A closer lookThe house on Dumaine in the 21st century. Step Right UpThe steps in front of the doors look as though they were designed to be picked up and carried. In the new photo posted here they look to have been replaced with brick and cement. Any Shorpsters in NO know about the steps? Now the Biscuit Palace Guest Househttp://www.biscuitpalace.com/ Happily, the old Uneeda Biscuit sign remains. Building There, Baby Gone.View Larger Map The oval thingsTerra-cotta foundation ventilators. Lots of em in New Orleans. Stoops, Not StepsI am a Shorpster from New Orleans, and the wooden stoops are attached to the buildings. Some have been replaced with cement analogs over the years, but are still called stoops. I have stood where that lady is standing, a friend of mine owns that guest house. StoopsInteresting that the popular New York-ism "stoop" should be used in New Orleans. The word originally comes from the Dutch "stoep," meaning small front porch or steps. Oval VentsThose grilles are usually cast iron. Before and after KatrinaThis is an area I have spent a lot of time in over the years and the Uneeda sign is one of the best examples of old painted advertising in the French Quarter. Unfortunately as with many things in New Orleans, Katrina wasn't kind to it, but it is still there. I am posting one picture I took in 2003 and another I took in 2006. You can see there was damage to the building and unfortunately, some really crappy reconstruction of the damage. Stoops on the BanquetteA lot of the stoops throughout the city are still in use today and many more are wooden. Some people replace them with brick or cement for aesthetic preferences. The sidewalks are referred to as banquettes in New Orleans. The character Santa Battaglia mentions in "A Confederacy of Dunces" of how in the summer in her childhood the family would often spend all evening on the banquette until midnight when the house finally cooled down enough for them to sleep. In many areas of the city, family and friends still spend evening chatting, drinking, and resting on their stoops or in kitchen chairs on the banquette. The oval vents are still prolific throughout the city and help release hot air trapped under the houses but are horrible when the winter wind blows through. The roof over-hangs that jut out over the sidewalks are referred to as "abat-vents" (a-bah-vonts) creole french for "windbreakers" They helped direct the breeze into the house and kept rain out. Three days ago!I shot this just this week. Biscuit PalaceMy wife and I rented the room that leads to the balcony that that woman is standing on. http://www.biscuit-palace.com/ This Property Is CondemnedI was watching the movie "This Property Is Condemned" with Natalie Wood and Robert Redford, and caught sight of this building. I was kind of excited to recognize a landmark that you all had presented in the site. [You have a sharp eye (and memory). - Dave] (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Kids, New Orleans)
Toulouse Street: 1937
... Watch out for the neighbors. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Chimney I was afraid it would be ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:39pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "813-815 Toulouse Street." Watch out for the neighbors. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. ChimneyI was afraid it would be long gone. Nice to see it's still there and pretty close to original! Good bonesI'm amazed that building is still standing. It looks like it was ready for "Samuel House wrecking Co." 74 years ago! FBJ's CompositionsJust realized that many of Johnston's photographs include a person in what has to be carefully posed compositions. In this photo there's a person in the left doorway. Also, this is a duplex; notice the mailboxes on the alley doors. House Wrecking Co.Was that a polite term for bordello? Wreckers incorporatedSamuel House Wrecking Company, Incorporated, 1934 Bricks Beneath StuccoThe building appears to be made of block, except that that it is cracking off to reveal brick beneath. I guess they scored the stucco to make it look like limestone or sandstone. Now we appreciate the old brick and I doubt a restoration would include covering it back up for historical accuracy. Bricks R USThe stucco was applied over the locally made orange, rather soft "creole bricks" to protect them from the elements. Removal of stucco from bricks is strictly prohibited in the Quarter by the Vieux Carre Commission. A few older buildings had patches removed to "look more authentic" (gack!) but it has not been allowed for many years. The Eternal City of the USNew Orleans looks pretty much the same now as it does in all these images on Shorpy. Bricks nowStreet view shows all brick exposed --- and looking in excellent condition. Looks the SameMost of these buildings in and around the French Quarter amaze me. My wife and I were first there in the very early 70's and last time right before Katrina stopped in. To us it still all looks much the same, and similar to the very early photos. Yet things built now days seem to fall apart in a few years. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Generation Gap: 1937
... is three, the foot count nine. 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. This is one great photograph In ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 4:08pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "Courtyard at 1133-1135 Chartres Street." Young and old, hangin' with the laundry. The head count here is three, the foot count nine. 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. This is one great photographIn subject and composition. Good One!Is this a shoe of a camera-shy someone? Change of PerspectiveI thought this looked familiar. I'm not sure which I prefer. This one tends to draw me out to the arches across the street while the other draws my focus to the scene in this courtyard. Two good examples of what a minor change in location does to what catches one eye. Soniat House HotelAs mentioned in This thread the building is still there and is now the Soniat House Hotel. It still amazes me how the homes of New Orleans have survived. As a photographer I reallyAs a photographer I really like this shot. There is a very nice balance to the photo. I want to wander through the archway, across the street and into the courtyard in the distance, just to see what is there. The two legs sticking out in the distance are what draw me in that direction. I wonder how much of the interesting detail we see in this image would be lost if the image had been taken with a digital camera. You win!Rip Tragle, I missed that one. But I am still not sure if the two boys really have two feet each, let be it that I could count them! +75This address is now a wonderful hotel called the Soniat House. I stayed there back in Feb, 2012 and here is a shot of what I think is the same courtyard. Missing Socks - The Scourge of MankindI just knew there would be an odd number of white socks hanging on the line (five in this case). Porgy and BessOn seeing the photo I was immediately reminded of the early stage set renditions for "Porgy and Bess" as in the rendition below from the 1930s: StreetcarStanley: Stella!! (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Kids, New Orleans)
Hung Out to Dry: 1937
... Street." Potted plants and underpants. 8x10 negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. No more clotheslines This appears ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/05/2014 - 3:59pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "Courtyard, 620-621 Gov. Nicholls Street." Potted plants and underpants. 8x10 negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. No more clotheslinesThis appears to be the building in question - evidently the neighbourhood has gone upscale. ThreadbareThe term 'threadbare' is often used in literature. Now I have a stark visual display. Vesuvius StreetSlightly reminiscent of Pompeii, except parts of Pompeii are better preserved. Holy, holy, holyThe underwear, I mean. BreezyThose undergarments seem to be quite well ventilated. An interesting abodebut I don't think I'd want to live there, especially with the bad luck horseshoe. Blown outThe holes in those undershorts attest to the absolute power of New Orleans cuisine. In the days before building codesa lucky horseshoe would get you by. I hear the overtureBut I don't recognize it. Surely, an opera is about to break out. OvertureIt's the wrong state, but the overture would surely be Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess." The courtyard immediately reminded me of the set of the New York City Opera's production that I saw about 35 years ago. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
The Tower: 1937
... "The Tower, 1015 Chartres Street." 8x10 inch negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston, channeling Jimmy Stewart. View full size. This could ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:04am -

New Orleans circa 1937. "The Tower, 1015 Chartres Street." 8x10 inch negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston, channeling Jimmy Stewart. View full size. This could inspire a novel!What a courtyard scene - I can make up dramas that would fit here easily! Still there today of course, but now there's a pool in the courtyard. Would love to know the story of this architecture! View Larger Map She is luminousAnd I can't help but stare at her. "Rear Window"Nawlins style. Most sweetThe little white baby shoes carefully placed, waiting on the back steps. Their owner must be in his seventies today. What is wooden figure attached to the upright above the woman's head? Some kind of folk-art? Does it serve a purpose aside from adornment? Stella !! Whenever I see these old New Orleans courtyard scenes on Shorpy. Keep the floors cleanI love the little pair of shoes on the steps outside the door! Laundry paraphernaliaThere are big sinks up on each balcony, too. The tower todayIt's August 11, 2010, the rain is drizzling, the calliope on the steamboat is playing "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" and "The Tower" is still there behind the house on Chartres Street. Photo isn't great because it's from my cellphone, but the copper patina roof is clearly visible. Click to enlarge. The Chateau HotelThe address is 1001 Chartres Street. I stay there every year when I visit New Orleans. Amazing hotel right in the heart of the Quarter. I've stayed in the rooms to the left and the right of the "tower" many times. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Hanging Out: 1937
... Laundry day in the Quarter. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Southern hospitality 1133 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:36pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "1133-1135 Chartres Street." Laundry day in the Quarter. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Southern hospitality1133 Chartres (pronounced "charters" in New Orleans) St. is now the Soniat House hotel. Say "Cheesy"All trying to pose nonchalantly and not really succeeding. Also, none of them looking directly at the camera. One wonders if this was what the photographer wanted. Finally, there seems to be a definite demarcation between the sexes! Also known asRed Beans and Rice day. That's Monday to the rest of the world. BonjourMes chers amis. Laissez rouler les bon temps. The Kindness of StrangersSorry, it's impossible for me to look at these back door French Quarter pics and not think of "Streetcar." They must have built the sets from these stills. (If it wasn't shot on location). (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Royal Furniture: 1937
... and an ectoplasmic dog. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. The grocery building The building ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:37pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "842 Royal Street, Sign." Among the highlights: interesting period signage, a ghost pedestrian and an ectoplasmic dog. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. The grocery buildingThe building on the right was (at least in 2008) unchanged except the grocery store was gone. Gentrified!Still recognizable. She GhostA woman out walking her dog! Love to have that Pepsi Cola sign in that condition today The HandsThere are hands of a person leaning on the light pole, at the rear of the car! Tram tracksRoyal Street appears to have an active tram line, whereas the track in the other street (didn't they have street signs in that era?) is interrupted. Old LadyThere is a sweet ol' granny on the balcony looking down and around. She wasn't looking at the camera so I wondering what was catching her attention. And there is another lady but a total blur on the right side. You can tell she was wearing black pumps and walking her dog. 842 Royal StreetCool shop there now - Papier Plume. They sell fine writing supplies, hand made stationery paper, sealing wax and the like. Just seems appropriate. Every Bottle Sterilized Hey Dave, its time to change the E Pluribus Pablum heading. The Coca Cola claim should work for a while. DoorwaysIf you were a shop-keep in the South, one of your duties was to stand in the doorway to greet your customers. American Picker c. 1937Ohhh, wouldn't you love to get your hands on some of that 1937 New Orleans bric-a-brac? Most shops like this today have had their inventories picked over by professional pickers an pricing is generally informed by E-Bay and the like. Not many great deals to be found in retail shops anymore. Moxie-lessDarn, no sign of Moxie (rare in the South), but I like the RC Cola signs everywhere, not to mention a surprisingly modern-looking 7-Up logo. I'd like to try some Double Cola though. They still make it, although according to Wikipedia it's only sold locally in Indiana these days, and I suspect at specialty soda shops around the country who order it in. I want to go to the grocery store.I am taken by the thought of a Syrian-Greek & Italian grocery store. I bet in 1937 some very interesting, and heated, political discussions could go on there. I love Shorpy and tell everybody about it. It is the next best thing to having an actual time machine. And in reality probably better, the dream is always better than the reality. Not so old While Gran-mere seems happy to watch from above, I am certain she has left us by now, whilst most of the products advertised are still available. I still enjoy Lusianne, (the new spelling), a coffee and chicory blend that is mellower than straight coffee. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
Liberty Street: 1937
... "Liberty Street cottages." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Under the bridge If 1010 Liberty ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:53pm -

New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1937. "Liberty Street cottages." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Under the bridgeIf 1010 Liberty still exists, it would just about be under the Pontchartrain Expressway. Shoe renewalNewly white, drying in the sun. Step to Rocking ChairEvery time I see small children in these photographs, it make me wish I could have had a nice long talk with the elderly person that child turned out to be. My grandfather died 27 years ago and was born about the time this kid was. What's in a name?When I close my eyes and envision a "cottage", this ain't it. I do like the wrought iron fence detail to the left, though. That's a healthy home!Having plenty of "Three Sixes," they never had to worry about colds or malaria. Ad nauseam: 666All you'd ever want to know about the 666 brand, here, here, here and here. (Scroll down to the comments.) Empty Shoes #5This may be really silly but I have been keeping track of the Johnston photos with orphan shoes. So far: 1. https://www.shorpy.com/node/8628?size=_original 2. https://www.shorpy.com/node/8615?size=_original 3. https://www.shorpy.com/node/8586?size=_original 4. https://www.shorpy.com/node/8559?size=_original (?) 5. https://www.shorpy.com/node/8783?size=_original Aye, 'tis a tough job, but somebody has to do it. He is only 73 years oldThis lonely little fellow could very well still be among us and wouldn't it be amazing if he could reveal himself? After the detective work done by all the viewers of tterrace's advertising photo (which ended up solving ALL the mysteries therein), I'm convinced that the intelligentsia of Shorpy fans can research and find out anything they put their minds to. This is a great photo, very inspirational potential for writing a little story. Thank you Shorpy for giving me a hobby. [Math check: More like 75. - Dave] Treme StreetThis was on North Liberty, which was renamed Treme Street. This corner is now vacant, and I think this Creole cottage is gone too. The building with the dormer was a church, now in horrible condition. I think it is due for renovation though. The house right next to it is very nice, and there are many great buildings nearby. Too many blighted ones too. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Kids, New Orleans)
Best Beer in Town: 1937
... Restaurant, Royal Street." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. "Every bottle sterilized" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/11/2012 - 11:50am -

New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1937. "Tortorich Restaurant, Royal Street." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. "Every bottle sterilized"Two men are ordering in a restaurant and they both ask for a glass of water. One man adds, "And make sure the glass is clean!" When the waiter comes back, he's got two glasses of water in his hand and asks the two men, "Which one of you wanted the clean glass?" Nichol and MayBack in the 1950s Jax had some of the most entertaining TV commercials of the day, like this one with Mike Nichols and Elaine May: House of SchenleyIt's been ages since I've seen that name (their logo is printed above the corner entry to this establishment). We always had liquor in our house and I had all but forgotten about Schenley's. My father was a good friend of the proprietor of the "package store" in our small town and when he bought spirits there, the man always gave him the little "gifts" distributed by the liquor companies. We had in our home endless glass cocktail sticks, bottle top pouring spouts, beer trays, glasses and other novelties which were marked with advertising gadgets. I remember toy white seals (the kind that frolic in the ocean) which were tied around the bottles of Carstair's White Seal liquor and black and white scottie dog figurines from Buchanan's scotch. We just do not see these giveaways anywhere today. As for Jax Brewery, it still exists somewhat intact although it has been gentrified into a trendy and stylin' multi-level tourist attraction full of great places to leave your money. Thanks Shorpy for testing my memory yet again; it is the reason I cannot go even one day without looking at this best ever website...may I say I love you? Tortorich RestaurantOpened in 1900 by Louis Tortorichi. SazeracNext door at 437 Royal was the pharmacy of Antoine Peychaud. He invented "Peychaud's Bitters "which along with absinthe and Rye is basis of the Sazerac cocktail. Some say it is the oldest cocktail (probably a myth). The bitters are still around, and the Sazerac is a New Orleans favorite. If its appropriate, here's the recipe: 2 ounces Rye Whiskey 5 dashes Peychaud's Bitters 1 sugar cube splash of Absinthe lemon peel Muddle the sugar with the Peychaud's Bitters. Splash the Absinthe into a glass and pour in the Rye followed by the Bitters. Place the lemon peels in the glass and toast to a good life. And Good Eats, too!Judging by the "menu" written on the walls and windows, Tortorich's is exactly the kind of neighborhood watering hole I remember from my youth, and which I hope still exists. I'll bet the food was delicious. But Not for MeAnd the sad part was that Jax *was* the best beer in town. Have you ever had the swill that is Dixie? It may hearten some to know that the regional brewery tradition of South Louisiana is being kept alive by Heiner Brau and Abita on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain and that both outfits make truly excellent beers. 441 RoyalCorner of Royal and St. Louis. Of Tortorich Restaurant, the 1938 WPA New Orleans City Guide says: "well known for Italian food and seafood specialties." The DoorThanks Brooks for the before and after.Why is it when a structure is updated one of the first features to go is the screen door? It is functional, handsome and of all the sounds I have stored away in my feeble memory bank, the sound of a screen door opening and slamming closed is one of my most cherished. Home of the JaxAlthough Jax beer is associated with New Orleans, it really belongs, as the name implies, to Jacksonville. And here is more than you would ever want to know about that. Point of Sale promotionsOTY's eagle-eye spotting of the Schenley sign brought back lots of memories. Two of my prize possessions as a kid were curbside discards thrown out by a liquor-supply salesman who lived two doors down: a Carstair's White Seal table lamp (the seal had the top of the lamp balanced on its nose, and the lampshade revolved -- How great was that to put on the desk in my room?), and a huge four-color map issued by Schenley's at the beginning of World War II that I put up on the wall of our den and used to learn the names and places of just about anywhere in the world. The Other side of the Family!I never thought I'd see any part of my family on Shorpy ... But wonders never cease! Here is my wife's family in front of me. When the Tortorici family settled in the United States, some went to New Orleans and some landed here in Chicago. Both sides of the family produced great food and greater cooks. I am the fortunate recipient of both great food and a fine wife. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
Dufilho Pharmacy: 1936
... St." Plus bills of the hand- and -board variety. Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. more on Ella There was also a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2012 - 1:12pm -

New Orleans circa 1936. "Dufilho Pharmacy, 512 Chartres St." Plus bills of the hand- and -board variety. Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. more on EllaThere was also a famous movie based on the strip, starring Colleen Moore. 666 Colds FeverSounds kind of ominous. Think I'll just tough it out without the medicine, thank you. Ella Cinders!I was not familiar with Ella Cinders. It appears she was a long running syndicated comic strip. Famous enough to be hawking oil. Federal Theatre PosterThe WPA poster on the derelict building announces a production of the WPA Federal Theatre Playhouse at 2301 Tulane Avenue. "Art and Mrs. Bottle" was first produced in London in 1929, and in New York in 1930, starring Jane Cowl and the young Katherine Hepburn. Its author, I was surprised to find, was Benn Wolfe Levy (1900-1973), a British playwright who was married to the American actress Constance Cummings, and who later served in the House of Commons from 1945 to 1950 as the Labour Party Member for Eton and Slough. The Federal Theatre project also produced his 1932 comedy "The Devil Passes." [Poster available here. - Dave] Prescriptions filled elsewhere.It's now the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. View Larger Map SurprisedI was shocked to see that this building still exists! Even knowing how well New Orleans hangs onto these vintage structures, it was in such rough shape 76 years ago that I was sure it had been razed by now. Looks like a great restoration. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
Bourbon and Coke: 1937
... and oysters -- let me in! 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. "Twice as good, twice as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:02am -

New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1937. "Bayou Pom Pom Grocery, 701 Bourbon Street at St. Peters Street." Ice, wood, coal, Coke and oysters -- let me in! 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. "Twice as good, twice as much"If this was Royal Crown's slogan, it wasn't very good. When I looked at it the first time, it seemed to me that they were saying it's twice as good, quality that is, and twice the price. What they were trying to say is that it was twice the quality (of Coca-Cola) and twice the quantity (The Coke bottle held only 6 ounces, RC Cola was 12.) Pepsi on the other hand started running this jingle on the radio in the late 1930s: Pepsi-Cola hits the spot 12 full ounces, that's a lot Twice as much for a nickel too Pepsi-Cola is the drink for you. By 1939, Pepsi's sales had doubled. Bars, strip clubs, red lights, jazzDon't think there are any grocery stores on Bourbon Street anymore. My last stay in N.O.L.A. was in 1995 when our Saturday night on Bourbon Street consisted only of the above, but I could be wrong. The ravages of old age make it unlikely that I will ever return there but I've had my share of "smokin', drinkin, doin' the hootchy coo." Still, its nice to reminisce as I mull over the song "Don't get around much anymore." Life is good, rejoice and be glad. The Cat's MeowThis location is now the home of The Cat's Meow, which bills itself as World's Best Karaoke Bar. Looks like the lamppost/street sign has survived, though! "Twice as much for a nickel too"In South Carolina they sang "Twice as much for a penny more". We had a tax that made Coke six cents and Pepsi seven cents. S.C. is often a little strange. Still making groceries in the QuarterRouses Grocery at 701 Royal, Quartermaster Deli and Market at 1100 Bourbon. Sadly, the Verti Marte at 1201 Royal burned earlier this year. I'll take two loaves of Liedenhiemer's bread and a Hubigs pie, peach. Send me a truckloadThe price on the oysters seem quite reasonable! Pepsi-Cola "Jingle Tap"My Uncle Sid salvaged an old bar complete with back shelves and installed them in his basement in the mid 50's. As a eight year old, I coveted the big chrome plated Pepsi-Cola soda fountain tap he had. It was complete with the red, white and blue Pepsi logo and contained a music box which played the Pepsi jingle when the tap was activated. My Uncle Ernest was a chemist for Pepsi. He compounded the flavor essence that went into the syrup. I remember going to the corner "party store", as we called them in Detroit, on hot summer days in the 50's and getting a Pepsi or Coke out of the cooler filed with ice water. Although the "pop" was only ten cents, we drank it on the premises to avoid the two cents deposit which we spent on penny candy or baseball cards. Re: The Tipsters Uncle SidVictor Borge had a similar story about a chemist who compounded a new lemon flavored carbonated drink. He called it "5 Up", he put it on the market in 1925 but it didn't sell enough to make it worthwhile. He went back to his lab and reworked the formula, found another backer and released it again in 1928. This time he called it "6 Up", it too failed. He died shortly after, of a broken heart, never knowing how close he came. Pom Pom and Pim PumWe have a West Indian corner market here in Springfield, Mass., called the Pim Pum, which always strikes me as odd. I wonder if Pom Pom and Pim Pum are related and how they relate to groceries. I guess I'll have to stop into the Pim Pum one day and ask them about their name. A bit of Bayou Pom Pom in the Big CityWhat, a reference to "Bayou Pom Pom" passes over the heads of kids these days? Back in the day, the mere mention of this fictional place would raise smiles. The Cajun one-horse town of Bayou Pom-Pom was invented by Louisiana comedian Walter Coquille. His comic monologue "The Mayor of Bayou Pom-Pom" was released on Brunswick Records in 1929, and sold so well that he was brought back to record a number of sequels. This was the first recording of Cajun humor, long before Justin Wilson. Dixie's Bar of MusicThe Fasnacht sisters, Dixie and Irma, opened Dixie’s Bar of Music on 200 block of St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans in 1939. The house band included Dixie herself on clarinet, Judy Ertle on trumpet, Johnny Senac on bass, and Dorothy "Sloopy" Sloop on piano. Advertised as "New Orleans’ Biggest Little Club," Dixie’s became a favorite hangout of local and visiting national entertainers. In 1949, the club was moved to the Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, where it remained a popular spot until it closed in the late 1960s. However true, but now the real story! Miss Dixie Fasnacht has been a New Orleans fixture since the Roaring 20s. She was a musician, singer and leader of nationally recognized "all girl bands." With her sister, Miss Irma, she owned and operated two night clubs featuring live music entertainment. During the '50s and '60s, they lived upstairs from their business, "Dixie's Bar of Music" on Bourbon St. When the first gay carnival ball was raided and attendees jailed, she open her cash register, put the money in a paper bag, and set it off with one of her customers to "get the boys back" many who were regular patrons at Dixie's. The sisters retired from business over 40 years ago, but continued to fuel the social life of the French Quarter. Until recently, they hosted all-day Mardi Gras parties at their Bourbon St. home (with interior patio), every year. There, one could find street-people chatting, eating and drinking with corporate CEOs or celebs. Above all else, one could find a bath room, asprins and delightfully interesting folks. Miss Dixie continued these parties, after the sad loss of her beloved sister. Fasnacht is a Swiss-German synonym for Mardi Gras. An icon of New Orleans gay community, Miss Dixie celebrated her one-hundredth birthday, this year! (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
Glass Paints Oils: 1937
... be suitable for the store itself. 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Those buckets I see little ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/02/2013 - 1:36pm -

Circa 1937. "Hardware store, 906 Bourbon Street, New Orleans." Carrying a full line of protectants and preservatives, none of which seem to be suitable for the store itself. 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Those bucketsI see little sliding doors on the sides, which would appear to cover those holes when slid down all the way. I guess it's easier to slide open a door on a heavy bucket than to tip it over and pour. Seems like there'd be a bit of leakage in these models, though. [I suspect the holes are for ventilation and that the lining is fireproof. - Dave] NOLA native says906 is the not the restaurant with the neon (now) but the business next door (to the right) with the red chairs, which is currently listed as a hair salon. On the corner (going towards Canal St) are the iconic Clover Grill and across the street Cafe Lafitte in Exile which is a really famous gay bar as it claims status at the oldest continuously operating gay bar in North America. Could be the placeView Larger Map Back when the Quarter was a neighborhoodRather than a tourist attraction. Real stuff for real people doing real things like painting the bathroom cupboard or replacing a broken windowpane. My former home town of Carmel, CA, went from three hardware stores, five groceries, seven filling stations, and three drug stores in the '50s to zero, one, one, and one, respectively, by the '80s, but boy did we gain some galleries and boutiques! Three bucketsI thought at first they hold items for sale, but they could have been used to strain the paint that was sold. Holey bucketsI'm curious: what would the three buckets with holes in them hung on the door frame be used for? Saulny's storeIn the 1880 census he is one year old, the son of 2 "mulattos", but listed as black in later census years. He's the son of a shoemaker, Louis Saulny, born 1846. Louis's father is also listed as a "mulatto", a carpenter born 1827. He died when he was 31. Pierre SAULNY was the first Saulny in USA. He was born in Nantes, France. There is a date of birth in 1774. Some data doesn’t match so we take between 1894 to 1800 as his date of birth. He married Catherine DINET (1797-1853) free woman of color native of Pestel on the Island of Santo Domingo, Haiti. They married in New Orleans in 1820 and lived in the Suburb Marigny on Moreau Street between Elysian Fields and Frenchmen Streets since 1822 in a house situated on Esplanade Street between Conde and Royal Streets, until at least 1835. The residence of Catherine Dinet is an area that exists today and was inhabited by many free people of color as well as Creoles of European descent. Another BarYep, that's exactly where it was, just behind Clover Grill. I think Kozel is rightComparing the position of the window (closer to the door on the right), and the shape of the jamb, sills and lintels, I'm pretty sure the building with the neon is correct. The original photo shows a full length porch on top which is now separate balconies, but the side of the building still has porches which may indicate the front had the same ones. Or, it could just be 907 across the street, which still has the upper porch in the right place. [Below, 907-909 Bourbon Street. - Dave] John McCrady School of Fine ArtsI went to art school in that white building that kozel posted. I believe I remember Mrs. McCrady saying that it was a hardware store before it was the school. But that was over 30 years ago and memories fade and Mrs Mac died long ago. Three BucketsMy father would take me duck hunting in the 50's and we used one in our duck blind to stay warm.The small door would let more air into the fire. Worked really good when you were freezing. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
Filigree: 1937
... Palace, last seen here . 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Stripped down archicture If you ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:36pm -

New Orleans, 1937. "Le Pretre Mansion, 716 Dauphine Street, built 1835-6. Joseph Saba house." Another look at the so-called Sultan's Palace, last seen here. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Stripped down archictureIf you take off the wrought iron latticework, you would have a very plain looking building. No detailing around any of the windows, no cornicework. It would pass as some other warehouse down by the river. The owners must have blown the project budget on all the iron scrollwork. Harem ScaremThe original source of the bizarre ghost stories and "legends" attached to the Le Pretre Mansion appears to be a nutty little book written in 1922 for the tourist trade by Helen Pitkin Schertz, "Legends of Louisiana," published by the New Orleans Journal. A photo of the mansion in this book is captioned "The House of Tragic Mystery," accompanying Schertz's story "The Brother of the Sultan." Although the house was built and added to by two owners in the 1830s, Schertz dated her almost unreadable story to 1792. Unreadble? You decide. Here's an excerpt from a typical paragraph: Thus it came about that in the grandiose mansion where Christian piety was domiciled, whence conventional young women issued for daily Mass at the Cathedral three squares away in direct view, little shrines were removed and benitiers that had purified thoughts for holy themes. A steamboat bore the always expectant, always happy sons and daughters to the plantation with their horde of slaves, the most zealous care of the daughters being the preservation from sunburn of their creamy skins. What had been the horror—or, perhaps, the interest,—of these convent-bred damsels to learn that into their chaste quarters, converted into a haremlik, were borne palpitating bundles, which, unrolled, revealed lovely, veiled children younger than themselves: Nefysseh of Alexandria ; Mihrima of Stamboul; Sitta of Aboukir; Djumeila of the Nile and, fairest among them, Butheita the daughter of the Bedouins, raped from the desert for a Caliph's beguilement. Still there, etc.Covered in the previous post (scroll down to the comments). I ain't afraid of no ghostThe gents on the banquette don't seem to mind if the house is haunted. They look very relaxed. Restrained ArchitectureWithout the cast iron, the house would appear as it was built - a subdued but grand chunk of Greek Revival. Notice that the stucco has been scored to resemble ashlar blocks. The cast iron was added later... probably in the 1850's when New Orleans was obsessed with the trend. The entablature is missing above the capitals along the length of the ground-level ironwork, and appears to be still missing today. Yes and N.O.Still looking great for a 174-year-old structure. Man, I love New Orleans. For all of its warts, the city draws me back, time and time again. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Inner Sanctum: 1937
... St." Seen here from another courtyard. Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Electric meters I would have ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/29/2013 - 12:54pm -

New Orleans, 1937. "Courtyard entrance, 1133-1135 Chartres St." Seen here from another courtyard. Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Electric metersI would have known, without the caption, that this photo was not taken before 1934. The meter to the left of the arch is a General Electric I-20S, and the one to the right is a Westinghouse CS. Both are socket-base meters, which are still completely interchangeable with modern meters in modern sockets, although these early models can only handle 60 amps in most cases. The CS was introduced in 1933, supplanting an earlier Westinghouse socket design. It satisfied the desire of utilities for a convenient and weatherproof outdoor mounting, as the costs and headaches of indoor meters were becoming unbearable. The following year, the industry had a convention which standardized this and other socket mountings. Outdoor sockets were immediately adopted by many utilities, and became universal for new orders by the 1960s. Here is a photo of a CS from my personal collection. The serial number identifies it as a 1934 model. That would make a great cover photo......for the next Anne Rice novel. Rotting balconiesI remember visiting N.O. back in the late 80's and even then most of these once ornate balconies looked as they do in the picture. ( Pretty shaky) It's as if nary any maintenance was ever performed over the 100 plus years. At that time there were many in the French Qtr. that had temporary scaffolding underneath to help support them. A Good Bit of the Original Building is Still ThereNot a great shot on Google Maps, but good enough that you can tell some of the same architecture is still there today. You have to love the French Quarter, then and now. Soniat HouseI found this on the web. That's our roomMy wife and I stayed in that hotel about 20 years ago. Our room was the one just to the left of the entrance to the courtyard. This place has been updated considerably since we stayed there, judging from the photos at their website. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Labatut: 1938
... Labatut and Pugh families, still living here." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. It's still there And you can ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:42pm -

Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, 1938. "Labatut. New Roads vicinity, built by Don Evariste de Barra, Spanish grandee, 1800. His descendants, the Labatut and Pugh families, still living here." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. It's still thereAnd you can see it here. Spooky!When I was in seventh grade, I made a poster for a Halloween party. The house in it looked eerily like this. TwilightLooks like a good place for vampires to hang out during the day! SomewhereThe dog, the chicken, the orphan shoe. I know they're there somewhere, I just can't find them. Jedi HouseWhen 138 years old look this good we will not! LabatutI've looked all over the internet for a translation of Labatut ... as far as I can tell, it means "hidden away." Can someone let me know if I am right? I am so in love with FBJ's work, I can't wait to load Shorpy every day to see if there is something new from her archives! [It's a family name. According to the caption, the Labatuts are descendants of Don Evariste. - Dave] Obviously a loving restoration, except....couldn't Tom get some help whitewashing that picket fence after Aunt Polly told him to do it? Beyond that, the house (in 1938) looked abandoned, what with a few of the windows being broken. Quite a beauty now, however. Right on the leveeAfter picking through Google maps and street view, I noticed that the house is right across the road from the Mississippi River levee. I wonder how many floods this house has endured over the past 210 years. Hail yes!Try and imagine the racket when a hailstorm collided with the galvanized roofing on the original home! If the walls could talkThank you Minot for the additional info on Labatuts. Really interesting then and now. This house has seen alot of history! It must've been built well. Any ghost stories? Looks worthy of being registered as a historical site. Running water, in the rainy seasonTo the right of the house is the foundation formerly holding a wooden cistern. These were common South Louisiana plantation houses of that era; they collected rainwater from the roof. (Rainwater was preferred to water from the muddy Mississippi which had to be let settle.) Most of the old cisterns are long gone; an exception is the San Francisco Plantation between Baton Rouge and New Orleans which has a beautiful pair of cisterns rebuilt in the original style. I'm so happythat the house is still there and is being restored. Thanks Minot, for the info. Family TiesI'm a Labatut. My grandfather grew up in this house. I haven't seen it in a long time. Good to see it restored. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Moldy Manse: 1937
... so-called Sultan's Palace. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Not so much moldy as battered ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/07/2013 - 2:24pm -

New Orleans, 1937. "Le Pretre Mansion, 716 Dauphine Street, built 1835-6. Joseph Saba house." Our third look at the so-called Sultan's Palace. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Not so much moldy as batteredThis Old House has it listed as a murder house; although the whole sultan's murder (+ all of his entourage) may be apocryphal. And it still looks pretty much the same: This is exactly the placeI pictured in my head that Ignatius J. Reilly's mama had her automobile accident. Origin of the LegendThe Gardette-LaPretre house, aka the "House of the Turk" and the "Sultan's Palace." The legend of the massacre, much beloved of New Orleans ghost tour guides is, of course, bogus. The legend, initially published in the 1840's, probably predates the 1836 construction of the still extant house shown in this lovely 1930's photograph. The first mention of the story that I'm aware of is in Charles Gayarre's History of Louisiana, published in 1846 in French. This is only 10 years after construction of the present building, and Gayarre claims that he first heard the story around 1820 from an eighty-year old gentleman who heard the story from his own father. In Gayarre's tale, the incident took place in 1727 over a hundred years before construction of the Gardette-LaPretre house, and before any of the present buildings in the French Quarter were built. At that time, most of the city residences were crude wood-framed cottages, of which none remain. Referred to by the author as a legend, his story is actually relatively simple and plausible. A member of the Ottoman sultan's family, possibly a brother, escaped disfavor by fleeing to Paris, and was, for diplomatic reasons, exiled by the French to the then very remote and undeveloped colony of Louisiana, being kept under house arrest at a small cottage at the corner of Orleans and Dauphine. Then, after a dark and stormy night, the cottage was found empty with a newly dug grave in the garden along with an engraved marble plaque: "The justice of heaven is satisfied, and the date-tree shall grow on the traitor's tomb. The sublime Emperor of the faithful, the supporter of the faith, the omnipotent master and Sultan of the world, has redeemed his vow. God is great, and Mohammed is his prophet. Allah!" There is mention of a Turkish vessel seen in Barataria Bay and a troop of murderers lurking through the storm. Shortly afterwards an unusual date palm sprouted from the grave. Apparently fratricide was at one time part of the normal means of succession of the Ottoman empire, and at the time of the supposed events, rival family members were often put under house arrest in the palace harem. Perhaps the crisis associated with the 1730 Janissary revolt. Succession of a new Sultan could have caused an important Ottoman to flee Istanbul. In any case, the story seems to have centered on explaining a well-known, curious old palm tree that was present on the site at the time of Gayarre's writing. The more lurid tales of a bloody massacre told today seem based on a work of fiction by Helen Pitkin Schertz, "The Brother of the Sultan," in Legends of Louisiana (1922). The curious date palm has it's own romantic legend, but that's another photograph. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Evergreen: 1938
... Canal Bank Liquidators." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Old bones That indoor plumbing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:06am -

St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, 1938. "Evergreen -- Wallace vicinity. Structure dates from 1835. Abandoned. Canal Bank Liquidators." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Old bonesThat indoor plumbing setup is so cool! Would love to explore the old bones of this structure. Weather vane?Check out the glass globe up on the roof weathervane. Surely someone on Shorpy must be able to explain its function. [That's a lightning rod. The glass balls were purely decorative, though it was once thought they served the purpose of indicating a lightning strike by shattering.] It didn't stay abandonedThe shot above is the back of the plantation house on Highway LA-18 in Edgard, near Wallace. The restored plantation is open for tours Monday through Saturday. It consists of 29 antebellum buildings, including 22 slave quarters, plus 8 other buildings. Below are current pics of the remodeled back (roof work in progress) and front of the main house. Rainwater collectingWhat a great example of rainwater catchment. This is becoming more popular today as a way to water plants and gardens. Collect water from a building gutter system for use later. Back when this was thought up it was more likely used for indoor water access, of course. Thanks to Larc for noting that this place still exists. I'll add it to my list of places to see in LA. Kind of high on this houseThe widow's walk on the rooftop most likely is high enough to see the canal that runs through that part of the state, but I'm supposing it was more architectural form than function. But maybe it was useful for the lady of the house to see how near her sternwheeler or barge captain-husband was for docking, so she'd know when to draw some water from the cistern to heat for cooking dinner. Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas with the serious boats would be too far away, I think. Yellow feveroriginated in water storage containers in New Orleans and elsewhere, if they were above ground. They were outlawed, eventually, in cities, to reduce and then prevent fever outbreaks and discourage aquaphilic nuisance insects generally. If stagnant rainwater-gravity-tower systems are coming back, well, perhaps mosquito-vectored diseases will become more common, just as bedbug infestations are spreading due to the DDT ban. This beautiful building was preserved, thankfully, sans the water tower! Lop off a bit here, add a bit thereThe rainwater storage containers are gone, but the in-ground cisterns are still clearly visible. I wonder if they've been sealed and repurposed as planters or something. Looking at the other LOC photos from this set, it appears that the renovations were extensive, and more an expression of someone's architectural vision than an accurate historical restoration (i.e. the new house, while beautiful, barely resembles the old house - at least on the outside). [Some of the latter-day additions (the bay, for instance) were subtracted. So I suspect the house's current footprint more closely resembles the original than its 1930s incarnation. On the other hand, the sleeping porches at the rear have been enclosed. - Dave] - You may be right. For more on the history of Evergreen, see this history (PDF) from the National Register of Historic Places, and this history (TIFF) from 1993 (Click here for the rest of the architectural drawings from 1993). Seems the house was built circa 1790 (looking much like this neighboring house), extensively remodeled in the 1830s, then remodeled again in the years leading up to its abandonment in the 1920s. While the current configuration might more closely resemble the 1830s version, no one knows for sure, as the only documentation of the building from that era is the building contract. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
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