In the heart of the historic French Quarter in New Orleans is a building that seems almost unchanged by the centuries. With its uneven brick walls, flickering candlelight, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar doesn’t just serve drinks; it serves stories, legends, and a direct connection to America’s colonial past. Built sometime between 1722 and 1732, it is widely regarded as the oldest bar in the United States.
A Bar Steeped in Time
Nicolas Touze originally constructed the structure and documentation in 1722 from a realty transfer. Over time, the building evolved into something more than just a home or shop. By the mid-18th century, it was known as Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, named after the infamous privateer and smuggler Jean Lafitte, who is rumored to have used the building as a front for his black market operations.
Although hard historical evidence tying Jean Lafitte directly to the bar is thin, locals and tourists like to embrace the legend. After all, this is New Orleans; fact and folklore work hand in hand here.
Jean Lafitte is a near-mythical figure in Louisiana history. Along with his brother Pierre, Lafitte ran a bustling smuggling business in the early 1800s, pretending to operate as a legitimate business at the blacksmith shop. The bar’s shadowy corners, thick stone walls, and lack of modern decorations certainly seem like a place with secret meetings, stashed weapons, and whispered deals.
Atmosphere Like No Other
Walking into Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop today feels like stepping back in time. The building retains its 18th-century Creole cottage design, with thick timber beams, a brick fireplace, and an open hearth. There’s no electric lighting inside the bar proper, just candles and fireplaces, which give it an eerie, romantic glow after dark.
Don’t expect flashy decor or high-tech cocktail equipment. Drinks are served in plastic cups. The piano bar in the back might be the most modern touch, often echoing with tunes that range from jazz to classic rock. And yet, somehow, none of this feels out of place; it’s all part of the experience.
Haunted or Just Well-Worn?
As with many old New Orleans establishments, Lafitte’s is said to be haunted. Stories circulate of mysterious figures appearing in photos, cold drafts in summer, and the feeling of being watched. Some claim they’ve seen a man dressed in 19th-century clothing staring from the upstairs window, a floor that isn’t open to the public.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the atmosphere lends itself easily to chills. Maybe it’s the stories, maybe it’s the shadows, or the centuries of revelers who never really left.
Another Living Legend
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop isn’t just a bar; it’s a living artifact, a relic that continues to thrive in a city that reveres both its past and its spirit. Tourists come for the history, locals come for the character, and all leave with a sense that they’ve stepped into something timeless.
In a country where most bars are lucky to last a decade, Lafitte’s has survived nearly three centuries, two fires, countless hurricanes, and the ever-changing pulse of New Orleans. It’s more than just the oldest bar in America; it’s a place where history, myth, and nightlife crossover.
So next time you’re in New Orleans, wander down Bourbon Street until it quiets into the shadows of St. Philip. Push open the heavy wooden doors of Lafitte’s, order something strong, and raise a glass to the ghosts before you.
