Located in the central French Quarter of New Orleans, the 1850 House is a neoclassical-style row house that stands on Jackson Square, precisely at 523 St. Ann Street. Thanks to the Louisiana State Museum’s intervention, the house is now a Museum that makes it possible for visitors to experience the lifestyle of an upper-class family during New Orleans’ splendour in the 19th century.
Baroness de Pontalba
The upper and lower Pontalba buildings, which constitute the row house structure of the 1850 House, were built exactly in that year under the supervision of Micaela Almonester, or Baroness de Pontalba. This remarkable woman was the daughter of Don Andres Almonaster y Rojas, a Spanish colonial settler who built the Cathedral and the Presbytere and was appointed for life to the Cabildo, the Spanish city hall in colonial New Orleans.
Born in 1795, Micaela became heir to her father’s legacy at only 2 and a half years old, when he died leaving a considerable fortune in her hands. Her mother, Louise Denys de la Ronde, was a very capable businesswoman and increased the family’s inheritance even more after her husband’s passing. When Micaela was only 15, a marriage was arranged between her and her French cousin, and she moved to France. There, her father-in-law persistently tried to strip her of her inheritance, and after many failed attempts, shot her four times, leaving her mutilated but alive, and committed suicide. Micaela managed to divorce her husband and go back to New Orleans in 1848, followed by two of her sons. There, she quickly became the wealthiest woman in New Orleans’ society and among the most influential people in the city.
The construction of the Pontalba Buildings cost more than $300,000 and the Baroness supervised the works very closely, designing personally the cast-ironwork that decorates the balconies and having her initials (AP) carved into it.
In 1874 the Baroness died, leaving 3 sons and a timeless legacy in New Orleans that continues to this day.
The Structure of the Pontalba Buildings and the Museum
Famous local architect James Gallier, Sr. designed the row houses, but the Baroness hired a different constructor, Samuel Stewart, before the actual works began. In 1851, the Pontalba buildings were completed, each of them hosting sixteen apartments on the upper floor and room for shops and stores on the ground floor. During that time, the shops that could be found inside the Pontalba buildings were dry goods stores, lawyer’s offices, a bank, and clothing stores. Among the people who worked in the house in the mid-19th century, we cannot forget immigrant servants and enslaved workers.
Today, the house is furnished in a way that carefully replicates the style of the time, including porcelains, time-accurate pieces of furniture, and famous artwork. This detailed organization of the inside of the house makes it a perfect museum to visit for those looking to explore 18th-century life and architecture.
In 1927, the Louisiana State Museum took possession of the building and, 21 years later, the house was opened as a museum, faithfully recreating the atmosphere that the house held when it was first opened.
The Tenants of the 1850 House Apartments
In 1850s New Orleans, many enriched colonial settlers, including Baroness de Pontalba’s family, became tenants of the dwellings that composed the 1850 house. Among these, members of the Soria family rented a place in the building. They were merchants who moved from New York City to New Orleans for the increasing economic opportunities there. Like most of the residents in the building, they were slave owners.
Another family that occupied one of the houses was composed of Widow Amelia Zacharie Saul Cammack, her son, and 3 of her daughters, plus slaves varying in number from 3 to 8; a New Orleans bank and railroad owner, William G. Hewes, moved there in 1856 with his two daughters and 5 slaves.
The 1850 House Museum Store
The gift shop that can be found in the 1850 House is famous in New Orleans and a hotspot for tourists. The Friends of the Cabildo operates this store, located in the Lower Pontalba Buildings on Jackson Square. At the store, you can find tickets to the House but also French Quarter Walking Tours and merchandise, including handmade art, jewelry, pottery by local artists, books, and of course history-related merchandise from properties of the Louisiana State Museum.
