- land 0.21 sq mi (1 km) - summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5) Area code 504 | - water 0.00 sq mi (0 km), 0% Area 101 ha | |
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Restaurants Comman Palace, District Donuts Sliders Br, Joey K's, Balcony Bar & Cafe Inc, Jung's Golden Dragon II | ||
The Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St. Charles Avenue to the north, 1st Street to the east, Magazine Street to the south, and Toledano Street to the west. The National Historic Landmark district extends a little farther.
Contents
- Map of Garden District New Orleans LA USA
- Geography
- Adjacent neighborhoods
- Boundaries
- Demographics
- History
- Landmarks
- Hydrology and storms
- Government and infrastructure
- Transportation
- Education
- Notable residents
- References
Map of Garden District, New Orleans, LA, USA
The area was originally developed between 1832 and 1900 and is considered one of the best-preserved collections of historic mansions in the Southern United States. The 19th-century origins of the Garden District illustrate wealthy newcomers building opulent structures based upon the prosperity of New Orleans in that era. (National Trust, 2006)
Geography
The Garden District is located at 29°55′40″N 90°05′05″W and has an elevation of 3 feet (0.9 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the district has a total area of 0.21 square miles (0.5 km2). 0.21 square miles (0.5 km2) of which is land and 0.00 square miles (0.0 km2) (0.0%) of which is water.
Adjacent neighborhoods
Boundaries
The City Planning Commission defines the boundaries of the Garden District as these streets: St. Charles Avenue, 1st Street, Magazine Street and Toledano Street.
The Garden District Association defines the boundaries as both sides of Carondelet Street, Josephine Street, both sides of Louisiana Avenue, and Magazine Street.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,970 people, 1,117 households, and 446 families residing in the neighborhood. The population density was 9,381 /mi² (3,940 /km²).
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,926 people, 1,063 households, and 440 families residing in the neighborhood.
History
This whole area was once a number of plantations, including the Livaudais Plantation. It was sold off in parcels to mainly wealthy Americans who did not want to live in the French Quarter with the Creoles. It became a part of the city of Lafayette in 1833, and was annexed by New Orleans in 1852. The district was laid out by New Orleans architect, planner, and surveyor Barthelemy Lafon.
Originally the area was developed with only a couple of houses per block, each surrounded by a large garden, giving the district its name. In the late 19th century, some of these large lots were subdivided, as Uptown New Orleans became more urban. This has produced a pattern for much of the neighborhood: of any given block having a couple of early 19th-century mansions surrounded by "gingerbread"-decorated late Victorian period houses. Thus, the "Garden District" is now known for its architecture more than for its gardens per se.
A slightly larger district (one block further west to Louisiana, one block farther north to Carondelet, and three blocks farther east to Josephine) was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
Landmarks
The George Washington Cable House, at 1313 8th St., is a National Historic Landmark.
Commander's Palace is one of the city's most famous restaurants.
Other neighborhood landmarks include the historic Anshe Sfard synagogue, numerous antebellum mansions, historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, and "The Rink", a 19th-century skating rink building that has been converted into a small shopping mall.
Some of the many notable mansions in the neighborhood include 2707 Coliseum St., site of the childhood home featured in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Colonel Short's Villa at 1448 Fourth St., a sprawling antebellum estate with an ornate cornstalk wrought iron fence, and the Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Ave., an opulent 1856 mansion featured in American Horror Story: Coven.
Hydrology and storms
The flooding potential in New Orleans has been noted since at least the 1820s. (Bernhard, 1828) Although experiencing wind damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, this area on old high ground escaped the extensive flooding of much of the rest of the city (see: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans). Wind damage from Katrina was the most noticeable effect. The rate of return of residents after Katrina was almost 100 percent. (National Trust, 2006) Part of the area nearest St. Charles Avenue was surveyed to be only four feet above mean sea level, compared to a Mississippi River height of 14 feet (4.3 m) above sea level; (Hogan, 1990) nevertheless, the Garden District suffered little from Katrina flooding.
Government and infrastructure
The Garden District is within the 6th District of the New Orleans Police Department.
Transportation
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority provides public transportation. The streetcar is easily accessible from St. Charles Avenue. Streetcar fare is $1.25 per person.
Education
The Garden District is zoned to schools in the New Orleans Public Schools and the Recovery School District.
The charter school Batiste Cultural Arts Academy, in the former Live Oak Elementary School building, is located in the Irish Channel community near the Garden District. Other public elementary schools in the vicinity include Laurel Elementary School (Lower Garden District) and Benjamin Franklin Elementary School. Public high schools in the vicinity include McMain High School and McDonogh 35 High School.
The McGehee School, a private girls' school, is within the boundaries of the Garden District and Association. In addition the Trinity School of New Orleans is in the area.
Soulé College, a private school, was located in the Garden District. There was a private school named the Garden District Academy, formed in 1959.