Three Hour Tour (Outer Journey)

Creole Cottage

My favorite part of our three hour tour today was the various architecture that we looked at. Starting at Jackson Square and seeing the apartments that Micaela Almonester built displayed intricate details that pay tribute to her family. The cast iron that outlines the balcony and gallery has the letter “A” interspersed throughout the design. Long Windows on all three floors of the building allowed for proper airflow back in the day since they did not have air conditioning units. Galleries were not only utilized to sit on but also to sleep on at night during those hot summer nights. Another part of the tour was gathering a better understanding of the different cottages down here in New Orleans and how they were constructed. Creole Cottages decorative eaves under the roof that surprisingly had nothing structurally to do with stabilization. No two cottages had eaves that were the same since they were hand carved. Above the windows sometimes the architecture would also place a decorative piece of wooden art work to add character to the home. Like the apartment buildings around Jackson Square these cottages also did not have air conditioning so the long windows, vents under the roof, and transoms aided in ventilating the home to keep them as cool as possible during those hot summer months. Aside from the structural aspects of the cottage they are all painted in vibrant colors that paint the street as you walk down. Shot Gun cottages/homes were more simplistic on the outside compared to Creole ones. One aspect that set them apart from other types is that you can stand on one side of the house, shoot a gun, and the bullet will go through all the rooms to the back wall. Where other cottages/homes the rooms were staggered in design.