Heart of Louisiana: Pitot House

NEW ORLEANS (WAFB) – The quiet Bayou St. John neighborhood of New Orleans was one of many earliest European settlements in Louisiana.

It predates the founding of New Orleans by a decade. And a two-century-old historic dwelling preserves a few of that early historical past.

Right now, the bayou is a well-liked spot for canoes and kayaks. And in a manner, it’s the flexibility to paddle alongside Bayou St. John that performed a job within the location of New Orleans.

“New Orleans is definitely the place it’s due to this bayou and the flexibility of the early explorers to return into the bayou from the lakes with out having to go up the Mississippi River, which was fairly treacherous,” stated Jamie Barker, a tour information.

The primary Europeans settled alongside Bayou St. John greater than three centuries in the past. In actual fact, they have been dwelling within the space 10 years earlier than the founding of the town of New Orleans.

“After the town of New Orleans was constructed, folks grew to become metropolis dwellers. This was form of on the outskirts of the town, and it stayed like that all through its historical past,” added Barker.

One of many oldest surviving properties is the Pitot Home, which was in-built 1799. It’s named after the third proprietor, James Pitot, who grew to become mayor of New Orleans in 1804, the yr after the Louisiana Buy.

“He’s curiously usually referred to as the primary American mayor of the town of New Orleans as a result of he was, however he was really the third mayor. He had been kind of appointed by a committee to be mayor and he, when he ran for workplace, he was defeated,” defined Barker.

After a short time period as mayor, Pitot served as a probate decide and managed visitors alongside the bayou outdoors his dwelling.

“He was president of the Orleans Navigation Firm, which did handle the visitors on the bayou. I assume there have been tolls as a result of there appeared to have been tolls and tariffs in all places,” famous Barker.

The home is furnished with antiques from the early 1800s, the time when Pitot lived in it. You may get an concept of what it was wish to dwell and work within the two-century-old dwelling. The huge galleries, thick brick and plaster partitions, and tall home windows and doorways provided some aid from the oppressive south Louisiana warmth.

“It’s a French Colonial West Indie-style home, and, in fact, it was constructed like this due to the local weather in New Orleans. You wouldn’t imagine the cross breezes you get if you open these doorways, back and front. It’s actually, it’s, it’s pretty. The one downside is the excessive humidity,” stated Barker.

The outdated home nonetheless anchors the historic early settlement alongside Bayou St. John, and, even at present, provides a quiet escape from dwelling within the middle of the town.

The Pitot Home on Bayou St. John is open for excursions and particular occasions.

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