Background
When New Orleans was just a French trading village, it was organized into blocks. The center block was called Place d'Armes (roughly translated as center of military pride), which was made the hub of the growing town. Because of its proximity to the Mississippi River to the church (now St. Louis Cathedral) and the government center, it became the place for military parades and other public gatherings.
Progress
Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of David Ohmer
After the Battle of New Orleans, philanthropist Baroness Pontalba raised public awareness as well as the money to redesign the square, creating formal gardens, walking paths, benches and intricate wrought iron fences. In 1960, Jackson Square was named a National Historic Landmark. After 1971, Chartres, St. Peter and St. Ann streets, which border the park, were closed and made into a pedestrian mall.
Features
Today, Jackson Square is surrounded by commercial sites, such as hotels, restaurants and shops, and residences, including St. Ann Street's Upper and Lower Pontalba Apartments, the oldest apartments in the country. Across the square on Decatur Street sits the Moon Walk, which offers stunning views of the Mississippi River and the park. St. Louis Cathedral, the nation's oldest continually operating cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytere--both of which now house museums--create an impressive historic area.
Art Connection
For more than 50 years, Jackson Square has been known as an open-air artist colony. Some of the nation's best artists can be found sitting under a tree doing a watercolor or pastel of a visitor. Their work is colorfully displayed along the iron fences.
Events
Jugglers and fortune-tellers can always be found in Jackson Square. But several times a year, it becomes a gathering place for thousands. It's the hub on New Year's Eve, the site for the annual French Quarter Festival and a caroling service at Christmastime. And of course, there's Mardi Gras.
