Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Walk to the end of the block and turn right on Royal Street. At 900, 906, and
910 Royal are the Miltenberger Houses, a row of three town houses built in
the 1830s by Marie Miltenberger, a widow whose husband, Dr. Christian
Miltenberger, had been renowned for his work with yellow fever patients.
The houses, with their cast-iron galleries and floor-to-ceiling windows, are
among the most photographed in the Quarter. Next door, at 912 Royal, is
Café Amelie, a French restaurant with what
Times-Picayune
restaurant critic
Brett Anderson calls “one of the city's most romantic outdoor settings.”
Across the street at 915 Royal St. is the Cornstalk Hotel, famous for its cast-
iron fence depicting ears of corn intertwined with morning glories. The hotel
was built as a residence for Judge François Xavier Martin, chief justice of
the Louisiana Supreme Court, who lived there from 1816 to 1826. Dr. Joseph
Secondo Biamenti bought the mansion in 1834, converted it to a hotel, and
added its famous fence. Prominent guests include Bill and Hillary Clinton,
Elvis Presley, and Harriet Beecher Stowe, who used nearby slave quarters as
her inspiration for
Uncle Tom's Cabin.
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Walk two blocks to 1132 Royal St., the residence of noted architect James
Gallier and his family during the mid-19th century. The Gallier House,
which is open to the public, tells the story of those who lived and worked on
the property. In addition to the home itself, the tour ($12 adults, $10 seniors
and kids) includes the gardens, carriageway, and restored slave quarters.
The house is especially fun to visit in December, when it's embellished in hol-
iday dress.
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Just down the block, at 1140 Royal St., is the LaLaurie House—also known
simply as “The Haunted House”—which, along with its evil owner, was fea-
tured in the FX series
American Horror Story: Coven.
Madame Delphine
LaLaurie, a wealthy socialite, bought the Creole mansion in 1831, and in-
credible stories of wild parties and servant abuse soon followed. When a fire
broke out in 1834, neighbors broke in through a locked door and found seven
slaves chained and starving. As outraged citizens protested outside, a car-
riage sped into the crowd and away from the premises; in the carriage were
Madame LaLaurie and her family, who escaped to Paris, never to return. Le-
gend has it that the spirits of the slaves still inhabit the mansion, making it a
favorite stop on haunted-history tours.
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Turn left on Governor Nicholls Street. At the corner of Governor Nicholls
and Royal is the Verti Marte, a beloved French Quarter institution known
for its All That Jazz po'boy (sautéed shrimp, turkey, ham, mushrooms, Swiss
