The past is never dead. It’s not even past in New Orleans

Historic homes on Rue Bourbon It was our second day in New Orleans and we were driving down one of the main roads in the town after going for Mass in the beautiful Loyola church. “ You can make a wish in any new church that you go to,” said my Mum when we were kids and I never fail to make a wish! They always come true. After Mass since we were down town, we decided to go to the open air market. But I kept rolling my window up and down taking pictures of the fantastic homes on either side of the road. They were definitely period homes, built in the old plantation style with porticos and pillared entrances. The tree lined roads made us take a step back in time, like time had stood still or we had somehow stopped the clock.

Another beauty which makes one gape at their grandeur As William Faulkner famously wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Nowhere does that feel more true than in New Orleans, where the city’s story is written in its brick-and-beam Creole cottages, bargeboard shotgun homes, and mid-century modern homes by the lakefront. As one realises, the history of its architecture follows the history of its people. Passing a grand mansion we were told by Anne our hostess that architect Francois Correjolles built the beautifully restored home in 1826 for a wealthy auctioneer. Over the last 193 years, the home had several affluent owners and was rented by General P.G.T. Beauregard shortly after the Civil War. With its manicured gardens and fountain, this home has one of the most beautiful courtyards in the French Quarter of the city. The historic heart of the city is the French Quarter, known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and vibrant nightlife along Bourbon Street.

The beauty of these homes are amazing One can step over a threshold into the past when one visits these historic New Orleans homes and buildings which are open to the public. These architecturally significant buildings, which are today turned into homes, restaurants, and business establishments, can take you back generations. As a bonus, the shops associated with many of these lovely buildings have an excellent eclectic inventory of antique artefacts which we drooled over. Several are open for free by rich owners who are ready to share with visitors. Going back into American history, Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant (P.G.T.) Beauregard was a New Orleans native who ordered the first shots of the Civil War fired on Fort Sumter, South Carolina in April 1861. Frances Parkinson Keyes was a noted author of more than fifty books and short story collections. The Chartres Street house they lived in at separate times nearly a century apart bears both of their names and is today a French Quarter landmark. The Beauregard-Keyes House was built in 1826 for wealthy auctioneer Joseph LeCarpentier, and is a fine example of a raised center hall house. Beauregard lived in the home from 1866-68 while he was president of the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad. Keyes used the home as her winter residence for 25 years, from the 1950s until her death in 1970. She wrote many of her books there, including Dinner at Antoineâ’s, The Chess Players, Madame Castelâ’s Lodger and Blue Camellia.

Another beauty that caught my eye The home features twin curved staircases, leading to a Tuscan portico. The brick-walled garden features a fine cast iron fountain and boxwood hedges. The garden’s design duplicates the original 1865 plans. The interior features a large parlor and ballroom, a rectangular dining room leading to a porch and many fine details. The Beauregard Chamber is furnished with original furnishings used by the General and his family. On view also in the house are the author --Keyes’s collections of more than 200 antique dolls and 87 tea pots. Her extensive collections of delicate fans and fascinating folk costumes are also on exhibit. A gift shop on the premises sells a number of Keyes books and other attractive souvenirs.

Standing tall and elegant Its boundaries of New Orleans as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Esplanade Avenue to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, Canal Street, Decatur Street and Iberville Street to the south and the Basin Street, St. Louis Street and North Rampart Street to the west.The French Quarter is the oldest area of the city but is more properly known as the Vieux Carre, because although founded by the French in 1718, it also reflects the art and architecture of the Spanish era. By the 1850s, the French Quarter had fallen into disrepair.

Winter is upon us everywhere in the US French engineer Adrien de Pauger laid out the streets of New Orleans in 1721 and chose one to carry the name of the French royal family ruling at the time, Rue Bourbon.In the early 1900s there was a dance hall in New Orleans called “The Big Easy.” But the nickname did not become famous until the early 1970s. That was when a Louisiana newspaper writer began calling New Orleans by this name. She compared the easy-going way of life there to the hurried pace of life in New York CityNew Orleans is world-renowned for its distinct music, Creole cuisine, unique dialect, and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras.