New Orleans’s French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré or simply “the Quarter” to locals, was founded in 1718 by a French Canadian naval officer named Jean Baptiste Bienville. Before his arrival, the area had been inhabited by Native Americans, like the Choctaw.
The land sits on a crescent near the Mississippi River, and is arranged in a military-style grid of seventy squares extending 13 blocks from Esplanade Avenue to Canal Street and about seven blocks from North Rampart Street to the Mississippi’s shore. As the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans, it has been dubbed a National Historic Landmark, and has several historic buildings within it.
Bienville named the city after Philippe d’Orléans, a member of the French royal family, to gain favor with the court. The influence of the French legacy can be seen throughout the town plan, central square (now called Jackson Square), street names, and various buildings, such as the Ursuline Convent, which is the only remaining building from this time period.
After the Spanish took over in 1762 when Louis XV transferred power over the region to his cousin Charles III of Spain, French colonists staged a revolution in 1768. However, the revolt was put down by then Governor Alejandro O’Reilly, who gained the nickname “Bloody O’Reilly” for his execution of well-known rebel Frenchmen.
The Spanish ruled New Orleans for about forty years. After the great fires of 1788 and 1794, much of the old French colonial architecture in the French Quarter, about 1,000 structures in total, including the main church, St. Louis Cathedral, and other governmental buildings, were destroyed. As such, much of the current landscape and architecture reflects the Spanish’s presence in the area. During this time, the St. Louis Cathedral was rebuilt, in addition to the Presbytere, the courthouse, and the Cabildo, the city hall, all of which are still standing today.
Once the United States purchased Louisiana in 1803, Americans swarmed the city en masse. After a victory against the British in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, the 30s saw a decade of prosperity with the growth of cash crops like cotton and sugar, and the arrival of thousands of immigrants. Then, a decline persisted through the 1900s, including yellow fever epidemics and the Civil War in the 1860s. Much of the city also became industrialized during this time.
By the early 20th century, the French Quarter was in disrepair, but some families attempted to revitalize the area. Streets were repaired, businesses opened, and in the 1930s, the French Market was rebuilt. Artists, writers, and musicians were soon attracted to the city, and the area slowly gained popularity again.
Although there has always been a struggle between preservationists and developers about what to do with the area, it remains popular with visitors who want to appreciate the charm and beauty of the French Quarter.