Jackson Square, New Orleans
Encyclopedia
Jackson Square, also known as Place d'Armes, is a historic park in the French Quarter
of New Orleans, Louisiana
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1960.
in Paris
, France
, by the architect and landscaper Louis H. Pilié. Jackson Square is roughly the size of a city block (GPS +29.95748 -090.06310).
Early French colonial New Orleans was originally centered around what was then called the Place d' Armes (Spanish: Plaza de Armas). After the Battle of New Orleans
, in 1815, the Place d' Armes was renamed Jackson Square after the victorious United States general Andrew Jackson
. In the center of the park stands an equestrian statue
of Jackson erected in 1856, one of four identical statues in the United States by the sculptor Clark Mills
.
The square originally overlooked the Mississippi River
across Decatur Street, but the view was blocked in the 19th century by the building of taller levees. The riverfront was long devoted to shipping docks. The 20th-century administration of Mayor Moon Landrieu
installed a scenic boardwalk on top of the levee to reconnect the city to the river; it is known as the "Moon Walk" in his honor.
On the north side of the square are three 18th‑century historic buildings, which were the city's heart in the colonial era. The center of the three is St. Louis Cathedral
. The cathedral was designated as a minor Basilica by Pope Paul VI
. To its left is the Cabildo
, the old city hall, now a museum, where the final version of the Louisiana Purchase
was signed. To the Cathedral's right is the Presbytère
, built to match the Cabildo. The Presbytère originally housed the city's Roman Catholic priests and authorities; at the start of the 19th century, it was adapted as the city hall, and in the 20th century became a museum.
The Place d'Armes was the prime site for the public execution of disobedient slaves during the 18th and early 19th centuries. After the 1811 German Coast Uprising
, three slaves were hanged here. The heads from their dismembered bodies were put on the city's gates.
In the Reconstruction era, the Place d'Armes served as an arsenal. During the insurrection following the disputed 1872 gubernatorial election
, in March 1873, it was the site of the Battle of Jackson Square. A several-thousand man militia under John McEnery, the Democratic claimant to the office of the Governor, defeated the New Orleans militia, seizing control of the state's buildings and armory for a few days. They retreated before the arrival of Federal forces, which re-established control temporarily in the state.
From the 1920s through the 1980s the square was famous as a gathering place of painter
s of widely varying talents, including proficient professionals, talented young art students, amateurs, and caricaturists. While still a site for artists and musicians, in the early 1990s the square became popular among tarot card readers. They began to tell fortunes on St. Peter and St. Ann streets. Chartres Street, in front of Saint Louis Cathedral, the Presbytère and the Cabildo, is shared by tourists and artists, musicians and varied street performers, such as jugglers and magicians.
On the other two sides of the square are the Pontalba Buildings, matching red-brick, block-long 4‑story buildings built in the 1840s. The ground floors house shops and restaurants; the upper floors are apartments; they are the oldest continuously rented apartments in North America.
Diagonally across Decatur Street upriver from Jackson Square is the Jax Brewery building, the original home of a favorite local beer. After the company ceased to operate independently, the building was converted into several businesses, including restaurants and specialty shops. In recent years, some retail space has been converted into luxury condominiums. Diagonally across Decatur Street downriver from the square is Café du Monde
, open 24 hours a day. It is known for its café au lait
, prepared with chicory
, and beignet
s, served there continuously since the 19th century.
The square has been the site of hundreds of live music events, including the September 9, 2010 Dave Matthews Band
and Taylor Swift
performance for the Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints
2010 NFL Season kickoff.
, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
and television series K-Ville
, Treme
and Memphis Beat
.
It is the setting of an early scene in the graphic novel Polly and the Pirates
by Ted Naifeh
. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
episode "Image in the Sand
", Joseph Sisko (Brock Peters
) reveals that he met his first wife Sarah (Deborah Lacey
) in Jackson Square. Jackson Square is one of the most important locations that can be visited in the computer game Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
. The park is a crucial site, with much of the game's action focusing on it and a number of characters making their appearance there.
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
of New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1960.
Design
Jackson Square was designed after the famous 17th-century Place des VosgesPlace des Vosges
The Place des Vosges is the oldest planned square in Paris.It is located in the Marais district, and it straddles the dividing-line between the 3rd and 4th arrondissements of Paris.- History :...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, by the architect and landscaper Louis H. Pilié. Jackson Square is roughly the size of a city block (GPS +29.95748 -090.06310).
History
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
, in 1815, the Place d' Armes was renamed Jackson Square after the victorious United States general Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. In the center of the park stands an equestrian statue
Equestrian sculpture
An equestrian statue is a statue of a rider mounted on a horse, from the Latin "eques", meaning "knight", deriving from "equus", meaning "horse". A statue of a riderless horse is strictly an "equine statue"...
of Jackson erected in 1856, one of four identical statues in the United States by the sculptor Clark Mills
Clark Mills
Clark Mills may refer to:*Clark Mills, New York*Clark Mills , American sculptor*Clark Mills , boatbuilder...
.
The square originally overlooked the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
across Decatur Street, but the view was blocked in the 19th century by the building of taller levees. The riverfront was long devoted to shipping docks. The 20th-century administration of Mayor Moon Landrieu
Moon Landrieu
Maurice Edwin "Moon" Landrieu is a Democratic politician from Louisiana who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 1970–1978. He also is a former judge...
installed a scenic boardwalk on top of the levee to reconnect the city to the river; it is known as the "Moon Walk" in his honor.
On the north side of the square are three 18th‑century historic buildings, which were the city's heart in the colonial era. The center of the three is St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
Saint Louis Cathedral , also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans; it has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States...
. The cathedral was designated as a minor Basilica by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. To its left is the Cabildo
The Cabildo
The Cabildo was the seat of colonial government in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is now a museum. The Cabildo is located along Jackson Square, adjacent to St. Louis Cathedral.- History :The original Cabildo was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire...
, the old city hall, now a museum, where the final version of the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
was signed. To the Cathedral's right is the Presbytère
The Presbytere
The Presbytère, also known as The Presbytere, is an important historical building in New Orleans, Louisiana and is located in the French Quarter along Jackson Square, adjacent to the St...
, built to match the Cabildo. The Presbytère originally housed the city's Roman Catholic priests and authorities; at the start of the 19th century, it was adapted as the city hall, and in the 20th century became a museum.
The Place d'Armes was the prime site for the public execution of disobedient slaves during the 18th and early 19th centuries. After the 1811 German Coast Uprising
1811 German Coast Uprising
The 1811 German Coast Uprising was a slave revolt that took place in parts of the Territory of Orleans on January 8–10, 1811. The revolt took place on the east coast of the Mississippi River in what are now St. John the Baptist and St. Charles Parishes, Louisiana. While the slave insurgency was...
, three slaves were hanged here. The heads from their dismembered bodies were put on the city's gates.
In the Reconstruction era, the Place d'Armes served as an arsenal. During the insurrection following the disputed 1872 gubernatorial election
Colfax massacre
The Colfax massacre or Colfax Riot occurred on Easter Sunday, April 13, 1873, in Colfax, Louisiana, the seat of Grant Parish, during Reconstruction, when white militia attacked freedmen at the Colfax courthouse...
, in March 1873, it was the site of the Battle of Jackson Square. A several-thousand man militia under John McEnery, the Democratic claimant to the office of the Governor, defeated the New Orleans militia, seizing control of the state's buildings and armory for a few days. They retreated before the arrival of Federal forces, which re-established control temporarily in the state.
Arts
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s of widely varying talents, including proficient professionals, talented young art students, amateurs, and caricaturists. While still a site for artists and musicians, in the early 1990s the square became popular among tarot card readers. They began to tell fortunes on St. Peter and St. Ann streets. Chartres Street, in front of Saint Louis Cathedral, the Presbytère and the Cabildo, is shared by tourists and artists, musicians and varied street performers, such as jugglers and magicians.
Contemporary features and events
Live music is a regular feature of the square. Occasional formal concerts are held here, but for a century or more musicians playing for tips have set up in the square. Nearby residents sometimes try to get them removed, which never continues for long.On the other two sides of the square are the Pontalba Buildings, matching red-brick, block-long 4‑story buildings built in the 1840s. The ground floors house shops and restaurants; the upper floors are apartments; they are the oldest continuously rented apartments in North America.
Diagonally across Decatur Street upriver from Jackson Square is the Jax Brewery building, the original home of a favorite local beer. After the company ceased to operate independently, the building was converted into several businesses, including restaurants and specialty shops. In recent years, some retail space has been converted into luxury condominiums. Diagonally across Decatur Street downriver from the square is Café du Monde
Café du Monde
Café du Monde is a coffee shop on Decatur Street in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is best known for its café au lait and its French-style beignets. In the New Orleans style, the coffee is blended with chicory....
, open 24 hours a day. It is known for its café au lait
Café au lait
Café au lait is a French coffee drink. The meaning of the term differs between Europe and the United States; in both cases it means some kind of coffee with hot milk added, in contrast to white coffee, which is coffee with room temperature milk or other whitener added.- Europe :In Europe, "café au...
, prepared with chicory
Chicory
Common chicory, Cichorium intybus, is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Various varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons , or for roots , which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. It is also...
, and beignet
Beignet
A beignet in the U.S. is a pastry made from deep-fried dough, much like a doughnut, and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar, or frostings. Savory versions of beignets are also popular as an appetizer, with fillings such as maple or fruit preserves....
s, served there continuously since the 19th century.
The square has been the site of hundreds of live music events, including the September 9, 2010 Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
and Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
performance for the Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
2010 NFL Season kickoff.
Representation in media
Jackson Square has been filmed in numerous television shows and movies. Among these are the films Angel HeartAngel Heart
Angel Heart is a 1987 North American/British mystery-thriller film written and directed by Alan Parker, and starring Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, and Lisa Bonet...
, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy-drama film directed by David Fincher. The screenplay by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald...
and television series K-Ville
K-Ville (TV series)
K-Ville is an American television drama created and executive produced by Jonathan Lisco, centering on policing New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina...
, Treme
Treme (TV series)
Treme is an American television drama series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that premiered on April 11, 2010 on HBO. It takes its name from Tremé, a neighborhood of New Orleans...
and Memphis Beat
Memphis Beat
Memphis Beat is an American drama series that debuted on TNT on June 22, 2010 and ended on August 16, 2011. Memphis Beat was officially canceled on October 14, 2011.-Overview:...
.
It is the setting of an early scene in the graphic novel Polly and the Pirates
Polly and the Pirates
Polly and the Pirates is an independent comic book series written and illustrated by Ted Naifeh and released through Oni Press.This is a miniseries of comic books from Ted Naifeh...
by Ted Naifeh
Ted Naifeh
Edward "Ted" Naifeh is an American comic book writer and artist who gained notoriety for his illustrations in the goth romance comic Gloomcookie...
. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
episode "Image in the Sand
Image in the Sand (DS9 episode)
"Image in the Sand" is the title of a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode, the opener for the series' seventh and final season. Its episode number is 151, and it first aired on September 30, 1998...
", Joseph Sisko (Brock Peters
Brock Peters
Brock Peters was an American actor, best known for playing the role of Tom Robinson in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird...
) reveals that he met his first wife Sarah (Deborah Lacey
Deborah Lacey
Deborah Lacey is an American actress.Lacey had a recurring role in the final season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Sarah Sisko, the mother of Benjamin Sisko. More recently, Lacey has the recurring role of Carla in Mad Men...
) in Jackson Square. Jackson Square is one of the most important locations that can be visited in the computer game Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight
Gabriel Knight is a series of adventure games produced by Sierra On-Line in the 1990s. Three games were released in the series: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery and Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned.One compilation was...
. The park is a crucial site, with much of the game's action focusing on it and a number of characters making their appearance there.