City Park & Faubourg St. John

As many people already know, New Orleans at its lowest point stands about eight feet under sea level. Draining the city's outlying swamps stumped city planners for nearly two hundred years and many areas, now a part of incorporated New Orleans, did not develop until the turn of the twentieth century. The City Park and Faubourg St. John section of New Orleans was no stranger to this problem, with the exception of Bayou Road, a well settled thoroughfare dating back to the colonial era.  

Esplanade Avenue begins at the Mississippi River and divides the French Quarter from the Faubourg Marigny. This boulevard ends at City Park where the New Orleans Museum of Art is located. Local philanthropist, John McDonough, owned the plantation where the park is currently located. When he died in the mid-nineteenth century, he deeded this property to New Orleans who decided to make it into a park.  

When settlers first came to Louisiana, they met with local American Indians to barter and to trade in this area. They also set their post here during the building of the Vieux Carre.

Creole plantations can still be found, including the Pitot House built in 1727. Also among the more notable homes in this area is the Degas House where famed artist Edgard Degas lived for a short time.  

During the Spring, this area becomes extremely popular for one of the city's major festivals: the Jazz and Heritage Festival. People from all over the world come to this section of New Orleans for two weeks to find themselves dancing, eating, and drinking at the Fairgrounds.  

While this is mostly a residential area, a few boutiques and restaurants are scattered throughout. It is best to visit this area when Jazz Fest is not taking place so that the charm of the old Victorian homes and the stunning beauty of City Park can stand out on their own.