Beauregard-Keyes House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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BK Historic House and Gardens
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 Location in Louisiana
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| Location | 1113 Chartres St., New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Built | 1826 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000853 |
| Added to NRHP | November 20, 1975 |
The Beauregard-Keyes House is a special old home in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Today, it's a museum called the BK Historic House and Gardens. It tells the stories of the many different people who lived there. These include rich French Creole families from before the American Civil War. It also shares the stories of the enslaved people who worked there. Later, Italian immigrant families lived in the house after the war. Finally, it was home to the famous American author Frances Parkinson Keyes.
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History of the House
The land where the house stands was once owned by Ursuline nuns. They sold parts of their land in 1825. The house was built in 1826 for Joseph LeCarpentier, who was an auctioneer. François Correjolles designed the house, and James Lambert built it.
The design mixed two styles: a Creole cottage and Greek Revival features. It had a grand front (called a Palladian façade). Inside, it used Creole ideas, like a central hallway. It also had separate buildings outside. In 1833, John A. Merle bought the house. His wife, Anais Philippon, added the beautiful garden next to it.
Who Was Beauregard?
In 1865, a local grocer named Dominique Lanata bought the house. He rented it out for many years. His first renters were the Beauregards. Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard was a famous general during the American Civil War. He married his second wife, Caroline Deslonde, in 1860. They spent their honeymoon briefly in this house. Sadly, Mrs. Beauregard died in 1864.
After the Civil War ended, General Beauregard lived in the house from 1866 to 1868. He then moved to another home in New Orleans.
In 1925, a new owner wanted to tear down the house to build factories. But local women formed a group called the Beauregard Memorial Association. They worked hard to save the historic home. Even though the garden couldn't be saved then, the house itself was protected.
Who Was Keyes?
The American author Frances Parkinson Keyes later bought the house at 1113 Chartres Street. She made it her home. While living there, Keyes wrote many books. One of her novels, Madame Castel's Lodger, was even set in the house. It featured General Beauregard as a character. This book explored his feelings after the Civil War.
She also wrote a book called The Chess Players. This story was about a chess champion named Paul Morphy. He was actually the grandson of the house's first owner, Joseph LeCarpentier.
The House Today
Frances Parkinson Keyes started restoring the house in 1945. She hired an architect named Richard Koch to help. She also worked with a group called the Garden Study Club. Together, they replanted the garden to look like it did in the 1830s. They also rebuilt the brick wall around it. In 1958, a special bronze plaque was placed on the house. It tells visitors about the home's long history.
Today, the Beauregard-Keyes House has been restored to its Victorian style. It shows off items that belonged to General Beauregard's family. You can also see Frances Parkinson Keyes's writing studio. Her collections of dolls and rare porcelain teapots are also on display. Keyes even wrote articles about her doll collection for magazines. A film called "The Story of the Dixie Doll" talks about Keyes's life, her books, and her dolls. The house is open for tours, so you can visit and learn more!
The house is also home to the Nous Foundation. This group works to share and celebrate Louisiana’s French and Creole-speaking cultures.
Images for kids
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The Beauregard-Keyes House today
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The house in the early 1900s
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Plaque
See also
