Madame John's Legacy facts for kids
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Madame John's Legacy
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 Location in East New Orleans
Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 632 Dumaine St., New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Built | 1788 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000256 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 15, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | April 15, 1970 |
Madame John's Legacy is a really old house in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It's located at 632 Dumaine Street. This house was finished in 1788, making it one of the oldest buildings in the French Quarter. It was built in an older French colonial style, which was different from the newer Spanish colonial style popular back then.
Because of its special design, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1970. This means it's a very important historical place! The Louisiana State Museum now owns the house and offers tours, so you can visit and learn about its history.
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Exploring Madame John's Legacy
Madame John's Legacy is just north of Jackson Square. It sits on Dumaine Street, between Royal and Chartres Streets. The house got its name from a story called "Tite Poulette" by a New Orleans writer named George Washington Cable. The story was about an older building that used to be on this spot.
The house is built in a special style called a French colonial raised cottage. This means it has a tall basement made of brick, and the main living area is on the floor above, made of wood. The outside of the house is covered with wooden boards.
Behind the main house, there's an open courtyard. You can also see a brick building that was likely used as a kitchen and living quarters for enslaved people around the 1820s. Over many years, the street level outside the house has risen, so the basement now looks shorter than it did when it was first built.
A Glimpse into History
Records show that Madame John's Legacy was completed in 1788. However, some studies suggest that parts of an even older house might be included in the building. This earlier house was built around 1730 by François Marin. His widow, a businesswoman named Elisabeth Réal, lived there until she passed away in 1777.
After a big fire in 1788, the owner, Manuel de Lanzos, told the builder to reuse as many bricks and iron pieces as possible from the damaged house. This makes us think that enough of the old house survived the fire to be used again. Whether it was fully rebuilt or just repaired, the house was lucky enough to survive another huge fire in 1794 without any damage!
Over the years, the house changed a few times. In the late 1800s, it was even turned into apartments. In 1947, the house was given to the Louisiana State Museum and opened as a museum. But in 1965, it had to close because of damage from a hurricane. In the early 1970s, the house was carefully restored to look as much like it did in the late 1700s as possible. After all that hard work, it reopened its doors to visitors.
Madame John's Legacy in Movies
This historic house has even been featured in movies! You can briefly see it in the 1994 movie Interview with the Vampire. In one scene, coffins are being carried out of the house. The main character, Louis (Brad Pitt), talks about Lestat (Tom Cruise) and Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) going out in the city.
Part of the movie 12 Years a Slave was also filmed at Madame John's Legacy. It's pretty cool that such an old house has been part of modern movie history!
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana
- List of the oldest buildings in Louisiana
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Orleans Parish, Louisiana
