1100 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
29.960856,-90.060682
It goes without saying that the French Quarter contains some of the most concentrated amounts of history and hauntings in the United States. We have also learned that following two huge fires in 1788 and 1794, most of the entire city was destroyed and rebuilt. The few structures that did survive eventually succumbed to time and damaging storms. So far, we have mentioned several of the oldest buildings in the city such as Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and Madame John’s Legacy. This leaves us to discuss the single oldest building still standing in the city New Orleans. It is only fitting that the oldest building contains a story so outrageous and outlandish, that it could only sound believable in a city such as the Big Easy.
Our story begins sometime around 1727 when King Louis XV of France ordered a group of Ursuline nuns from Rouen to travel to New Orleans and establish a hospital and school for young children. The building was designed by Ignace Nicholas Broutin, the Chief Engineer of Louisiana, and architect Andre de Batz. Construction was complete in 1734 and the Ursuline nuns moved in. The building was made out of half-timber, also known as columbage. In most cases, this type of wall was protected with stucco or some other substance. Such was not the case with the convent, as the beams were left exposed to the elements. This proved to be disastrous, as the weather soon deteriorated the building and by 1744, it was on the brink of total collapse.
