The Algiers Point Historic District Information PageThe Algiers Point Historic District is bounded by the curve of the Mississippi River on two sides, and by Atlantic and Newton Streets on the other two. The area was initially granted to Jean- Baptiste Lemoyne, Sieur de Bienville, founder of New Orleans, in 1719. The district encompasses land that was originally laid out as the town of Algiers around 1840. Historically, the navigational name for this bend in the river was Algiers Point, and so the town took its name.
The village grew rapidly. The Algiers-Canal Street Ferry began in 1827 and has been in continuous operation ever since. In 1837 a dry dock, said to be the first on the Gulf Coast, was established at the foot of present-day Seguin Street. By the 1850s, Algiers had two suburbs, Belleville and Brooklyn, which would later be absorbed into the growing town. Also in the 1850s, the New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad was built through Algiers. The railroad yard grew and flourished in the Elmira-Pacific-Atlantic area, exerting great influence there and eventually employing three to four thousand Algiers residents. The town of Algiers was annexed by the City of New Orleans on March 14, 1870, and it continued to develop into the early twentieth century.
The present structures found in Algiers Point reflect the respective styles of the changing periods of the district's development. Some of the early structures from the 1840s still exist today, but the district is dominated by buildings in the Greek Revival, Italianate and Victorian styles, reflecting Algiers Point's period of greatest growth and development from 1850 to1900. The majority of the buildings are single story, although story and a half, camelback, and two-story homes are found. Dwellings range from modest to grand. Virtually all residential structures are of frame construction. Because the majority of homes were intended to be owner-occupied, construction is finer and decorative trim more elaborate.
Polimom's BLOGThe Friends of the FerryThe RIVERcam - overall aerial live view of Algiers Point from accross the riverCita Dennis Hubbell Branch - New Orleans Public Library
A community foundation led by community and business leaders whose goal is to continue the area's growth and prosperity while maintaining its special quality of life.
A very active neighborhood organization founded in 1972 to preserve the integrity of the architecture and improve the quality of life. Cita Dennis Hubbell was one of the founding members. The APA site has an extensive directory of neighborhood businesses and institutions.
Founded in 1996 as part of a much larger effort in which the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center has effectively redeveloped the economy of communities in 43 states by steering new investment into historic downtowns.