Front:
Pontalba Apartment Buildings.
New Orleans, La.
Back:
1B-H1195
A. HIRSCHWITZ, NEW ORLEANS, LA.
AMERICA'S FIRST APARTMENTS,
NEW ORLEANS
Here is a view of one of the two Pontalba
Apartment buildings, constructed nearly 100
years ago by the Baroness Pontalba. The
buildings are used today in practically the
same manner as when built; that is, shops on
the ground floor and living quarters on the
second-third floors.
The balconies on the apartment buildings
are especially noteworthy because of their
exquisite iron railings in which there is fre-
quent repetition of the monogram A-P to sig-
nify the families of Almonaster and Pontalba.
Don Andres Almonaster y Roxas, father of
the baroness, was the city's greatest philan-
thropist.
The Pontalba Apartments flank the upper
and lower sides of Jackson Square in the
heart of the New Orleans Vieux Carre, or
French Quarter. The name of this square was
changed, at her suggestion from Place d'Armes
because of her enthusiasm for Andrew Jack-
son's great victory at the Battle of New
Orleans, ending the War of 1812.
ORLEANS
AMERICA'S MOST INTERESTING CITY
