Pitot House

Pitot House Review

One of the few surviving houses that lined the bayou in the late 1700s, and the only Creole-colonial style house in the city open to the public, Pitot House is named for James Pitot, who bought the property in 1810 as a country home for his family. Pitot built one of the first cotton presses in New Orleans, served as the city's mayor from 1804 to 1805, and later as parish court judge. The Pitot House was restored and moved a block to its current location in the 1960s to make way for the expansion of Cabrini High School. It is noteworthy for its stucco-covered brick-between-post construction, an example of which is exposed on the second floor. The house is typical of the West Indies style brought to Louisiana by early planters, with galleries around the house that protect the interior from both rain and sunshine. There aren't any interior halls to stifle ventilation, and opposing doors encourage a cross breeze. The house is furnished with period antiques from the United States, particularly from Louisiana.