Uptown, Carrollton, Garden District & Lower Garden District

Although many people refer to the Garden District and Carrollton as “Uptown,” Uptown is in fact a specific neighborhood bounded by Louisiana, Broadway, Claiborne and the River. The City Planning Commission divides this large area into a number of “sub neighborhoods” such as Freret, Touro, West Riverside and Black Pearl.

Uptown boasts a wide array of architecture ranging from grand mansions and Creole cottages, to Greek Revivals, gabled Tudors and Queen Annes. Previously pastures and farmland, the neighborhood is world-famous for its oak-lined streets.

Uptown is home to two New Orleans universities; Tulane and Loyola. Both universities are located on St. Charles Avenue across from Audubon Park. The park is approximately six miles to the west of the City Center of New Orleans and sits on land that was purchased by the City in 1871. It extends from St. Charles Avenue to the Mississippi River. Named in honor of the artist and naturalist, John James Audubon, the park contains one of the top-rated golf courses in the country, and green space with ponds, bridle-paths and Beaux Arts fountains. The ring road around the park is a popular place for bicyclists, joggers and skaters. The Audubon Zoo, one of the top-ranked zoos in the country, is nearby and showcases innovative natural habitat exhibits and an extraordinary animal collection ranging from the white alligators to white tigers. The levee and bend of the river provides a haven for dog-walkers, bicyclists, picnickers and sunbathers. For shopping, Uptown offers Magazine Street, with its eclectic mix of shops, art galleries and restaurants.

Uptown is also home to The Prytania Movie Theater. A favorite for locals, it was constructed in the early 1900s and offers current movies on a single-large screen, one of the only such theaters remaining in the state. This neighborhood, with its older, raised homes and naturally occurring high ground, was spared most of the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina. Uptown was repaired quickly and today it is one of the most pristine sections of the City.

The Garden District was one of New Orleans’ first suburbs to be developed after the Louisiana Purchase. The District got its name for its spacious and showy gardens. It runs from Jackson Ave. to Louisiana Ave. and St Charles Ave. to the river. Rich Americans were drawn to New Orleans in the 1800s because of its booming economy. These new residents built houses with large and lush lawns, unlike the typical walled-in homes common in the French Quarter. During the Depression, many of the properties in the neighborhood were sub-divided and newer houses were built between the original mansions.

Noted architect, Samuel Wilson, Jr. stated that the Garden District was “one of the earliest expressions of the Greek Revival to appear in New Orleans.” Greek Revivals, Italianates and Victorians predominate the neighborhood with a gentle mix of 20th century styles. The Garden District’s canopy of oak trees is world famous. Its characteristic gardens of hibiscus, crape myrtles, angel trumpets, magnolias and bougainvillea, make it New Orleans’ most beautiful inner-city neighborhood.

Commander’s Palace is considered the hidden jewel in the heart of The Garden District. Attracting gourmets from around the world since 1880, Commander’s brunch is considered a Sunday afternoon staple. Lafayette Cemetery is the Garden District’s first cemetery and has been the location for movies such as “Double Jeopardy” and “Interview with the Vampire.” The Rink is an eclectic shopping area with various local businesses. The Garden District Book Shop makes its home there, and is a feast for the bibliophile with their many signed, first-editions and limited editions by many regionally and naturally acclaimed authors. Steps away, you can take a ride on the famous St. Charles streetcar that has been running for over 165 years. The streetcar runs 13 miles from Canal Street through the Garden District to Carrollton Ave. Like Uptown, the Garden District suffered minimal damage due to Hurricane Katrina and has been restored to its exquisite and elegant beauty.

The Lower Garden District runs along the river to St. Charles Ave and Pontchartrain Expressway to Jackson Ave. The houses in The Lower Garden District predate those in The Garden District proper, since they were built in the early 19th century when the City grew upriver from the French Quarter. The neighborhood offers an architectural buffet of Greek Revivals, Victorians, and historic cottage styles. Sophisticated townhouses assemble around Coliseum Square, giving it an antique ambiance.

The Lower Garden District also benefits from the assorted shopping choices on Magazine Street, or as locals call it “Magazine Row.” In this little area you can find almost anything ranging from oyster plates, to Victorian lighting, to Oriental rugs, to folk art. Its array of luxurious spas, casual and up-scale dining, coffee shops and art galleries, make it a distinctive shopping experience.

In 1971, The Coliseum Square Park Neighborhood Association formed to protect the neighborhood’s architectural integrity and succeeded in placing the area on the National Register of Historic Places. Their annual home tours are an anticipated event by locals and out-of-towners alike.

The Lower Garden District was already in the process of revival before Hurricane Katrina and is continuing since the area remained dry and relatively unchanged. Its architectural beauties and rich cultural heritage only get better with time.

Located at “the end of the line” of the St. Charles Ave. streetcar, the Carrollton neighborhood was originally a separate town from New Orleans. It is the part of New Orleans that is furthest up river from the French Quarter. Historically, the boundaries of the City of Carrollton were the Mississippi River, the downriver border of Jefferson Parish, Claiborne Avenue, and Lowerline Street. The incorporation of Carrollton created an apparent anomaly in New Orleans street names; Lowerline is upriver from Upperline Street, which was originally the upriver boundary of another suburb annexed in the 1850s. Carrollton is comprised of several neighborhoods: Riverbend, Upper Carrollton, Maple Area and Uptown Triangle.

Carrollton was named a “National Register Historic District” in 1987 in recognition of its architecture. Many of the area’s homes are wide structures that beckon you with their deep porches and large windows. The neighborhood is a mixture of Raised Center-Hall cottages or villas, Victorians, and styles from the 1940s and 1950s. Its delicate blend of residences, churches, schools and businesses surrounded by gorgeous live oaks, make it an ideal place to live or visit.

In addition to Carrollton Avenue and Saint Charles Avenue, the neighborhood still retains two "neighborhood main streets" of mixed residential and commercial use. Lower Carrollton centers on Maple Street, with its many restaurants, coffee houses, bars, upscale shops and the local’s favorite, Maple Street Books. Upper Carrollton has Oak Street, which still has the look and feel of the 1950s. There you will find restaurants such as Jacques-Imo’s “where the locals eat” and the famous Maple Leaf Bar where some of the world’s top musicians play and even play host to poetry readings on Sundays.

Carrollton was subjected to moderate to severe flooding during Katrina. But, with its strong neighborhood associations, Carrollton is rebuilding and will be back stronger than ever.