New Orleans 300 Year Milestone

New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz, famous for its cuisine and festivals, especially the annual Mardi Gras. For two weeks during the month of February or March, New Orleans city streets are filled with music, dancing and colourful floats incorporated in the annual Mardi Gras parade. Participants and party goers don-on elaborate costumes for the huge party on Mardi Gras day, known in New Orleans as Fat Tuesday.  All year round, Bourbon Street is the hub of the buzzing French Quarter, where locals and tourists flock for the best live music and largest cocktails.  

New Orleans The Crescent City

It’s hard to believe that most of the area that is now called New Orleans was originally uninhabitable bog. Along the bend of the Mississippi River was the only viable land on which to build. This crescent-shaped land is located in the old-part of town (French Quarter, CBD, Bywater, Warehouse District and Faubourg Marigny) hence, its nickname ‘The Crescent City’.

Things To Do In New Orleans | New Orleans Film Locations

In 2019, the Best Picture Oscar Award was won by American comedy-drama movie, Green Book which was partially filmed in New Orleans. Throughout the movie, you get a glimpse of the ‘Tiny Houses of the South.’ The road-trip style movie is set in 1962, and filmed in a variety of places from New York City to New Orleans. For those interested in a self-guided tour of the Green Book film locations, see the notes at the bottom of this article.

For other New Orleans filming locations, check out Louisiana Travel website which is packed with trip ideas, tours and awesome things to do in New Orleans. 

Shotgun House Architecture | Self-Guide Tour

New Orleans has over 300 years of historic architecture which includes shotgun house design. It has a diverse architectural style that is distinctly colonial French and Spanish. 

Small and modest Shotgun houses are unique in many New Orleans neighbourhoods from as early as 1810 in the French Quarter and Treme. After reading an article on a New Orleans Shotgun House Tour, I caught a pedestrian ferry from Canal Street across the muddy Mississippi river to the second oldest neighbourhood Algiers.  Algiers is architecturally rich and the perfect destination to admire and photograph the Best Shotgun ‘compact living’ treasures.

Shotgun House | Exterior | Interior 

 Preserving New Orleans Architecture

Many shotgun houses have been beautifully rejuvenated throughout the city like this one in Pelican Street, Algiers.  The unique style of Shotgun house architecture is integral in the New Orleans footprint. Shotgun houses for sale around New Orleans have increased dramatically over the last decade and attract record resale prices.  Just take a look on Zillow.com  and Realtor.com at historical real estate prices in New Orleans. 

Skip The Tourist Traps | Visit A Local Neighbourhood

When visiting a new city, I like to explore places not on the tourist map to get a feel for what it would be like to live there. With the help of Google Maps it  was ease to find each Shotgun house in the Algiers neighbourhood. The flat streets may be shady and beautiful, however many of roads and footpaths are in disrepair. I felt very safe walking the streets and enjoyed chatting with residents who were more than happy to talk about their neighbourhood and the Shotgun house architecture in Algiers.

Tiny Houses | Affordable Housing

Compact living has become increasingly popular around the world with television programmes showcasing the cost-saving benefits, design ideas and alternative solutions of small scale living. Cleverly designed small house plans focus on creating efficient use of space whilst making the home appear larger than it is. Good use of outdoor areas are often incorporated in tiny homes. Many first time house buyers looking for more affordable builds are turning to tiny houses rather than traditional project homes.

Local Pub | Local People

After your self-guided shotgun house tour, don’t miss a stop off at Old Point Bar on Patterson Street which is filled with loads of character, cheerful locals and ice cold beer. 

Why Is It Called a Shotgun House?

No matter its origin, these simple in design and easy to build houses dominated the late 19th and early 20th century of New Orleans working-class neighbourhoods and some wealthier areas such as the Garden District.

Single & Double Shotgun

Shotgun House Interior 

The double Shotgun is a duplex / twin of the single Shotgun; two separate residences under one roof. The double has a symmetrical façade with a central pair of shuttered windows flanked by entrance doors. Both residences have a similar layout as the Single Shotgun however neither have an interior hallway.

Shotgun House | Self-Guided Tours 

Annual Shotgun Houses Self-Guided Tours are organised by Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans Private residences that showcase the livability and versatility of New Orleans’ beloved shotgun houses. For event information and tour dates click here. 

More Shotgun House Pictures | Algiers Homes

Famous Film Locations In New Orleans

CBS News proclaimed Louisiana the “movie capital of the world,” because Hollywood loves shotting feature films and television shows in New Orleans. The film locations are easy to visit and an interesting way to see different parts of this great city.

Green Book Movie | New Orleans | Hammond

The 2018 award-winning American comedy-drama movie Green Book was partially filmed in New Orleans.  The road-trip style movie set in 1962 was filmed in a variety of places from New York City to New Orleans. Rotten Tomatoes, an American review website for film and television gives Green Book an overall score of 81%. Personally, I loved the film and enjoyed the road-trip from Manhattan to the Deep South. 

The movie’s name comes from The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide, listing businesses that would accept African American customers. The Green Book was intended to aid African American motorists avoid social obstacles prevalent during the period of racial segregation.

The Green Book Movie Film locations | New Orleans 

Take this self-guided tour of the Green Book movie filming locations in New Orleans.

1. New York City Copacabana nightclub features in the  film. The exterior of the International House Hotel on Camp Street in New Orleans and the interior of the New Orleans historic ‘Carver Theatre’ were the actual Copacabana film sets.  

2. A New York City street was created at the intersections of East Thomas and South Cypress Street in Downtown Hammond.

3. A painting studio, Painting with a Twist in Hammond, was transformed into an old-fashioned store selling Christmas ornaments, toys and electronics. The large storefront window and studio received a major makeover for the shooting.

4. The unfriendly bar scene was filmed at Benny’s Place on West Thomas Street in Hammond

5.  The hot-dog-eating contest took place at The Clover Grill on Bourbon Street

GREEN BOOK TRAILER

“See any detour as an opportunity

to experience new things.”

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Want More Blogs On the USA?

Here’s a few links to other USA blogs created by the Progressive Traveller

There No Place Quite Like Charleston

The Five Missions of San Antonio

Things to Do in Nashville

Tales of Union Station Washington DC

Arlington National Cemetery Virginia

Best of Fredericksburg Texas

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