Live Like a Tourist and Visit These Pre-1935 NOLA Havens

Historic Hot Spots

So as summer approaches, there is no better time to take a "staycation" and rediscover the magic and historic culture of New Orleans with these historic buildings and businesses, all dating before 1935.

New Orleans is such a unique and charming city filled with so many stories embedded into its history. Sadly, sometimes as natives of the area, we often forget all the wonderful things that she has to offer.

Unwind in the past and present

It doesn't matter if your trip is a quick overnight stay or a weekend getaway. The city has an abundance of places to stay, and here are a few faves that have some interesting history behind the building and business.

NOPSI Hotel, 317 Baronne St., CBD

The building that is home to the NOPSI Hotel used to be the former headquarters of New Orleans Public Service Inc., which operated the transit, electricity, and gas in the city until 1980.

Built in 1927, the building is on the National Registry of Historic Places. Eighty years later, it was transformed into the NOPSI Hotel, opening its doors to travelers who can experience modern luxuries while paying homage to the Jazz Age. The 217-room hotel features spacious suites, indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, a restaurant offering live music and jazz brunch, and a rooftop pool and bar.

The NOPSI Hotel is a member of the Historic Hotels of America, and, in 2011, the building was declared a historic landmark by the Historic District Landmarks Commission.

Inn at the Old Jail, 2552 St. Philip St., Tremé

Built in 1903, the property was originally an NOPD police jail and patrol station, which later became a library and community center. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city, the building was nearly destroyed. Eight years later, Raul and Liz Canache saved the Queen Anne Victorian from demolition and transformed it into an award-collecting modern guesthouse. After a 3.5-year renovation, the building reopened in 2017 as the Inn at the Old Jail, which has nine uniquely charming guest rooms, a piano room and lounge, a tropical courtyard, and a stunning rooftop patio.

The building has been recognized by the Louisiana Landmarks Society for Excellence in Historic Preservation and the U.S. Dept. of the Interior in the National Register of Historic Places.

Aging like fine wine

New Orleans is home to some of the best restaurants and food in the world. The city is rich in not just culture but also culinary history, as many of our well-known restaurants have some stunning stories behind their start.

Napoleon House, 500 Chartres St., French Quarter

Built in 1797 as a private residence for Nicholas Girod, who at the time was the mayor of New Orleans, Napoleon House earned its name from Girod offering the building as a place of refuge to Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile.

In 1914, the Impastato family purchased the building. Under the ownership of J. Impastato, he turned Napoleon House into an iconic restaurant. Feeling the need to create some ambiance, "Uncle Joe" brought in a Victrola to play opera records for the restaurant's customers. Over 100 years later, that tradition is still alive at Napoleon House. In 2015, the Impastato family sold Napoleon House to Ralph Brennan, whose restaurant group also owns several notable restaurants in the area. Napoleon House is well known for many of their traditional New Orleans dishes, including red beans, gumbo, and muffaletta sandwiches.

In the 1970s, Napoleon House was declared a National Historic Landmark.

Vessel NOLA, 3835 Iberville St., Mid-City

The building that is home to Vessel was first built in 1914 as a Lutheran church. In 1977, the property was desanctified, remodeled, and opened as a restaurant called Christian's, but it flooded during Hurricane Katrina and never reopened.

In 2016, Alec Wilder and Eddie Dyer purchased the building, and Vessel NOLA was born—a name that is very fitting as the ceiling of the 100-year-old building was modeled after a ship's hull. Vessel NOLA offers dining with community seating in a beautiful architectural setting with natural light shining through the stained-glass windows, as well as a 35-foot wooden bar and heated outside seating area.

In 2018, Architectural Digest featured Vessel as one of the eight most gorgeous restaurants in former churches worldwide.

Summertime Sweets

As many may know, it gets hot and humid during the summer in New Orleans, so while you're out and about, be sure to stop off at one of our many historic sno-ball and ice cream shops to cool off.

Angelo Brocato's, 214 N. Carrollton St., Mid-City

One of our oldest and most famous dessert shops is Angelo Brocato's Original Italian Ice Cream Parlor, which has been open in New Orleans for almost 120 years. While they have moved a couple of times from their original location on Ursulines Street in the French Quarter, the Brocato family still offers the same delicious, sweet treats. In addition to their famous gelato and cannoli, they also serve a wide variety of pastries, biscotti, and beverages.

Hansen's Sno-Bliz, 4801 Tchoupitoulas St., Uptown

Another historic place to check out is Hansen's Sno-Bliz on Tchoupitoulas Street. Opening in 1934, Hansen's is one of the oldest sno-ball stands in New Orleans and the county. Original owner Ernest Hansen built Hansen's ice-shaving machine himself, named the "Sno-Bliz," back in the 1930s, making it the first-ever block-ice shaver. Over 90 years later, Hansen's is opened and operated by Ernest's granddaughter Ashley Hansen, who still serves the same original recipes that he founded long ago.

So the next time you're looking for a little break, take a day or two to "travel" around town and see what you have been missing. No matter where you go in New Orleans, you will become surrounded by so much beautiful history. If only walls could talk, we could learn so much more about our hometown. While some of these stories were written centuries ago, some are yet to be written.