Lafayette Square: A Public Space True to New Orleans

Part of a series on New Orleans public spaces

Every city “should be like itself. Every city has differences, from its history, from its site, and so on. These are important,” she said. “One of the most dismal things is when you go to a city and it’s like 12 others you’ve seen. That’s not interesting, and it’s not really truthful.” ~Jane Jacobs, Reason Magazine, 2001

Lafayette Square History
1788 will always be remembered as the year of the great fire of New Orleans- a monster blaze that destroyed 856 of the 1,000 buildings in the fledgling city. Although it did not significantly damage Jackson Square (then, still called the Place d’Armes), that park quickly became a tent city, housing many of the people who’d lost their homes and everything they owned. For five years as the city worked to get back on its feet, Jackson Square ceased to be a quiet place to gather.

Lafayette Square, the heart of the Lafayette Square Historic District, arose to meet that public need. Situated in the city’s first suburb, there was ample room for growth, and soon official buildings began to spring up around its perimeter, owing in part to the damage and chaos in the French Quarter. Grand hotels for visiting dignitaries, military and commercial buildings all began to service businessmen and visitors.

A decade before the Civil War General Sherman was stationed in New Orleans, saying:

I went down to New Orleans in a steamboat in the month of September 1852, taking with me a clerk, and on arrival, assumed the office in a bank building facing Lafayette Square, in which were the offices of all the Army departments…

Gallier Hall was added to the landscape in the following year, solidifying the area as a seat of governmental power. Named for its famous architect/designer, the building functioned as City Hall for over a century and held the wakes of General Beauregard and Jefferson Davis. It also played a part in the dramas of Huey Long, as he fought with the registrar of voters for control over elections, going as far as to march National Guard soldiers across the Square, from Gallier Hall to the registrar’s offices on the other side of the park, inside the Soule building.

Politicians often met beneath the live oaks to work out deals,and it was a natural location for political protest and government largess as free public concerts were arranged in the park.

Local interest allowed the Square to grow and be nurtured, adding sculpture and ever-more impressive buildings as it went. Statues were added in added in 1872 (Ben Franklin), 1897 (John McDonogh, great benefactor of New Orleans’ public schools), and 1900 (Henry Clay). During the depression it became the recipient of several WPA projects, both in construction and in the creative arts.

Lafayette Square today

Lafayette Square’s historic live oaks sustained heavy damage in Katrina’s winds, causing concerned citizens to come together to form the Lafayette Square Conservancy (LSC), which oversees the park and its maintenance, brings new art to the Square and hosts musical performances and other public events.

Aside from the typical sculpture you would expect to find in a park, the LSC has broadened its range, searching out unique and new artists to contribute to the Square’s ambiance.

Life around the Square always bustles, but Mardi Gras is a particularly busy time. Viewing stands are put up along the St. Charles parade route, and Krewe royalty receive places of honor in front of Gallier Hall.  Marching bands always stop on the block to give their best performance of their route for the judges. Balls are often held inside the Hall, and the Square is an excellent place to relax and recharge in the midst of Carnival excitement.

From the earliest days of its history, Lafayette Square has played host to musicians, but it’s only more recently that the schedule has become more structured. Two free, annual events that draw major talent have arisen-  Wednesdays at the Square showcases local musicians over 12 Spring Wednesday evenings while the Louisiana Blues and BBQ Festival (an offshoot of Jazzfest) comes around in the fall.

Although the seat of city governance has moved, state and federal offices are still clustered here, bringing together official business with New Orleans-style fun and relaxation, assuring that Lafayette Square will continue to be a central gathering place for our citizens.

Why is this a great public space?

Let’s revisit the Project for Public Space’s list of what a public space must have:

1. Activities & Uses:“Numerous things to do, attracting many different people” and “Being able to sit, converse, or just look at passersby is key.”
2. Comfort & Image:“Good details can tantalize- they signal that someone took the time and energy to design amenities that welcome, intrigue or help.”
3. Access & Linkage:“A good place is easy to see and get to- people want to see that there is something to do, that other have been successfully enticed to enter.”
4. Sociability:“A good place is refreshing and rejuvenating; after you leave it, you feel better for having been there.”

Clearly, Lafayette Square meets and surpasses each of these requirements.  Located at the heart of the Central Business District and on the streetcar line, it couldn’t be easier to get to. History abounds both in the buildings that surround it and the events that have occurred within it.  The oak trees might have taken damage in the hurricane, but they still provide a wonderful shady canopy that makes the benches that much more enticing.