Ask Blake

Some streets in the East Riverside neighborhood Uptown are named for wealthy heiress Marie Antonine Foucher Delachaise and her family members.

Photo by Eileen Loh Harrist

Hey Blake,

I am new to New Orleans -- 3600 block of Constance Street -- and have been actively drinking in the culture, history and architecture. I have noticed in very old maps that a large chunk of Uptown, roughly between Louisiana and Napoleon avenues, St. Charles Avenue and the river, was totally void of streets, whilst all around was quite streeted. What was that all about? Also, is there a name for my neighborhood, Constance between Amelia and Antonine streets -- Faubourg something or other?

Doug

Dear Doug,

Welcome to our city, where we have culture, history and architecture out the wazoo.

First, I will tell you about your neighborhood. New Orleans has 72 "official" neighborhoods, and the unromantic name of yours is East Riverside. Its boundaries are Napoleon Avenue, Magazine and Toledano streets, and the river. In 1973, the city began to use the term "neighborhood" for planning and gathering socio-economic data. City planners gave each area a name, but they weren't too worried about being creative.

However, more than 100 years before the city planners divided up the city, your neighborhood was part of many plantations that lined the riverbank upriver from Canal Street. And before that, all of this land was part of the Chapitoulas Concession of Jean Baptiste LeMoyne de Bienville.

Uptown began with the division of the plantations into faubourgs. In 1855, Marie Antonine Foucher Delachaise, a granddaughter of Etienne de Bore and widow of Philippe Auguste Delachaise, subdivided the family plantation and called it Faubourg Delachaise. She then named four of the streets: Delachaise for her husband, Antonine and Foucher for herself, and Aline for her daughter.

The plantation directly upriver between what are now Amelia and Gen. Taylor streets was part of an estate inherited by the widow of Louis Robert Avart, Claude Augustine Eugenie Delachaise. She subdivided her property in 1849 and named it Faubourg St. Joseph. Amelia Street was named for the Widow Avart's adopted daughter, and Peniston she named for Dr. Tom Peniston, whom Amelia married.

Now for your question about the old maps. Of course, what you saw depends on the age of the maps. By the 1830s, most of the surrounding plantations had been subdivided. However, at this time the plantations of the two widows were still used for agriculture until they, too, subdivided their property into squares and lots.

According to the 1883 Robinson Atlas, in a four-block area bounded by Fourcher, Amelia, Laurel and Tchoupitoulas streets you could find the Delachaise Brick Works in operation. And next to the brickworks was another four-block area closer to town that was Delachaise Park. According to an older map by Charles Zimpel in 1834, this was the location of the Delachaise Plantation house.

Surely, that's enough history of your neighborhood for now, but do write again.

Hey Blake,

Where did the Uptown street that bears the name Josephine get its name?

Mike

Dear Mike,

Since I happened to be Uptown, answering questions about Doug's neighborhood, I thought I would help you out as well.

Just above the Faubourg St. Marie, New Orleans' first faubourg, the City of Lafayette was incorporated in 1833. It was formed from several plantations, one of which was owned by yet another widow -- Margarethe Wiltz who began subdividing in 1824. Like the others, she got naming rights, and Josephine is most likely named after the 4-year-old Marie Josephine, a great grandchild of Joseph Wiltz, brother of Margarethe.

Widowed twice, she named the widest street in her subdivision Grand Route Panis after her late second husband, Jacinto Panis. An interesting point: It is believed that Jacinto Panis, a Spanish officer, was in charge of the firing squad that shot Widow Wiltz's first husband, Joseph Milhet. He was a French patriot who had been involved in the revolt of 1768 led by Nicholas Chauvin de Lafreniere against the unwelcome Spanish Gov. Don Antonio de Ulloa. It is not exactly clear whether Captain Panis knew of his role in the shooting of Joseph Milhet, but legend has it that Margarethe didn't have a clue.

After the widow's death, her daughter sold out to a brokerage firm who changed Grand Route Panis to Jackson Avenue.

Question for Blake? Email blresponse@gambitweekly.com or mail to 3923 Bienville St., 70119.