“New Orleans is one of America’s richest architectural possessions . . . these architecture books lay a solid foundation in the field, are a great gift to general historians, and, as the authors hoped, have contributed immeasurably to the maintenance of extant architectural treasures.”
—The New Republic
This section of Uptown New Orleans is named for the various colleges and universities that have existed within its boundaries. The architecture in this area ranges from the Gothic buildings of Tulane and Loyola universities to the grand mansions that also line St. Charles Avenue to the modest shotgun homes and cottages that are scattered around the perimeter of the section. Part of the area was once called the “Silk-Stocking Ward,” a term which alluded to the wealth and opulence of its residents. While the citizens of the area are more diverse today, the University Section retains its reputation as an upper-class neighborhood. It also remains a bastion of equally diverse and striking architecture.
More than twenty-five years have passed since the publication of the first volume of the New Orleans Architecture Series. Pelican and The Friends of the Cabildo remain committed to recording and preserving the unique architecture of New Orleans, having published a total of eight volumes on the subject to date.