Sep 28, 1971
Pitot House (Ducayet House) - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: The Pitot House is a significant example of the once common raised basement, Louisiana colonial small plantation house. The site it occupied originally, and also its present site, was part of the extensive plantation of Don Santiago Lorreins Aio had purchased the property on November 15, 1771 from Huchet de Kemion whose mother had inherited it from her first husband, Antoine Rivard de La 7igne, Jr, Rivard’s father had been granted this land on Nobember 28, 1708 by concession of Renville, ten years before Bienville founded the city of New Orleans. On October 9, 1799 Lorreins’ son sold a 200-foot tract of the plantation to Don Bartolome Bosque, a Majorcan who a few years before, in 179o, had built his notable town house, now 6l9 Chartres Street, It was probably Bosque who began construction of the Pitot House on the bayou, for many of its details are similar to his Chartres Street house, notably the diamond-paned transoms over the doors. On May 28, 1800, Bosque sold the property with buildings to his Chartres Street neighbor, Josei^ Reynes who was probably the first to live in the new house on the bayou. On June 22, 1805, Reynes sold the house to Madame Vincent Rillieux, great-grandmother of the noted French artist, Edgar Degas, five years later, on April 3, 1810 she sold the house to James Pitot who had served as the first mayor of the incorporated city of New Orleans, 1804 - 1805. On August 25, 1813, Pitot transferred title to the house to Beverley Chew and Richard Relf, business associates of Daniel Clark, who five days later transferred it to the Banque de la Louisiane, these were probably and Pitot is presumed to have lived in the house It was financial transactions until it was sold by the bank to Albin Michel on June 17, 1819. during the Michel ownership that the house was visited by the French naturalist, Charles Alexandre Lesueur, who sketched the bayou scene from its gallery and also sketched the house. Nine years after Michel's death, his son and heir then living in Paris, sold the property to Felix Ducayet whose name has often been identified with the house. Here Ducayet conducted the notable Bayou St, John Farm, raising "all the finest improved varieties of hogs and poultry”. The property was sold at a Sheriff’s sale in 1857 to Paul J. Gleises who sold it on April 29, 1859 to Jean Louis Tissot, Tissot’s son, Judge A. Louis Tissot, first Senior Judge of the Civil District Court and judge of the former Second District Court, owned it until 1894. After several other transfers, the house was finally bought on July 11, 1904 by Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, foundress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and first U, S, citizen to be canonized as a Saint of the Homan Catholic Church, It was the Missionary Sisters who gave the house to the Louisiana Landmarks Society when they erected their new school on the site in 1964. The house is thus significant not only for its architectural importance but also for the succession of distinguished persons who have owned and lived in it. The site to which it was moved and on which it now stands is also significant as part of the colonial Lorreins plantation whose history goes back to 1708, Lorreins sold this 200 foot tract on September 22, 1800 to Bernard Coquet who established a well-known amusement park here, known as Tivoli, This property has an interesting and well documented history until it was acquired by the city of New Orleans in 1943. Here the city established the Henry Go, Densmore Playground on part of which, by action of the City Council, the Pitot House was moved in the summer of 1964.
Pitot House (Ducayet House) - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: The Pitot House is a significant example of the once common raised basement, Louisiana colonial small plantation house. The site it occupied originally, and also its present site, was part of the extensive plantation of Don Santiago Lorreins Aio had purchased the property on November 15, 1771 from Huchet de Kemion whose mother had inherited it from her first husband, Antoine Rivard de La 7igne, Jr, Rivard’s father had been granted this land on Nobember 28, 1708 by concession of Renville, ten years before Bienville founded the city of New Orleans. On October 9, 1799 Lorreins’ son sold a 200-foot tract of the plantation to Don Bartolome Bosque, a Majorcan who a few years before, in 179o, had built his notable town house, now 6l9 Chartres Street, It was probably Bosque who began construction of the Pitot House on the bayou, for many of its details are similar to his Chartres Street house, notably the diamond-paned transoms over the doors. On May 28, 1800, Bosque sold the property with buildings to his Chartres Street neighbor, Josei^ Reynes who was probably the first to live in the new house on the bayou. On June 22, 1805, Reynes sold the house to Madame Vincent Rillieux, great-grandmother of the noted French artist, Edgar Degas, five years later, on April 3, 1810 she sold the house to James Pitot who had served as the first mayor of the incorporated city of New Orleans, 1804 - 1805. On August 25, 1813, Pitot transferred title to the house to Beverley Chew and Richard Relf, business associates of Daniel Clark, who five days later transferred it to the Banque de la Louisiane, these were probably and Pitot is presumed to have lived in the house It was financial transactions until it was sold by the bank to Albin Michel on June 17, 1819. during the Michel ownership that the house was visited by the French naturalist, Charles Alexandre Lesueur, who sketched the bayou scene from its gallery and also sketched the house. Nine years after Michel's death, his son and heir then living in Paris, sold the property to Felix Ducayet whose name has often been identified with the house. Here Ducayet conducted the notable Bayou St, John Farm, raising "all the finest improved varieties of hogs and poultry”. The property was sold at a Sheriff’s sale in 1857 to Paul J. Gleises who sold it on April 29, 1859 to Jean Louis Tissot, Tissot’s son, Judge A. Louis Tissot, first Senior Judge of the Civil District Court and judge of the former Second District Court, owned it until 1894. After several other transfers, the house was finally bought on July 11, 1904 by Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, foundress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and first U, S, citizen to be canonized as a Saint of the Homan Catholic Church, It was the Missionary Sisters who gave the house to the Louisiana Landmarks Society when they erected their new school on the site in 1964. The house is thus significant not only for its architectural importance but also for the succession of distinguished persons who have owned and lived in it. The site to which it was moved and on which it now stands is also significant as part of the colonial Lorreins plantation whose history goes back to 1708, Lorreins sold this 200 foot tract on September 22, 1800 to Bernard Coquet who established a well-known amusement park here, known as Tivoli, This property has an interesting and well documented history until it was acquired by the city of New Orleans in 1943. Here the city established the Henry Go, Densmore Playground on part of which, by action of the City Council, the Pitot House was moved in the summer of 1964.
Sep 28, 1971
Posted Date
Mar 25, 2022
Historical Record Date
Sep 28, 1971
Source Name
United States Department of Interior - National Park Service
