1503 Valence St
New Orleans, LA 70115, USA

Tewell House (The Steeg House) - National Register of Historic Places

Statement of Significance:

The Tewell House is an outstanding example of an Italianate style raised villa, a residential building type employed by prosperous New Orleanians during the 1860's and 1870's. Unlike many other raised villas that have had dormers replaced or foundation levels enclosed or altered, the entrance facade of the Tewell House is unaltered except for the doorway. The sophisticated detailing of the fluted Corinthian gallery columns, the front dormer and the paired windows in the side gables are finer than those on many of the raised villas remaining in New Orleans. Moreover, the large, well landscaped side yard conveys the impression of a spacious garden setting better than do the loss of many raised villas that were never as large or have lost front footage due to subdivision.

The neighborhood in which the property is located is known as Faubourg Bouligny, named after Louis Bouligny who purchased plantation land from Wade Hampton in 1916. The plantation was subdivided in 1834 by Samuel Kohn and Laurent Millaudon who had bought it in 1831. The Millaudon family, one of the wealthiest in Louisiana, retained ownership of the square upon which the Tewell House is located until the late 1860's

James E. Twwell owned the property when the house was constructed c. 1870. The city directory for 1871 lists Tewell as being the Administrator of Waterworks and Public Buildings for the city. The Tewells operated the Valence Institute in their home from about 1879 until 1895. The Valence Institute was a boarding school for "young ladies and little children." The Tewells sold the property in 1899.

During the twentieth century, the property has been owned by several prominent citizens, the three most noted being A. Stanton Merril, Harry McCall, Jr. and Moise S. Steeg, Jr. A. Stanton Merril, who purchased the property in 1951, was a Vice-Admiral of the Navy noted for his military victories in the Pacific during World War II. The house was owned from 1955 until 1972 by Harry McCall, Jr., a noted attorney and King of Carnival in 1976 McCall sold the property to Moise Steeg, a prominent local attorney. Steeg has served the city as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New Orleans Museum of Art and as the first Chairman of the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission, and remains active in many civic and social organizations.