Barthelemy Lafon

Barthelemy Lafon

Barthelemy Lafon (1769 – 29 September 1820), was a notable architect, engineer, city planner and surveyor in New Orleans, Louisiana. In later life, he turned away from architecture and engaged in piracy and smuggling.

Lafon was born in Villepinte, France and travelled to New Orleans c. 1790. He designed several public buildings, including public baths (plans submitted in 1797, but the bath house was never built) [ [http://www.enlou.com/time/year1797.htm Louisiana Timeline] ] and a lighthouse, and numerous private homes (including the Benachi Cotton Brokers' House and the Vincent Rillieux house). [ [http://www.nolabb.com/history.html The Cotton Brokers' Houses] ] [ [http://www.frenchcreoles.com/Early%20Creole%20Homes/Early%20Creole%20Homes%20index%202.htmEarly Creole Homes] ]

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, with the Mississippi River open to free trade, landowners upriver from the Vieux Carre realized that the old quarter dominated by the Spanish and French could not contain the hordes of Americans who were now flooding the city, and they retained Lafon to subdivide their property to create an American suburb. From 1806 to 1809 he was Deputy Surveyor of Orleans County, and prepared elaborate plans for what is today known as the Lower Garden District. His designs crossed the barriers of five plantations (Soulet, LaCourse, Annunciation, Nuns and Panis) to include all properties up to Felicity Street. A lover of the classics, Lafon named his streets after the nine muses of Greek mythology: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Euterpe, Polymnia and Urania. [ [http://www.coliseumsquare.org/lower_garden_district_pages/history.html Lower Garden District history] ] His sophisticated plan featuring tree-lined canals, fountains, churches, markets, a grand classical school and a coliseum, but few features were ever realised. However, the grid pattern of streets survives, as do some of the street names leading to Coliseum Square. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1026/is_4_159/ai_73410729 Coliseum Square: A Grand Renaissance] ] Parts of the Bywater and Bayou St. John neighborhoods were also planned by Lafon.

His services included map making, designing the plan for Donaldsonville in 1806, [ [http://www.hdm1806.org/galleries.htm Historic Donaldsville Museum] ] and surveying and recommending improvements to the fortifications of New Orleans during the War of 1812.

Lafon also had a relationship with Modeste Foucher, a free woman of color. When Lafon wrote his will, he acknowledged several free black children that he had with Foucher. It is believed by many that one of their children was Thomy Lafon (born 28 December 1810).

As a businessman and investor, Lafon became a rich man, but was also noted for his philanthropy. However, after the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, he did not resume his architectural career, instead turning to piracy and smuggling, working in league with the notorious brothers, Pierre (1779-1844) and Jean Lafitte (1782-1854). He died of yellow fever in New Orleans and is buried in Saint Louis Cemetery No 1.

References

* [http://www.bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/2004-10-19/blake.html New Orleans Know-it-all]

[Category:People from New Orleans] ]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Barthélémy Lafon — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Lafon. Barthélémy Lafon, né à Villepinte en France, en 1769 et mort le 29 septembre 1820 à La Nouvelle Orléans en Louisiane, est un architecte, ingénieur, urbaniste, arpenteur et géomètre de La Nouvelle Orléans.… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Lafon — or LaFon is a surname, and may refer to;* Barthelemy Lafon * Jacky Lafon * Pauline LaFon Gore *Phil LaFon of Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon * William M. LaFonee also* Lafond …   Wikipedia

  • Castries (Herault) — Castries (Hérault) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Castries. Le château de Castries …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Castries (Hérault) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Castries. 43° 40′ 47″ N 3° 58′ 56″ E …   Wikipédia en Français

  • 1820 — Year 1820 (MDCCCXX) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12 day slower Julian calendar). Events of 1820 * January 1 A constitutionalist… …   Wikipedia

  • French Quarter — This article is about the French Quarter in New Orleans. For other cities with French Quarter areas, see French Quarter (disambiguation). Coordinates: 29°57′31″N 90°03′54″W /  …   Wikipedia

  • Donaldsonville, Louisiana — Coordinates: 30°6′0″N 90°59′39″W / 30.1°N 90.99417°W / 30.1; 90.99417 …   Wikipedia

  • Benjamin Latrobe — Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe (May 1, 1764 September 3, 1820) was a British born American architect best known for his design of the United States Capitol, as well as his design of Baltimore s cathedral. Latrobe came to the United States in 1796 …   Wikipedia

  • Saint Louis Cemetery — is the name of three Roman Catholic cemeteries in New Orleans, Louisiana. The burials are in above ground vaults; most were constructed in the 18th century and 19th century. The above ground tombs, which some say are required here because the… …   Wikipedia

  • Garden District, New Orleans — Geobox Neighborhood name = Garden District native name = other name = other name1 = category = New Orleans Neighborhood image caption = New Orleans Streetcar on St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District with Mardi Gras beads on a tree in the… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”