Algiers Point homes are the stars of Sunday tour

Thursday, October 12, 2006

By Kim Gritter

Algiers Point is one of New Orleans ' oldest and most historic neighborhoods. Established in 1719, the district is bursting with rich history and beautiful architecture.

For more than 30 years, with the exception of last year due to Hurricane Katrina, the Algiers Point Association has been showcasing homes and businesses by offering a home and garden tour.

This year's tour will take place Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Along the route, which will feature tours of six Algiers Point homes, participants will find parks, gardens, an art festival and a farmers market. Local churches, restaurants and various retailers also will participate in the event.

Tickets for the tour are $10 per person in advance and are available at the Whitney National Bank, 501 Verrett St. Admission the day of the tour will be $12.

For those who do not wish to walk the tour, Mardi Gras World has donated a bus to transport visitors along the route.

For information, call Shawn Bowen, an APA member and event chairperson, at (504) 309-6883.

The tour will begin at 323 Morgan St. , a brick and masonry building. with a distinctive Italianate cornice, that was converted into condos from a hardware store.

Other homes on the tour will include:

-- 218 Vallette St. , a classic example of a New Orleans shotgun double. This type of house first appeared in New Orleans around 1840 and was popular in the area for 100 years. The home is an example of bracket-style homes, which were built from 1880 to 1905. The name refers to the large brackets supporting a roof overhang above a gallery.

-- 222 Vallette St . This home is an unusual side-galleries version of the gable-sided Creole cottage. The roof extends to cover a side gallery, entered piazza-style from the front door. The house is typical of the Algiers 1850s classic style.

-- 232 Vallette St . A Greek Revival, center-hall raised cottage featuring a side-gabled roof line, this home features two stories with five openings across the front, floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor, a deep front porch with cast iron railings, double-sided balconies on the second level, louvered wood shutters and a pair of attic dormers. It was built in 1847 for its first occupant, Octave Vallette, who later became a Civil War hero.

-- 332 Vallette St . This home was built in 1860 in Greek Revival style for one of the Vallette daughters, whose husband was a ship captain. In 1892 it became the Algiers Athletic Club; in 1915, Louis Acker, a local barber, with his wife and seven children, purchased the house and continued to live in it until 1960, when it fell into disrepair. It has since been renovated.

-- 719 Alix St . This craftsman bungalow was built in 1945 by Bruce North for the Acker family. The family had spent generations in Old Algiers and owned property throughout the Point.

Chris Kane, an APA board member, said the tour is held to instill pride in the community.

"The purpose of the tour is to give people an idea of the historic homes in Algiers Point and to help them appreciate the historic value of the various different kinds of architecture that has been built in the neighborhood for years," Kane said.

Kristin Palmer, and her husband, Bobby Palmer, own the home at 222 Vallette St .

Palmer said she feels the tour is a wonderful way to familiarize people with what Algiers Point has to offer.

"We were very lucky during Hurricane Katrina. The fabric of our community is very much still intact and the quality of life is something we want to share with the community. It's basically a celebration of our neighborhood and community, which is even more poignant for where we are" post-Katrina, Palmer said.

The annual tour, which began in 1972, will be one of the first neighborhood-sponsored tours to be held in the city since Katrina.

"The Algiers Point Association is excited about returning the home and garden tour and we invite all New Orleanians to come experience our rich history in Algiers Point," said Jeff Jones, APA president.

Established in 1972, the Algiers Point Association was founded by a group of people interested in preserving the integrity of their neighborhood's architecture and improving the quality of life there.

Through the efforts of the APA, the Algiers Point Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The area became a New Orleans Historic District in 1994.

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