The Pitot House: A Landmark on Bayou St. John

Before the French and Spanish began to colonize the area, the Native Americans relied on Bayou St. John and the other river systems in Louisiana. Later, Africans, Irish, Germans, and other immigrants would turn the port of New Orleans into a culturally diverse trading ground on which Louisiana history was built. The Pitot House was built on the bayou for Antoine Rivard de Lavigne in 1708. The house's namesake, James Pitot, bought the house in 1804.

An architectural gem in a city of magnificent structures; the Pitot House's history adds to her value and demands her preservation. This attractive volume, with text and archival and modern photographs, showcases the fascinating architecture of a traditional Creole country home, one of the few to survive from Louisiana's Spanish colonial period. The house has served as a home to merchants, politicians, and even nuns throughout the years, but in 1964 when the house was in danger, the Louisiana Landmarks Society stepped in to save and restore this important monument to Creole-Louisiana history.

The Louisiana Landmarks Society is dedicated to saving and preserving the history and architectural originality of New Orleans. By protesting at demolition sites, publishing books about local landmarks, and establishing awards, the Louisiana Landmarks Society has ensured that the Pitot House will be seen and admired by another generation.