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New Orleans, Orleans Parish / History

Carroll-Crawford House

An elegant, pink Italianate mansion in the Garden District, featuring a two-story cast-iron gallery and a rich history of wealthy cotton factors and New Orleans mayors.

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Carroll-Crawford House
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What is the Carroll-Crawford House known for?

The Carroll-Crawford House is an elegant Italianate-style residence in New Orleans' Garden District, known for its two-story cast-iron gallery, pink exterior, and a matching carriage house.

Who built the Carroll-Crawford House?

The house was built in 1869 shortly after the Civil War for Joseph Carroll, a wealthy cotton factor from Virginia who was a friend of Mark Twain.

What are the architectural features of the house?

It is a five-bay wide, Italianate stuccoed-brick residence featuring a flat facade with segmental-arched openings, a crowning cornice with oversized dentils, and a two-story cast-iron gallery.

Who has lived in the Carroll-Crawford House over the years?

Past residents include Joseph Carroll, the Walmsley family (including New Orleans mayor T. Semmes Walmsley), Valentine Merz, and Josephine Crawford and her husband Charles.

Is the Carroll-Crawford House haunted?

According to local anecdote, the house is believed to be haunted.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

What to know

The Carroll-Crawford House, located at 1315 First Street, is a stunning example of Italianate architecture in New Orleans' Garden District. Built in 1869 for Joseph Carroll, a wealthy cotton factor from Virginia and a close friend of Mark Twain, the residence is constructed of stuccoed brick and is five bays wide. Its most striking feature is the two-story cast-iron gallery that shades the entire facade, with arched bays that echo the segmental-arched windows and doors behind it. The home's roofline is crowned by a detailed cornice featuring oversized dentils and a central tablet. The property includes a detached service building and a carriage house, the latter of which repeats the main house's design elements, such as molded arched openings and a smaller cornice. This architectural harmony creates a grand scale that distinguishes the residence from its neighbors. Over the decades, the house has hosted a variety of prominent residents. Between 1889 and 1920, it was owned by the Walmsley family, including T. Semmes Walmsley, the 49th mayor of New Orleans. Later, Valentine Merz, the founder of the Faubourg Brewing Company, resided here until 1932. The home was then purchased by modernist artist Josephine Crawford and her husband Charles, an engineer, who gave the house its current name.

Visitor tips

  • Look closely at the cornice's oversized dentils and the central tablet for architectural detail.
  • Compare the design of the carriage house to the main house to see how the repeating arched openings are mirrored.
  • Allow time to walk a few houses down to see the Morris-Israel House, its 'fraternal twin'.
  • Since this is a residential neighborhood, please remain on the public sidewalk while taking photographs.

Nearby context

The Carroll-Crawford House is a cornerstone of the Garden District's historic residential architecture, situated just a few houses away from its 'fraternal twin', the Morris-Israel House, and surrounded by other grand 19th-century estates.

Sources

Evidence and links