New Orleans, Orleans Parish story
A Century of Decay
Beauty often requires a second act. The Beauregard-Keyes House, built in 1826 as a stunning raised cottage, spent nearly two decades in a state of heartbreaking decline. From 1926…
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Beauty often requires a second act. The Beauregard-Keyes House, built in 1826 as a stunning raised cottage, spent nearly two decades in a state of heartbreaking decline. From 1926 to 1945, the home deteriorated badly, its Creole and American architectural features fading under years of neglect.
The recovery began in 1948, when author Frances Parkinson Keyes took on the challenge of restoration. She didn't just fix the roof; she breathed new life into the residence, transforming it into a Victorian-style museum. Today, it stands as a rare example of its type open to the public, proving that even a house on the brink of collapse can be brought back to its former glory.
Updated June 2026