New Orleans, Orleans Parish story
A Literary Landmark
Tucked away at 624 Pirates Alley is a townhouse built in 1837 that holds a special place in American literature. In the 1920s, this building was home to William Faulkner. It was r…
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Tucked away at 624 Pirates Alley is a townhouse built in 1837 that holds a special place in American literature. In the 1920s, this building was home to William Faulkner. It was right here, in the ground-floor room, that he completed his very first novel, Soldiers' Pay.
Faulkner's early days in New Orleans were spent not just writing, but working for a literary journal called Double Dealer. Today, the site is a national literary landmark and houses Faulkner House Books, a shop specializing in rare editions. The bookstore actually opened on September 25th—Faulkner's own birthday—to ensure that the connection between the author, the house, and the city's literary life would never be forgotten.
Updated June 2026