New Orleans, Orleans Parish story
A Wealthy Vision
In the early nineteenth century, Rosette Rochon became one of the most successful developers in the Faubourg Marigny. A wealthy free woman of color born in Alabama, Rosette had a…
Read the story
In the early nineteenth century, Rosette Rochon became one of the most successful developers in the Faubourg Marigny. A wealthy free woman of color born in Alabama, Rosette had a keen eye for investment. In 1806, she purchased land from Bernard de Marigny and began building.
By the late 1820s or early 1830s, she had established a Creole cottage at 1515 Pauger Street, built right on the sidewalk. She didn't stop there; records from 1841 show she built three adjoining houses on her parcel. By the time she passed away at the age of one hundred and three in 1863, she left behind an estate valued at one hundred thousand dollars.
Her story is a powerful reminder of the entrepreneurship and ambition that helped build the neighborhoods we walk through today.
Updated June 2026