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| The Brulatour Patio |
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| The Brulatour courtyard is one of the most recognizable in the French Quarter. It was built in 1816 by Francois Seignouret. The property gets its name from Jules Brulatour, who was born in New Orleans in 1870 and once owned this building. Mr. Brulatour was an important pioneer of early motion picture films. He led a rather dramatic life and there are some who maintain that it was Jules Brulatour who was depicted in the movie "Citizen Kane," rather than William Randolph Hearst. Parts of the movie are strikingly similar to Mr. Brulatour's life story. In the 1930's, the property was the home of the New Orleans Art League and many aspiring artists painted pictures of the patio. In 1948, local television station WDSU moved into the building and remained there for nearly 50 years. The courtyard was open to the public during business hours, so, over the years, thousands of people visited and photographed it. It's my understanding that the property has recently been sold to the Monteleone family, who owns the landmark New Orleans Monteleone Hotel. They have plans to place retail businesses in the building, which means that, hopefully, the courtyard will once again be open to the public. The postcard above is from the 1930's. |
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