Hermann-Grima House, New Orleans

New Orleans lies in the Orleans Parish in the south east corner of the state of Louisiana. The city was founded in the 1700's and was named for Philippe II, Duke d' Orleans. There is a major port in New Orleans that provides access to both cargo and pleasure ships. Visitors explore the French Quarter that is the heart of the city. They will find restaurants, jazz clubs, shopping and historical buildings. Many of the buildings in the city are museums and have been named as National Historic Landmarks.

The Hermann-Grima House is a pink brick home that was built in 1831. There is a Spanish influenced wrought iron balcony along the front of the building. However, the architecture is of the Federal style. The home is located at 820 Saint Louis Street in the French Quarter.

Before the Civil War this area was comprised of rich Creole families. Their homes were elegantly appointed and the museum has returned this mansion to its glory days. The Golden Age of New Orleans as it was known can be experienced on a guided tour.

There is a courtyard garden for the visitor to tour. The outdoor kitchen was the only functional one in all of the French Quarter in its day. There was also a horse stable at the Hermann-Grima House which was another unusual structure in the French Quarter homes in 1830.

Every detail has been researched so that the home looks as beautiful for today's modern visitor as it did when the home was inhabited. The restoration was completed by looking through archaeological studies as well as inventories and the building contract. The museum contains everything that a rich Creole family would have owned from 1830 through 1860.

The Hermann-Grima House is transformed into a house of mourning from mid-October to early November. The exhibit is called"Sacred to the Memory''. The mansion is decorated for a nineteenth century funeral and all of its customs. Guests will find a coffin stand with coffin in the parlor, waiting for the wake to begin. The mirrors will be draped and a black wreath is placed on the front door.

Christmas at the Hermann-Grima House shows the mansion in greenery with grand decorations. The decorations are indicative of what would have been used in the nineteenth century. Handmade ornaments and local customs give the visitor an old fashioned Christmas experience.

Guests on the guided tours are treated to the cooking program that is planned on every Thursday from October through May. Volunteers have been trained in the preparation and cooking methods that were used in an 1830's kitchen. The recipes show how the New Orleans cuisine was developed, with French, Spanish, Native American and African influences.

The Hermann-Grima House is open Monday through Friday and tours are every hour starting at 10:00 am and concluding at 3:00 pm. Saturday the tours begin at 12:00 pm and end at 3:00 pm. Guided tours last anywhere from forty five minutes to an hour.