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Jackson Square, New Orleans  Jackson Square has always been an open area and the heart of the French Quarter. Originally, known as the Plaza d'Armas, it was a large open common, used at times as military parade grounds, and later as a market place for fish, fowl, and produce. Jackson Square faces the Mississippi River, and is bounded by the St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytere on Chartres Street (the northwest side), and is flanked by the Upper and Lower Pontalba Apartments along St. Peter and St. Ann Streets. Inside is its namesake, a statue of Andrew Jackson, and hero of the Battle of New Orleans. Surrounding Jackson Square is a pedestrian mall, and an iron fence that has been used for decades by artists, at times numbering 300 or more, who work and display at Jackson Square. Tourists have, for years, come to Jackson Square to purchase paintings of New Orleans, the French Quarter, and other topics, or to sit in the shade of the oak trees while having their portrait made.  Tourists have also enjoyed the shops on the ground level of the Pontalba Apartments. They include toys stores, gift and clothing stores, retailers of seasonings and candy, ice cream parlors and restaurants. It is very convenient for those waiting for their turn to have their portrait made. Jackson Square is not without its share of intrigue, though. If you look inside the fence near the St. Ann Street gates, you can see a musket ball dent in one of the iron bars. According to the story, an enraged woman waited inside the square, and tried to assassinate her husband as he emerged from the building. The bullet hit the fence bar, and he was not injured. You can
take a virtual reality (VR) panoramic tour
of the Jackson Square. Copyright © 1999-2002, Stanley Beck |
