 ontinue to the corner of Camp and Girod Streets. On the right opposite corner is the former: - Vicari's Restaurant, a lovely three-story scored-brick building designed in the Victorian style and built in the 1890s. The structure looks like it was made for the corner of the block, with a protruding bay that extends for two levels, and a handsome metal pavilion roof fabricated to look shingled. Cast-iron hood molds surmounted by Neptune heads crown each second floor window, and cast-iron cartouches, or seals, appear between each window on the third level. The bowed iron-railed balcony is rare in the city. John Vicari purchased the building in 1964 for his new restaurant, and it was popular for many years before closing recently. Cross Camp Street and walk north on Girod Street until you get to St Charles Avenue.
Cross St Charles and continue for half-a-block. Across the street at 715 Girod is the former:
- Engine No 13 Firehouse. Built in 1837, it is one of only a small number of old firehouses left standing in the city. From 1836 until 1960 it was occupied by fire companies, and during the Civil War, Union troops were housed here. In 1960 it was sold to Francis Didier, who renovated the building for his business, Delta Visual. The arched entrance was filled in later, and a single entrance door installed. Today it is a law office, and an arched opening has been added, with separate entrances inside. Continue to the next building of interest at Number 723-27 Girod, the:
- Hodge House. This is an unusual three-and-a-half story double house, built for Andrew Hodge, president of the Bank of New Orleans, about 1838. The Greek revival residence has a raised basement with double porte cocheres, or carriageways, leading to a rear courtyard with service buildings attached.
There were originally double iron steps leading to a balcony and the Greek key entrances. A lovely diamond-pattern wrought-iron balcony adorns the second floor, and a wooden entablature, typical of the 1830s, has an attic frieze with rectangular horizontally-placed windows below a cornice with dentils. At one time it was the Girod Street Hotel; today it is a wonderfully restored double townhouse again. When you get to the next street, Carondelet, look to the right. At 630-40 Carondelet are the:
- Prendergast Houses, three remaining row houses out of five originally built for John Prendergast by John Fitz Miller in 1832. Prendergast lost the buildings to his builder right after their construction, due to a $5900 debt. One of the original buildings was destroyed before the Civil War, and the present building, the third from the corner, was built, slightly taller than the remaining three. Each of the Regency-style masonry houses has a single dormer window and a single second-floor doorway flanked by two windows
leading to a wrought-iron balcony, unusual in the city. Turn left here and you will see another interesting group of buildings. At 704 Carondelet is the:
- Freret House. This lovely cast-iron-galleried townhouse was built in 1847 by Edmund Freret, who bought the property from his brothers James, John, And William. Designed by architect William Freret for his brother Edmund, the house features a full galleried facade, typical of French Quarter townhouses, supported by slender fluted cast-iron columns on the first level. The recessed entrance is the original one, with fluted wood columns and acanthus leaf capitals. In 1858 the building was sold to Thomas Lee, who owned the building next door at the corner of Carondelet and Girod. Restored in 1971, the two buildings are now used for a law office. Next door to the Freret House, at 706-10, are the:
- Sinclair Houses. The houses were built around 1847 by Duncan Sinclair as double houses, with a common alleyway between them,
leading to the flagstone courtyard. The first floors of both houses were mutilated over the years, but the original entrance at 706 remains. Fluted columns with Ionic capitals support a heavy cornice over the entranceway, which is sidelighted and transomed. An original cast-iron balcony runs the width of the two houses. Next door at 714 is an unfortunate structure, the:
Davidson House, built around 1865 by John Davidson. The full-facade cast-iron gallery similar to the one at 704 has been removed, and the building allowed to deteriorate. The original Italianate arched entrance with pilasters and denticulated cornice remains, but is in bad shape. Continue to Julia Street, where you will make a short side trip. Turn right and cross Carondelet Street, and walk about a half block. On the other side of Julia at 830 is another: - Old Firehouse. Erected in 1885, the masonry structure was designed by architect and city surveyor Benjamin Morgan Harrod, who designed similar
firehouses throughout the city. This remaining firehouse, together with the example at 715 Girod and several others around the city, should be preserved as an important part of New Orleans history. Turn around and head back down Julia after recrossing Carondelet. Walk for another block and cross St Charles Avenue. On the opposite side of Julia Street is the:
- Julia Street Row, extending the full length of the 600 block of Julia. Also known as the "Thirteen Sisters", this intact row of thirteen identical red brick townhouses was designed in 1833 for the newly-formed New Orleans Building Company by Alexander Thompson Wood, who also designed the impressive Custom House on Canal Street. Wood laid out the American Federal-style row as a block-long set of individual residences, each with a side hall floor plan, three floors, and an attic faced by an entablature pierced with windows. Each end of the row had a great gable with dual chimneys. The entrance doors of each are Georgian in design, with sidelights and elliptical fanlights,
and the third floor windows were each extended vertically to include an accentuating panel below them. For many years this row was the center of the best residential area in the American section of the city, but it slowly deteriorated into the 20th century to the point where it once housed bordellos. Today it is a restored gem, with business offices occupying it instead of residents.
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