New Orleans Cotton Exchange

The New Orleans Cotton Exchange at 231 Carondelet Street is a Renaissance palazzo with marble walls, terrazzo floors, and a massive underground vault built for its trading operations. The building displays the solid construction needed to support a major financial institution.

The institution was founded in 1871 and managed one-third of all American cotton production during its peak years. It introduced standardized classifications and played a key role in developing modern futures trading concepts.

The Exchange represents the economic importance of New Orleans during the late 1800s, when the city ranked third worldwide in cotton futures trading. The building reflects how central cotton commerce was to the city's identity and prosperity during that era.

The building now houses an AC Hotel by Marriott, so the easiest way to see inside is to stay as a guest or enter the hotel. Many original architectural elements from 1921 have been preserved and are visible from the hotel's common areas.

Colonel Henry G. Hester set up telegraph systems to spread cotton market reports, making New Orleans a center for trading information. This news network gave the city a major advantage over competing markets.