James H. Dillard House, National Historic Landmark house in the Audubon neighborhood, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
The James H. Dillard House is a roughly cruciform single-story wood-frame building on the east side of Audubon Street, between St. Charles Avenue and Dominican Street. Its main hip-roofed central section has a gable-roofed front projection with a four-column neoclassical portico, and rear elements project from the core. The construction date is unknown, but the house has had no substantial alterations since about 1900.
The house's construction date is unknown, but it was James H. Dillard's residence from 1894 to 1913. A Virginia-born lawyer turned educator, he became professor of Latin at Tulane University in 1891 and led the Negro Rural School Fund from 1908. The house has had no substantial alterations since his ownership and was declared a National Historic Landmark on December 2, 1974.
The house reflects the educational mission of James H. Dillard, who championed the growth of colleges serving African American students during a restrictive era. Visitors can see where an advocate for equal learning opportunities conducted his work.
The property sits in the Black Pearl neighborhood, accessible via public transportation from downtown New Orleans. Advance planning is important since the building may not be open to the public on a regular basis, so contact information should be verified before visiting.
The building features a cross-shaped floor plan with wings extending from the central core, a layout design that helped with air flow in New Orleans' humid climate. This arrangement was practical and common among residential properties built in the late 1800s throughout the city.
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