Lafayette Square

Lafayette Square is the second oldest public park in New Orleans, Louisiana, after Jackson Square. Located in the Central Business District, it was designed in 1788 by Charles Laveau Trudeau, who served as the Surveyor General of Louisiana under Spanish rule. The square was originally named Place Gravier but was renamed in 1824 to honor the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

The 2.5-acre park is bounded by St. Charles Avenue, Camp Street, and North and South Maestri Streets. It sits directly across from Gallier Hall, a Greek Revival building that served as New Orleans' city hall for over a century. Lafayette Square has played a significant role in the city's history, hosting inaugurations, civic events, and serving as a gathering place for concerts and festivals.

Throughout its history, the park has undergone several changes. It was once surrounded by an ornamental iron fence with four gated entrances, which was removed during World War I for scrap metal. The square features a lawn area with diagonal walkways radiating from the center to each corner. Large shade trees, including live oaks, southern magnolias, yaupons, and sycamores, provide a leafy canopy over the lawn and around the park's perimeter.

Lafayette Square is home to three notable statues: Henry Clay in the center, John McDonogh on St. Charles Avenue, and Benjamin Franklin on Camp Street. These bronze monuments, added in the early 20th century, are surrounded by planting beds filled with African irises. The park is circumscribed by an outer brick sidewalk and an inner concrete sidewalk, separated by azaleas and other flowering shrubs.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina severely damaged many of the trees in Lafayette Square. This led to the formation of the Lafayette Square Conservancy, a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the city's Parks and Parkways Department to maintain and preserve the park. Today, Lafayette Square continues to serve as an urban oasis for visitors, residents, and area workers, hosting various events throughout the year.