Beauregard-Keyes House in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is full of historic houses of many different styles and The Beauregard-Keyes House, built in 1826, is one of the most notable in the city. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was built for Joseph LeCarpentier, a well-to-do auctioneer, who wanted an opulent mansion that would accentuate his wealth.

The home sits on a piece of land that was once owned by the Ursuline Convent. The nuns sold off several lots in 1825 and LeCarpentier purchased four of them and built his family home there. However, the house would not retain the LeCarpentier name but would later become known as the home of two more famous individuals – Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant (P.G.T.) Beauregard and novelist Frances Parkinson Keyes, who occupied the home from 1866 to 1868 and 1942 to 1970, respectively.

The first Confederate Brigadier General, P.G.T. Beauregard lived in the house after the war while he was serving as president of the New Orleans, Jackson, and Great Northern Railroad. Visitors to the home can still view some of his furniture as well as his bedroom, which is known as The Beauregard Chamber. Frances Parkinson Keyes, who was from Washington D.C/Northern Virginia but wintered in New Orleans, loved the home that now bears her name and spent a lot of time writing while she was there. She also undertook many renovations on the house, which had begun to decay, and made sure that there was a foundation that would be responsible for the upkeep of the home when she died. Books written while she lived at the house include Dinner at Antoine’s, The Chess Players, Madame Castel’s Lodger, and Blue Camellia.

The house was designed by Francois Correjolles and is considered one of the best examples in the country of a raised center hall house. On the exterior front of the home are two curved sets of stairs that lead to a portico designed in the Tuscan style. Inside, the parlor is large yet warm and welcoming and there’s a huge ballroom that hosted some of the finest parties in town, more so during the General’s time than during Keyes stint at the house. The rectangular dining room leads to a sunny porch and there’s a rear gallery that extends the width of the house.

Besides some of Beauregard’s furnishings, visitors can view Ms. Keye’s very impressive collection of some 200 antique dolls and 78 veilleuses, otherwise known as nightlight teapots.

Tours are offered every day from Monday through Saturday throughout the year except on major holidays. Prices are reasonable and there’s a discount for students and seniors. However, the home is not handicapped accessible. Handicapped individuals can, however, tour the pretty gardens, which contain a beautiful cast iron fountain and a variety of plantings.

The Beauregard-Keyes House is also available for rent for special events including weddings. It can accommodate 85 guests for a sit-down dinner and up to 200 for a buffet-style meal. 

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