Old Absinthe House

Restaurant

Old Absinthe House

Restaurant information
Established| 1806 (1806)
Street address| 238 or 240 Bourbon St., New Orleans, Louisiana
Coordinates| 29°57′19″N 90°04′06″W﻿ / ﻿29.955358°N 90.068434°W﻿ / 29.955358; -90.068434
Website| Official website

The Old Absinthe House is a historic building on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana.

## History

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The building c. 1908 The building c. 1937

The building was constructed in the early 19th century; one of the better-known structures in the Vieux Carre from the period.[1] The building was completed in 1806, operating first as a grocery. The first floor was converted into a bar around 1836.[a] By 1842, the Aleix family began to manage the bar; the family were Catalonian immigrants, like the building's owners. Under their ownership, the bar gained a bohemian following, though it was not considered one of the leading bars in New Orleans. By 1869, it began being advertised under the name "the Absinthe House".[2]

Around 1870, Aleix hired bartender Cayetano Ferrer, who was highly regarded for his work at the French Opera House. Ferrer took over management of the bar three years later, and helped it earn its reputation, by then titled as the Old Absinthe House or Old Absinthe Room. Ferrer's work, and that of his heirs, helped transform New Orleans from a working-class city into a tourist destination.[2]

In the 1930s, following the end of Prohibition, bar-restaurants thrived in New Orleans. Many of these, including the Old Absinthe House, developed a following in the LGBT community in that decade.[3]

## Architecture

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The structure has two stories, and is used for commercial and residential purposes. It has an entresol: an intermediate service floor. The building has a wrought-iron balcony railing and a nearly flat roof, originally tiled.[1]

## References

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### Notes

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1. ^ The bar, in 1878, stated it was established in 1836, though accounts differ.[2]

### Citations

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1. ^ a b "National Archives NextGen Catalog".
2. ^ a b c Wondrich, David; Rothbaum, Noah, eds. (2021). The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails. Oxford University Press. pp. 509–510\. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199311132.001.0001. ISBN 9780199311132. OCLC 1260690923.509-510&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2021&rft_id=info:oclcnum/1260690923&rft_id=info:doi/10.1093/acref/9780199311132.001.0001&rft.isbn=9780199311132&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Old+Absinthe+House" class="Z3988">
3. ^ Encyclopedia of Homosexuality: Volume II. Routledge. 22 March 2016. ISBN 9781317368120.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Absinthe House, New Orleans.

* Official website
* Feature in a 1944 Herbsaint booklet

Portals:

* Liquor
* Louisiana