The Hedgewood
New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Marker Inscription
The Hedgewood. This impressive Colonial Revival structure was built in 1894 as the residence of cotton broker Charles Miltenberger. The builder, Thomas Nicholson of Chicago, was also responsible for Gibson Hall (1894) at Tulane University and the St. Charles Hotel (1894-1896). The house was substantially enlarged to the rear in 1907 by Sylvanie Denegre. In 1955, Gussie Watts turned the residence into a hotel known as the Hedgewood, which operated here for thirty-three years. Maryjo and Calvin Johnson purchased the hotel in 1988 and converted it into a cosmetic surgical center.
Erected by Orleans Parish Landmarks Commission
The Story
The Hedgewood is an imposing Colonial Revival house built in 1894 for cotton broker Charles Miltenberger by Chicago builder Thomas Nicholson, who also raised Tulane's Gibson Hall and the St. Charles Hotel that same year. Enlarged in 1907, it later spent thirty-three years as a hotel before its more recent reinvention.
Why it matters
It reflects the wealth of the New Orleans cotton trade and the architectural ambitions of the Gilded Age city.
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Related people
- ยท Charles Miltenberger
- ยท Thomas Nicholson
Themes & tags
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