Garden District

Second to the French Quarter, New Orleans' Garden District draws tourists who want to view the large stately homes between St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street. This area of Uptown New Orleans was developed after the Louisiana Purchase when Americans took control of the city.

From Wikipedia: This whole area was once a number of plantations. It was sold off in parcels to mainly wealthy Americans who did not want to live in the French Quarter with the Creoles. Originally the area was developed with only a couple of houses per block, each surrounded by a large garden, giving the district its name. In the late 19th century some of these large lots were subdivided as Uptown New Orleans became more urban. This has produced a pattern for much of the neighborhood of any given block having a couple of early 19th century mansions surrounded by "gingerbread" decorated late Victorian houses. Thus the "Garden District" is known for its architecture more than gardens per se.