Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
www.nps.gov

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve

419 Decatur St.
New Orleans, LA 70130 [Map It]
(504) 589-3882
Neighborhood: French Quarter

Attraction Information

Attraction Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission Costs: free
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Free Parking: No

Description:

The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve consists of six sites in Louisiana, and three of them are in the metropolitan New Orleans area: the historic French Quarter’s Laura C. Hudson Visitor Center, the Barataria Preserve, and the Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery.

Laura C. Hudson Visitor Center

The French Quarter retains much of its original character because it is among the oldest protected historic districts in the nation. The Laura C. Hudson Visitor Center, located at 419 Decatur Street, features an extensive exhibition of the history and conflict that surrounded the founding and shaping of present- day New Orleans and the French Quarter. Life-sized murals put the visitor right into the swamps, rivers and bayous of Louisiana. Exhibits feature the significance and importance of the Mississippi River, and native plant and wildlife. Interactive displays bring guests into the beginnings of Louisiana food, folkways and festivals.

The Barataria Preserve

The Barataria Preserve is a 20,000 acre park with natural levees, forests, swamps and marsh. The preserve features wooden walkways and bridges, canoe trails and a picnic area. There are also ranger-guided tours and a visitors’ center with exhibits and films, as well as an environmental education center.

The Barataria Preserve is about a 30-minute drive from the Central Business District.

Directions: Take Magazine Street to Calliope Street. Turn right onto ramp assigned “Mississippi River Bridge” (Hwy. 90) Take exit 4B. Turn left at the second light onto Barataria Boulevard. Drive nine miles to the Preserve at 6588 Barataria Boulevard.

Chalmette Battlefield

The Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery marks the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. In this famous cemetery, the visitor can walk among the graves of American veterans who fought in conflicts from the Civil War to the Vietnam War. There are also ranger presentations, exhibits and films that interpret this historic site.

The Chalmette Battlefield is about a 20-minute drive from the French Quarter.

Directions: Take Decatur Street away from Canal and continue to Elysian Fields. Turn left on Elysian Fields and go down about seven blocks until you reach St. Claude Avenue. Turn right on St. Claude Avenue and continue for about six miles. St. Claude will turn into West Bernard Highway. You will pass the Industrial Canal and Jackson Barracks. You will see the entrance to the battlefield and cemeteries on the right at 8060 West Bernard Highway.

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve consists of three other sites in Louisiana: the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice, the Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette, and The Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux. All six parks and visitor centers are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are free to the public.

For more information about the specific sites of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, please visit the Park headquarters at 419 Decatur Street or call (504) 589-3882. Additional information is available at www.nps.gov/jela.