View District Map
The Bywater Historic District is an urban area of approximately 120 blocks and over two thousand buildings. The boundaries of the district are roughly the Mississippi River from Press Street to Poland Avenue, continuing downriver to Manuel from Dauphine Street and back along St. Claude Avenue. The irregular northern (lakeside) boundary takes in several blocks on the lakeside of St. Claude and returns to the river at Montegut Street.
Bywater began in the early nineteenth century as a Creole downriver suburb, and the settlers included Creoles, free persons of color, Germans, Irish and Italians. Development of the district took place from west to east, so the earlier buildings tend to be in the western (upriver) half. The district today represents mainly the mid-nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. The earliest known subdivision plan of the district is from 1807 and it was called Faubourg Clouet.
Most of the buildings in the Bywater District are set directly on the street and very close together, with few front yards. The majority of the buildings are single story, but virtually all are raised above grade and most have high cornices. The overwhelming majority of the district's buildings are of wood construction. The major building types include Creole cottages, shotgun houses, camelbacks, side hall cottages, bungalows and commercial buildings. This district has an unusually fine collection of shotgun houses.
Major styles represented in the community include Greek Revival, Italianate, Eastlake and Arts and Crafts. There are also a few landmarks in the community, particularly churches, as well as a few large old warehouses along the Mississippi River. Two of the more significant landmarks are the St. Vincent de Paul Church and the Lombard Plantation House.