The Baroness Pontalba was born Michaela Almonaster. Her father was a very rich man, Andres Almonaster, who lived in New Orleans in the 1700’s. Michaela married when she was very young to the Baron Pontalba. She and her husband moved to France and had 5 sons. Later in her marriage, she discovered that her husband had married her just for her money. She was furious, and started to plan a way to dissolve the marriage. It was almost impossible for French Catholics to get a divorce in the 1800’s. When her father-in-law found out what she was doing, he tried to stop her by shooting her. She put her hand over her chest, and the bullet shot off one of her fingers, but stopped the bullet from hitting her heart. She then took the gun from her father-in-law and shot and killed him. She got an annulment of her marriage from the Pope and moved back to New Orleans.
While in New Orleans, Michaela did two things that forever changed the face of the city. She built the famous Pontalba Buildings that are on either side of the Cathedral of St. Louis. She also had the statue of Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans, placed in the center of the square, changing the name from Place d’Arms to Jackson Square.
While in New Orleans, Michaela did two things that forever changed the face of the city. She built the famous Pontalba Buildings that are on either side of the Cathedral of St. Louis. She also had the statue of Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans, placed in the center of the square, changing the name from Place d’Arms to Jackson Square.