The Faubourg Marigny
The Faubourg Marigny is the area of New Orleans that is right next to the French Quarter. The land had been owned by Bernard Marigny. It was supposed to have been developed into a sugar plantation, but Bernard divided the land into small lots and sold these lots to individuals. The Faubourg Marigny is considered the first suburb of New Orleans. The word faubourg means “false city.” (faux = false; bourg =city)
It was not truly a city, but it was separate from the city of New Orleans, which at the time consisted of only the French Quarter. In the faubourg lived free people of color, especially women, as well as Italians, Germans and Irish. The houses there are Creole cottages dating from the 1800’s.