Tricentennial History: Tremé

Tremé is our country’s oldest African-American neighborhood, “back of town” from the French Quarter. This subdivision was created in the 18^th century and named after plantation owner Claude Tremé. It was the only area of New Orleans (and the South) where freed slaves could own property in the 19^th century.

Congo Square lies at the center of the faubourg, a cultural center from its founding until today. Although the neighborhood declined after the interstate was built, the creation of Armstrong Park and its incorporation of Congo Square helped rejuvenate the area, and Tremé continues to experience rebirth.

– Scott Hutcheson, Senior Advisor to the Mayor on the Cultural Economy