Virtual Library
initiated August 2015; ongoing
We are thrilled to announce the inaugural release of tens of thousands of historic Vieux Carré Commission archives for free viewing by the public at FrenchQuarter.nola.gov (or VieuxCarre.nola.gov). This innovative map-based electronic archive boasts: 44,000 historic slides have been scanned and linked to the properties they depict, every structure in the neighborhood has been painstakingly mapped in GIS, and every building’s color rating and other major attributes have been identified and defined. The Foundation is also now scanning and identifying the VCC’s countless historic paper photographs, to be added to the Virtual Library and linked to their locations on the map. Future phases include scanning and adding the 4,000 property files, as well as meta-tagging the images to 500-plus terms that are already defined in the Virtual Library glossary. This monumental and much-needed endeavor will serve as a resource not only for the VCC, but also for architects, property owners, residents, and people worldwide who are interested in the renowned architecture of the Vieux Carré.
Funded in part by generous grants from the Ella West Freeman Foundation and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.