08/06/2026
LAFITTES BLACKSMITH SHOP NEW ORLEANS
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana has a rich history that includes being a French Colonial townhouse, a smuggling base, and a bar:
Bar
Today, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop is a bar that serves beer, wine, and frozen drinks. It's considered by some to be the oldest building in the United States used as a bar. The bar is known for its local lore, unexplained phenomena, and the signature drink, the "Purple Drank".
National Historic Landmark
In 1970, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Survival of fires
The building is one of the few in New Orleans that survived the fires of 1788 and 1794. It's believed to have survived due to its slate roof, which artists now use as canvases.
Construction
Built between 1772 and 1791, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop was originally a French Colonial Louis XV townhouse. It was built by Nicolas Touze and is one of the oldest buildings in New Orleans.
Smuggling base
According to legend, the Lafitte brothers, Jean and Pierre, used the building as a base for their smuggling operation from 1772 to 1791. The brothers are said to have posed as blacksmiths to sell the goods and enslaved people they stole on the high seas.
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