Audubon Neighborhood Walking Tour

Turn west from Gibson Hall and walk a short block up St. Charles Ave. (towards Carrollton) to find the Tulane President's House. It fronts the gated homes of Audubon Place, so don't try to jump the fence!

The house is an impressive example of colonial revival with towering Roman columns. While residents of the area often protest that the house should be white -- as it was for many decades -- the original color of the house was this cream/ivory. The current president, Scott Cowen, had the painting done as part of a restoration of the dwelling before he and his wife moved in.

The house was originally commissioned in 1907 by William T. Jay, who made his fortune in cotton. His estate sold the mansion to Samuel Zemurray, a Rumanian immigrant who began working in America as a banana seller and later founded the United Fruit Company. His widow donated the building to Tulane University.