Archbishop Antoine Blanc Memorial

The Archbishop Antoine Blanc Memorial is a Catholic Church complex in New Orleans whose most notable building is the Old Ursuline Convent–Archiepiscopal Residence, erected by order of King Louis XV of France in 1745 and identified as the oldest building of record in the entire Mississippi Valley. In 1824, the Ursuline nuns deeded the property to the Catholic bishops of New Orleans, and the main building served as their residence, administrative offices, and archives. It later again became the archives of the archdiocese and a center for historical church-related research. The complex is dedicated to Antoine Blanc, the first archbishop of New Orleans from 1835 to 1880, who lived there and during whose administration the archdiocese experienced dramatic growth. Another notable building is Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, erected in 1845 as the chapel of the archbishops. The Archdiocese of New Orleans began restoring the complex in 1970 under the direction and supervision of Rev. Msgr. Earl C. Woods, chancellor, and completed the restoration in 1977.

New Orleans, Louisiana · United States