United States Custom House

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Do you see these massive granite walls? They have witnessed a lot of history. This is the United States Custom House, a building as grand as its name suggests. For over a century, the United States Custom House has stood as a symbol of New Orleans’s legacy as a bustling port city. Its construction, a saga spanning over three decades from 1848 to 1881, reflects the tumultuous period of American history. Imagine, this very building was caught in the crossfire of the Civil War. Construction halted in 1861 when Confederate forces took over the incomplete structure. The Union Army later occupied it in 1862 after capturing New Orleans. During those turbulent years, the United States Custom House even served as a prison for captured Confederate soldiers. But the story doesn’t end there. Step inside, and you’ll be greeted by the breathtaking Marble Hall. This magnificent Greek Revival space, with its towering Corinthian columns and ornate skylight, was once the epicenter of New Orleans’s maritime trade. Here, ship captains would declare their cargo and pay tariffs on goods from around the world. Today, the United States Custom House continues to stand as a testament to New Orleans’s rich history, a place where architectural grandeur meets the echoes of a bygone era.

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