Broadmoor
A Nationally Recognized Historic District
Broadmoor is a quiet, peaceful neighborhood home to more than 7,000 residents and contains a number of beautiful and historic homes, churches and commercial buildings. The neighborhood includes the Broadmoor Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. Today, it's home to many families, young professionals and graduate students from the nearby universities.
Broadmoor Boundaries
Broadmoor is part of Uptown, in the Carrollton area of the city. The City Planning Commission defines Broadmoor as Eve Street to the north, Washington Avenue and Toledano Street to the east, South Claiborne Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue, South Rocheblave Street, Nashville Avenue, and Octavia Street to the west.
Broadmoor History
Broadmoor includes areas of the lowest lying ground in New Orleans, and was swampland until the early 20th century. It was a large marsh area and a popular fishing spot for people living in Uptown.
In the late 19th century, the city developed a drainage system to deal with the city’s flooding problems. That work was expanded to drain low laying areas of the city like Broadmoor. As the land was drained, houses were built.
The first houses built were mostly high raised houses because of the fear of flooding, but after decades without any problems, and as the population grew, construction of many low-lying houses became more frequent.
The May 8th, 1995 Louisiana Flood impacted Broadmoor severely when two powerful storms took place within 40 hours and dropped more than 20 inches of rain onto the city. Draining was improved after the 1995 flood, but like most of the city, it flooded again after Hurricane Katrina. Because Broadmoor is on such low land, it was hit hard. Water was up to 14 feet deep in some places.
After the water receded, one plan called for Broadmoor to be turned into park land. However, residents of Broadmoor objected. At the time the plan came out, in January 2006, many of those residents were already living back at their houses, in the upstairs level of two-story homes, while work was being done to gut and repair the flooded lower levels.
Today
Demographically, Broadmoor is a microcosm of New Orleans: 67 percent African-American, 26 percent white and 4 percent Hispanic. The area includes a public library, a small park and a number of schools.
For more than 100 years, Broadmoor has been known as a great place to raise a family.