Local history plus events that changed the nation

Noteworthy for: The Cabildo's stateroom was where, in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase contracts were signed, sealing the transfer of France's new world territories to the United States.

The Cabildo, or town hall, was formerly the seat of power in colonial-era New Orleans, but has since passed through various other uses, including court and prison, and is now part of the Louisiana State Museum. Built in 1795, it stands to the left of St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square.

Three stories high, the Cabildo's exhibits trace the history of New Orleans and Louisiana and the many events that have taken place here - from the notorious Plessy vs Ferguson case (which enshrined segregationist laws for a century) to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.