How Slate and flagstone Helped Save the City of New Orleans

We at New Orleans Brick & Stone want to tell you a bit about the rich history of our imported flagstone, and slate which we provide to our wonderful clients. Interestingly, the same material we procured ended up in colonial America in a surprising manner.

At various colonial landing sites along the New Orleans coast, flagstones, slate, and cobblestone whose weight stabilized empty ships were found. Although there are no known records, residents and local historians believe that these stones, found in coastal towns along the shore and underwater, were used as ballast in early sailing vessels.?

On the westbound voyage, ships needed weight to lower them into the water to keep them from capsizing; large flagstones and slate filled the ships' hold, but after they arrived this ballast was thrown overboard to be replaced by-products from the colony. Once they arrived, flagstones were used in landscaping and roads, while slate tiles were used for roofing.?

The majority of roofing slates and flagstone in the United States were imported from Europe before American quarries became prolific and productive in the mid-to-late 19th century.?

As slate began to be produced in the United States, Europe remained the largest source of slate for this country until the railroads became adequate to facilitate the transportation of slate from quarries to building sites. From that point on, domestic sources dominated the slate industry in the United States.?

Exports of local products from New Orleans included lumber, naval stores, sugar, alcohol, and tobacco. The market for manufactured goods from overseas was very limited in the colonies. ??

The material gained popularity after two massive fires burned the great majority of the city's buildings. The Great New Orleans Fire of 1788 destroyed 856 buildings in the town on Good Friday, March 21 of that year. In December 1794 another fire destroyed 212 buildings. After the fires, the town was rebuilt once more floors with flagstone, and roofing with slate, replacing the simpler wooden buildings constructed in the early colonial period.?

Much of the 18th-century architecture still present in the French Quarter was built during this time, including three of the most impressive structures in New Orleans—St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, and the Presbytere. In parts of Spain and the Spanish colonies, a similar architectural style existed, as well as large arched doorways, multi-story buildings, and decorative wrought iron. However, there were precedents in French colonial and even Anglo-colonial America.

Spanish influence on the urban landscape in New Orleans may be attributed to the fact that the period of Spanish rule saw a great deal of immigration from all over the Atlantic, including Spain and the Canary Islands, and the Spanish colonies.

A home, made from antique building materials will have character, beauty, and charm, no matter if you're a history buff or simply like the aesthetic. We have the right reclaimed building materials to make your home special and unique to you, no matter your taste or style.

As you give these antiques another use, you are continuing their story while making special memories for yourself.