Leland S. Montgomery House — 1506 Seventh Street
Although the architect and builder of this stately mansion are unknown, it was probably constructed in the 1850’s. A delightful rendering in water color of the house as it appeared in 1865 is in the notarial archives of Orleans Parish.
This charming painting shows the house without the library with bedroom above which was added to the south side of the house in 1890. Details such as the columns—Ionic on the lower gallery, Corinthian above—and the curved flagstone walk from the entrance on Seventh street are clearly shown. This rendering indicates that the present large drawing-room was, at that time, a double parlor, perhaps separated by an arch. The former servant’s ell, extending back from the dining room, was so deteriorated that when Mr. and Mrs. Leland S. Montgomery purchased the house in 1961, they demolished that wing and had the present kitchen, breakfast room and playroom added in keeping with the style of the original house. The Montgomerys also had the wooden front porch floor replaced with one of flagstones that came from the front walk.
Interestingly, the original owners of the house were named Montgomery, but no relation to the present owners. The leaded glass of the front door is etched with an “M”, placed there circa 1912 by the third owners of the house, whose name was Morgan.
Many interior embellishments of the house are original to the structure. In the living room the brass and bronze gas chandeliers, now electrified, are original as are the French cornices over the windows.