February 2012, Featured Articles, Bed & Breakfasts

Strolling Magazine Street for Mardi Gras

By Mary White   Wed, Feb 01, 2012

All eyes—and dancing feet—will be turned towards New Orleans this month as Carnival season comes to a scintillating end on Fat Tuesday, February 21, most famously known as Mardi Gras. Throngs of revelers from near and far will travel to The Big Easy not only to take in the massive celebration but also experience the city’s rich, storied history. Although the French Quarter grabs the most headlines, Magazine Street holds its own. This 6-mile stretch located in the Garden District was named after a “magazin,” a warehouse utilized in the 1700s to store products awaiting exportation. Boutiques, craft shops and galleries line the fashionable street not to mention an eclectic mix of architecture including Greek Revival and Victorian. Italianate also can be found here, and there’s no better example than the Terrell House Bed & Breakfast (www.BnBFinder.com/TerrellHouse).

Richard Terrell, a wealthy cotton broker from Natchez, MI, had the glorious 3-story mansion built for his family in 1857. They lived in the home through the Civil War and maintained residence at the home until their deaths. In 1896, it was sold to Francis Palms, a Civil War soldier who served in the Fourth Louisiana Infantry Delta Rifles of the Army of Tennessee, and his wife Aimee-Martin.

Stunning ornate cast iron frames adorn the balconies while tall windows, typical of this style, line the main level. The double parlors and den boast 14 foot ceilings with crown moldings, ornate medallions and sparkling chandeliers. Fine antiques can be found decorating the halls and guest rooms. Guests of the Terrell House can decide to relax in the comforts of their spacious suite or outside in the New Orleans-style brick courtyard, a private oasis featuring several fountains and café tables surrounded by lush and flourishing vegetation.

While the Terrell House stands in majestic form now, it wasn’t always in such fine condition according to Linda O’Brien, the current proprietor of the historic Terrell House. Like so many, the Mississippi native had long played with the idea of running a bed and breakfast. She knew about the Terrell House because of its location near her former home a couple of blocks away. When the house came up for sale, she made the decision—an “impulsive” one she says—to purchase it. After finalizing the sale in 2003, the house underwent a major interior and exterior renovation from top to bottom and reopened as a bed and breakfast for Mardi Gras in February 2005. It was time and effort well spent.

“I had never done anything remotely related to a B&B but thought it was something I might like to do,” said Linda. “I was right because Ilove doing this.”

Interesting fact: The Terrells had three children. Their eldest son shares a birthday with Linda’s husband, Edward (August 22), their middle daughter shares a birthday with Linda (August 8) and their youngest daughter shares a birthday with Linda’s oldest son, Edward Jr. (January 7)!

By Mary White

Mary White is the author of “Running a Bed & Breakfast For Dummies” and an avid B&B goer. She has stayed at bed and breakfasts all over the world and particularly loves the inns of Louisiana. In 1998, Mary founded BnBFinder.com, a top on-line bed and breakfast directory that lists thousands of B&Bs, inns, and boutique hotels worldwide.

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