National Historic Landmark - New Orleans Mint
Now serving the community as a historical museum, the New Orleans Mint struck over 427 million gold and silver coins during its 70 years of operation.
Antebellum New Orleans was a bustling city on the rise and its location near the gold mines of Mexico made it a perfect location for a United States Mint.
Once the decision was made, famed American architect William Strickland set about designing the impressive structure. He chose the popular Greek Revival style made famous by former New Orleans resident Henry Latrobe, whose work in Washington D.C. made the neo-classical style a standard for American government buildings. Strickland had previously designed the Philadelphia mint and the Second Bank of America in a similar style but chose to build the New Orleans version from local red-clay, leaving the natural red color exposed rather than painting it white.
The mint began operations in 1838 and continued to produce United States coins until the outbreak of the Civil War.
During the war, the Confederate government utilized the facility for its own currency production until the existing store of gold bullion was expended. When federal troops recaptured New Orleans in 1862, the U.S. Mint was used as a barracks.
Following the war, the mint resumed its operations in 1879. The New Orleans mint produced primarily one-dollar gold coins and silver half-dollars. However, a reduced demand for gold coins forced the federal government to permanently cease operations in 1909.
The building subsequently saw use as a Coast Guard warehouse, Treasury Department office, and even a brief time as a federal prison. However, the U.S. Government effectively abandoned the building after World War Two and the structure fell into disrepair.
The State of Louisiana acquired the building in 1965 and re-opened it as a historical museum in 1981. The structure is recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
