| Absinthe in America II - New Orleans and the Old Absinthe House |
New Orleans has always been the centre of absinthe culture in the United States. On a conspicuous corner of Bourbon and
Bienville in the French Quarter stands an antique building famed as The Old Absinthe House. A square building of plaster and
brick, it's been visited since the lat 19th century by many well-known people: Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, William Thackeray,
Walt Whitman and Aleister Crowley, who wrote "The Green Goddess" here while waiting for a lady friend.
The building was constructed in 1806 by two Spanish importers, Francisco Juncadella and Pedro Font. It continued as a
commission house for various foodstuffs until 1820, when it was turned into an épicurie, and then a bootshop. Finally, in 1846,
the ground floor corner room became a saloon known as "Aleix's Coffee House," run by Jacinto Aleix and his brother, nephews
of the widow of Juncadella. Absinthe was being sold from this building as early as 1826. In 1869, the Aleix brothers hired
Cayetano Ferrér, another Catalan, who had been a barkeeper at the French Opera House. In 1874, Cayetano himself leased the
place and renamed it the "Absinthe Room" because of the numerous requests he had for the drink which he served in the Parisian
manner.
The building in which the drinking establishment was located was later called "The Old Absinthe House." After the doors to the
bar were nailed shut by the U.S. marshals during Prohibition, Pierre Casebonne bought the cash register, the paintings on the
wall, the old water dripper and the marble topped bar from which absinthes had been served and moved them to what was then
called the "Old Absinthe House Bar" at 400 Bourbon Street. The bar and the fountains were returned to their original home in
early 2004. These green marble fountains (pictured below) can still be seen at the Old Absinthe House. Their marble bases are
pitted from the water which fell, drop by drop, from the faucets over the many years they served their mission.
Bienville in the French Quarter stands an antique building famed as The Old Absinthe House. A square building of plaster and
brick, it's been visited since the lat 19th century by many well-known people: Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, William Thackeray,
Walt Whitman and Aleister Crowley, who wrote "The Green Goddess" here while waiting for a lady friend.
The building was constructed in 1806 by two Spanish importers, Francisco Juncadella and Pedro Font. It continued as a
commission house for various foodstuffs until 1820, when it was turned into an épicurie, and then a bootshop. Finally, in 1846,
the ground floor corner room became a saloon known as "Aleix's Coffee House," run by Jacinto Aleix and his brother, nephews
of the widow of Juncadella. Absinthe was being sold from this building as early as 1826. In 1869, the Aleix brothers hired
Cayetano Ferrér, another Catalan, who had been a barkeeper at the French Opera House. In 1874, Cayetano himself leased the
place and renamed it the "Absinthe Room" because of the numerous requests he had for the drink which he served in the Parisian
manner.
The building in which the drinking establishment was located was later called "The Old Absinthe House." After the doors to the
bar were nailed shut by the U.S. marshals during Prohibition, Pierre Casebonne bought the cash register, the paintings on the
wall, the old water dripper and the marble topped bar from which absinthes had been served and moved them to what was then
called the "Old Absinthe House Bar" at 400 Bourbon Street. The bar and the fountains were returned to their original home in
early 2004. These green marble fountains (pictured below) can still be seen at the Old Absinthe House. Their marble bases are
pitted from the water which fell, drop by drop, from the faucets over the many years they served their mission.
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A circa 1934 article on the formation of The New Orleans Absinthe
Manufacturers Association.
Fred Wulff (Jung & Wulff) was the maker of Milky-Way, which apparently
morphed (via corporate sale) into Solari's Green Opal. JC Yochim's
Nouvelle Orleans was another high quality absinthe-substitute that
compared to Herbsaint & Milky-Way.
Click on the images to enlarge.
Manufacturers Association.
Fred Wulff (Jung & Wulff) was the maker of Milky-Way, which apparently
morphed (via corporate sale) into Solari's Green Opal. JC Yochim's
Nouvelle Orleans was another high quality absinthe-substitute that
compared to Herbsaint & Milky-Way.
Click on the images to enlarge.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| The Old Absinthe House, 1890's |
| The bar of the Old Absinthe House, 1903. |
| The so-called "Napoleon" fountain. |
| The Old Absinthe House, 1950's. Courtesy of Jay Hendrickson. |
(1828-1900) established their grocery business in 1845. The men
were both natives of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, who met in
New York in 1838. By the 1880's, Schmidt and Ziegler's business
had become the "twelfth largest business of its kind in America"
according to a contemporary reference.
By 1900, the firm had expanded to 11 locations. In addition to
business partners, the two men were the closest of friends. Zielger
married Schmidt's stepsister, and the ceremony was held on the
same day in 1849 when Schmidt was married, apparently in the
same church. They both served as privates in Co. F, Orleans
Guards, during the Civil War, and later helped erect the Lee
Monument in New Orleans. In addition to their grocery and import
business, Schmidt and Zielger owned the Ocean Springs Hotel in
Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and also built summer homes in the
vicinity. Schmidt's "Summer Hill" in Ocean Springs was one of the
finest estates on the entire Gulf Coast. Schmidt and Ziegler died
within one month of each other and were buried in matching tombs
in Metairie Cemetery.
On the third page of this 1881 pricelist "Absynth E Pernod and
Absynth Cusenier" are listed at twice the price of cognac, almost
the same price as Haut Brion, and only a little cheaper than
Chateau d'Yquem!
were both natives of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, who met in
New York in 1838. By the 1880's, Schmidt and Ziegler's business
had become the "twelfth largest business of its kind in America"
according to a contemporary reference.
By 1900, the firm had expanded to 11 locations. In addition to
business partners, the two men were the closest of friends. Zielger
married Schmidt's stepsister, and the ceremony was held on the
same day in 1849 when Schmidt was married, apparently in the
same church. They both served as privates in Co. F, Orleans
Guards, during the Civil War, and later helped erect the Lee
Monument in New Orleans. In addition to their grocery and import
business, Schmidt and Zielger owned the Ocean Springs Hotel in
Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and also built summer homes in the
vicinity. Schmidt's "Summer Hill" in Ocean Springs was one of the
finest estates on the entire Gulf Coast. Schmidt and Ziegler died
within one month of each other and were buried in matching tombs
in Metairie Cemetery.
On the third page of this 1881 pricelist "Absynth E Pernod and
Absynth Cusenier" are listed at twice the price of cognac, almost
the same price as Haut Brion, and only a little cheaper than
Chateau d'Yquem!
| Click on the images to enlarge. |
There are three antique fountains in the
Old Absinthe House - all made of
green Carrara marble, and each
equipped with 4 brass taps through
which cool water is piped.
Each of the three fountains is
surmounted by a cast brass figurine -
in this case, none other than the
Emperor Napoleon.
Click on the images to enlarge.
All these fountain photos used by kind
permission of Kirk Burkett.
Old Absinthe House - all made of
green Carrara marble, and each
equipped with 4 brass taps through
which cool water is piped.
Each of the three fountains is
surmounted by a cast brass figurine -
in this case, none other than the
Emperor Napoleon.
Click on the images to enlarge.
All these fountain photos used by kind
permission of Kirk Burkett.
circa 1935 drawing, and at right, as it looks today. The
limestone base is, famously, deeply pitted by the dripping
of the taps over the decades. They were already pitted like
this by the early 1900's - this by the early 1900's - : : AlAl"
Here, too are marble basins hollowed—and hallowed!--by
the drippings of the water which creates by baptism the
new spirit of absinthe."
Click on the images to enlarge.
limestone base is, famously, deeply pitted by the dripping
of the taps over the decades. They were already pitted like
this by the early 1900's - this by the early 1900's - : : AlAl"
Here, too are marble basins hollowed—and hallowed!--by
the drippings of the water which creates by baptism the
new spirit of absinthe."
Click on the images to enlarge.
Click on the images to enlarge.
From a circa 1935 booklet:
"The exquisite Carrara marble fountain fixtures of the bar
are mute testimony of the glamour of bygone days.
Although in daily use since 1806, they are in a wonderful
state of preservation with the exception of the many pit
holes that have worn in the marble bases of the two
fountains, caused by the constant dripping of water for
over a century and a quarter. Originally imported from
Europe for the purpose of making "frappes," these
fountains were the first bar fountains seen in the New
World. The faucets regulate the flow of water, drop by
drop, into a glass filled with cracked ice..."