History Fix
History Fix
Shea LaFountaine
Ep. 153 Baroness de Pontalba: How the Wealthiest Woman in New Orleans "Got Her Money Back"
32 minutes Posted Mar 8, 2026 at 10:00 am.
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This week I'm uncovering the real story of Micaela Leonarda Antonia de Almonester Rojas y de la Ronde, Baroness de Pontalba. And, yes, everyone in this story has a super long name! Micaela is best known for helping to transform New Orleans' Place d'Armes into the Jackson Square we know today. She designed and oversaw the construction of the iconic Pontalba Buildings that flank the sqaure in the heart of the New Orleans' historic French Quarter. As the wealthiest woman in New Orleans, this isn...