Literary Landmark: Beauregard-Keyes House - Frances Parkinson Keyes

New Orleans, La.

Dedicated: June, 27, 2011
Partner: Friends of the New Orleans Public Library

Friends of the New Orleans Public Library President Scott Cunningham, New Orleans City Councilperson Kristin Gisleson Palmer, and Friends of the New Orleans Public Library Board Member Russ Carll at the Literary Landmakr dedication.  The Beauregard-Keyes House at 1113 Chartres St. was dedicated a Literary Landmark in honor of Frances Parkinson Keyes. The author made the house her winter residence from 1945 until her death in 1970 at the age of 85. Of her 51 books, The Chess Players and Madame Castel's Lodger are set at the house and tell of its construction and early habitation. It was at the house that she wrote Dinner at Antoine's, her best known work. While she lived at the house, she undertook restoration of the property and eventually secured its transfer to a foundation. The house was the residence of Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard from 1866-1868, while he was the president of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad.

Beauregard-Keyes HouseSpeaking at the dedication were Scott Cunningham, president of the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library; Gary Williams, chairman of the Beauregard-Keyes Foundation; Kristin Gisleson Palmer, a New Orleans city council member, and Donna McDonald, ALTAFF president and board member of the Arkansas State Library. Tours of the home were given following the dedication.


Resources:

Beauregard-Keyes House

Frances Parkinson Keyes: Encyclopedia Virginia