Dating back to the 1820s, 915 Saint Ann Street, often called the Gaillard House, is a small Creole cottage with a remarkable story. The house takes its name from Raimond Gaillard, a free man of color and musician who served with Fortier’s Louisiana Militia during the War of 1812. After his death in 1834, the cottage remained home to his widow, Manon Destrehan, who had been born at Destrehan Plantation to an enslaved mother. The Gaillard family held onto the house until 1861, making it part of their family story for generations. Nearly a century later, another chapter began when the cottage became home to artist, historian, and preservationist Alvyk Boyd Cruise, whose beautiful architectural watercolors documented the buildings and character of old New Orleans. From a free family of color in the early 19th century to an artist devoted to preserving the city’s past, this little cottage has quietly witnessed more than two centuries of New Orleans history, art, and culture.