About this episode

This episode uncovers the story of Baroness de Pontalba and her impact on New Orleans.

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...

People in this episode

Host: Shea LaFountaine

Topics covered

• Baroness de Pontalba
• New Orleans history
• architecture
• women in history
• wealth
• cultural transformation

Keywords

• Baroness de Pontalba
• New Orleans
• Jackson Square
• Pontalba Buildings
• wealthiest woman

Mentioned in this episode

Places: New Orleans, Jackson Square, French Quarter

More episodes of History Fix

• Ep 158 Elizabeth I: How a Disappointing Girl Became the Quintessential Queen · April 26, 2026 · 44 min
• Mini Fix #30 Preview: The Challenger Disaster · April 19, 2026 · 3 min
• Ep. 157 Reincarnation: How Cultures Throughout History Have Believed in the Recycling of Souls · April 12, 2026 · 36 min
• Mini Fix #29: Japan's Human Experimentation and Biowarfare at Unit 731 Announcement and Teaser · April 5, 2026 · 8 min
• Ep 156 Comfort Women: How 200,000 Women Were Forced Into Sexual Slavery by the Japanese Government · March 29, 2026 · 43 min
• Ep. 155 Women in STEM Part 2: How 12 Courageous Women Shattered Gender Norms to Revolutionize Math and Science Fields · March 22, 2026 · 37 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the History Fix podcast page.