The tenement row at 89–91 Church Street was the real-world model for 'Catfish Row' in DuBose Heyward's 1925 novel Porgy, which George and Ira Gershwin adapted into the opera Porgy and Bess (1935), one of the most performed American operas in history. Heyward lived nearby and based the characters on residents of this block, originally called Cabbage Row because residents sold vegetables from their windows.
Quick facts
- ·The building is privately owned and not open to the interior, but the exterior is a significant literary pilgrimage site on Church Street in the French Quarter.
- ·The NRHP listing covers the broader Church Street area.
- ·Distinct from any existing catalog entry — Heyward's home is not currently listed.
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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.