By Rebecca Roussell
NYT Institute

ALGIERS, La. – At the place where the Mississippi River comes to a point across from New Orleans sits a slice of history and architecture that defines a more tranquil kind of living. Algiers Point, this red-headed stepsister of New Orleans, is a clandestine adventure that harkens one back to a time when life was simple.

It has not changed much since its incorporation in 1719. Not many native New Orleanians even know about it or have even traveled just two minutes by ferry to see what’s on the other side of the river. But those who have made it home embrace and love the town.

Stepping off the ferry onto a cobblestone street, visitors are greeted by Louis Armstrong’s wide grin. The Dry Dock Café and Bar is packed with the usual lunch crowd. And on the river, steamboats whistle as they travel to their next destination.

Residents of Algiers Point call it “New Orleans’ best kept secret” that has a quaint ambiance all its own. They know all about what people who flock to New Orleans — and even longtime residents — are missing out on.

For those who live in Algiers Point, the community is an escape from the wild, crazy atmosphere in the city. It is a haven from crime, the stagnant smells of Bourbon Street and crowds that jam the streets during Mardi Gras. Residents enjoy the break from sirens, the clean streets and the neighbor that lives across the street. Here, everyone knows your name.

It is that down-home feel that draws residents and keeps them here.

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How far would you go for love? Would you cross the Atlantic Ocean and move to another continent?

Well, a lovely lady and a love for blues, history and culture led England native Kevin Herridge to do just that and land in Algiers Point.

“I visited in 1993 and moved here in 1994,” Herridge said.

Herridge met his wife, Wendy, Tipitina’s, a popular in New Orleans. He spent some time with her the next day, then he canceled his flight back to London. He stayed another two weeks and canceled his flight again. This time he stayed until his Visa ran out.

For 13 months, Wendy and Kevin traveled back and forth from New Orleans to London to see each other before they decided to wed in 1994.

The couple bought a home in the newer section of Algiers and traveled to Algiers Point often to ride the ferry downtown and tour the community.

Crime became a problem in their neighborhood during the late 1990s. So they moved to historic Algiers Point.

In 1998, Herridge opened the House of the Rising Sun Bed and Breakfast at 335 Pelican Ave. Since its opening, hundreds of people have stayed in the renovated shotgun house.

Herridge always had a passion for researching. In England, he traced his family history and when he arrived in Louisiana, he traced his wife’s family history as well. He knew many facts about the South, slavery and the African-American culture. When he settled in Algiers Point, he wanted to know more about the neighborhood.

“I didn’t want the sanitized, white version of Algiers’ history,” Herridge said. “I wanted the real true history.”

Herridge said history books about Algiers Point never told the “black side” of the story. He formed the Algiers Historical Society in 1999 so both sides of the story would get told, he said.

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Carlos Barona is from Columbia and came to this part of Louisiana with his brother 20 years ago.

“You are near New Orleans, but you’re not quite there,” Barona said. “There is a lot of history and a lot of stuff happening here.”

In May, Barona opened Sortez Café at 141 Delaronde St., near the ferry landing.

“I used to work for several hotels as a chef,” Barona said. “I wanted to feature the traditional Creole and Cajun cuisine,” he said.

The café opens at 6 a.m. on the weekdays and stays open late on the weekend. Sortez Café offers a variety of foods such as pastries, soups, salads and snowballs, which is a New Orleans favorite.

The building where the café is located used to be an old slaughter house and Barona renovated it. He also renovated his home where he is living now.

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For Angela Trepagnier, it took a little convincing and many visits before she settled in Algiers Point.

“The charm of this neighborhood is what moved me here,” said Trepagnier, a longtime resident of New Orleans who lived in Kenner, La., for the past six years.

After moving to Algiers Point recently, she opened a coffee shop there. She transformed an old barber shop to Bon Vie Naturelle¡ in January. Trepagnier, who lives across the street from the shop, enjoys the diversified community that she serves. The easy access to downtown and frequenting tourists are great for her business. Safety and community support are also why the shop owner thinks the Point is a great place to be a business owner.

“This is a friendly community with people from all over,” she said.

Trepangier’s sister has lived in Algiers Point for 10 years and persuaded her to make her regular visits to the neighborhood permanent.

Trepangier said she decided to move because she wanted to be closer to her family, and life was just getting bland living in the city.

“The quality of life over here is better in more ways than one,” she said.