Congress approved the funds to build the barracks in 1832. After failing to find suitable property in the city, a two arpent plantation was purchased from Pierre Cotteret. Cotteret had purchased his land at a sheriff’s sale in 1825 from widow of Dr. William Flood whose plantation stood on lower side of Barracks until 1960s. It was designed by Assistant Quartermaster 2LT Frederick Wilkinson, 4th Infantry, in 1833. Constructed began in 1834 and was completed in 1835. Originally called the “New Orleans Barracks” or simply “US Barracks”, it was renamed in honor of Andrew Jackson in 1866.
2LT Frederick Wilkinson’s drawing for New Orleans Barracks, 1833
Frederick Wilkinson went on to design the Cypress Grove cemetery with its monumental Egyptian entrance pylons. He was deputy city surveyor for the Faubourg Saint Mary, and later deputy United States surveyor. In 1939, his wife, a native of New York, died of yellow fever, and was buried in the Girouard cemetery with the poignant inscription “Poor Caroline“ Less than two years later his promising career ended on March 22, 1841 at the age of 29 and he was buried beside his wife with the following epitaph:
Poor Frederick the lot was thine
Full soon to follow Caroline,
Poor Caroline, thy husband sleeps
Beside thee, and no longer weeps,
Receive, receive O powered Divine
Poor Frederick and Caroline
When Girod cemetery was relocated to take way for the superdome both graves were moved to Hope Masoleum and the original grave marker donated to the Jackson Barracks where it is currently on display.
