Mansions, Money & Magnolias
Walk through the most expensive temper tantrum in American real estate history. When the Creoles rejected them, the Americans built an entire neighborhood out of spite — complete with forty-eight columns, a president's deathbed, a thousand dolls, and a cornstalk fence from a catalog.
View in App — $9.99What You'll Experience
Plan your walk
Know the route before you buy
- Starts at
- Introduction
- Ends at
- The Reveal
- Walking plan
- 1h 30m · ~0.8 miles
- Schedule
- Start, pause, and resume anytime
Included in the app
- Professional narration
- GPS-triggered stops
- Downloadable tour audio
- Ask the Historian Q&A
- Optional end-of-tour reveal
- All 9 story stops
A taste of what you'll hear
9 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.
"You're about to walk through the most expensive temper tantrum in American real estate history. When America bought New Orleans, the Creoles who already lived here took one look at the Americans and said — absolutely not."
"See that house with the Ionic columns on the first floor and the Corinthian ones on the second? That's the Brevard-Clapp House — nine thousand square feet of Italianate and Greek Revival, built in eig..."
"Alright, Bad Historians — you just walked through the most expensive temper tantrum in American real estate history. Let's see how you did."
Tour itinerary
Every stop on this walk
Explore the route before you go. Each stop has its own story preview, location details, and place in the larger tour.
- 1Introduction Read this stop
- 2St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Read this stop
- 3Buckner Mansion Read this stop
- 4Payne-Strachan House Read this stop
- 5Brevard-Clapp House Read this stop
- 6Colonel Short's Villa Read this stop
- 7Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 Read this stop
- 8Commander's Palace Read this stop
- 9The Reveal Read this stop
Stories first
Every stop is built around people, conflict, ambition, and consequences—not a plaque read aloud.
Most of it is true. The extra mischief is just a wink at the end, but the story is what carries the walk.
Have questions? Just ask.
Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.
Ready?
Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.
Get the AppBefore you go
Quick answers
How much is this tour?
$9.99 as a one-time purchase in the iOS app. The New Orleans city pack is $14.99 and includes every currently available tour in the city.
Can I use it with spotty cell service?
Download the tour audio on Wi-Fi before leaving. Cached narration plays without streaming; map tiles and other online features may still need a connection.
Do I have to start at a specific time?
No. Start when it suits you, pause for a detour or meal, and resume later. Check the opening hours of any venue you personally plan to enter.
Are admission tickets included?
The purchase covers the Bad Historian audio experience. Transportation, food, and admission to third-party attractions are not included.
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One-time
$9.99