History

The Federal Fibre Mills is imbued with the dynamic character of New Orleans. The physical grounds were created after the mid-1700s when the shifting Mississippi River deposited riverbed soil onto the batture upriver from the French Quarter. The first structure raised on the land was a magnificent mansion built in 1820, which later was converted into a 28-bed hospital by New Orleans philanthropist Judah Torah. After his death in 1854, the hospital became the original Touro Infirmary.

When Touro Infirmary relocated Uptown in 1883, the mansion was leveled and the property subsequently served several businesses. In 1904, the National Manufacturing Company built the present-day brick and heavy timber structure. The building was named “Federal Fibre Mills” in 1941 when John U. Barr and partners purchased the entire structure and named it after their company, which manufactured manila and sisal rope.

The Federal Fibre Mills took on new life in 1984 when it became a focal point for the ’84 World’s Fair. Featured at FFM were the German beer garden, Jed’s rooftop nightclub and a Cajun dance hall. The elevated monorail ran through the second floor of FFM. Following the fair, HRI Properties converted FFM into apartments that comprise the present-day Federal Fibre Mills Condominium.