The Montgomery-Grace mansion in the Garden District, also known as The Rex House caught fire this morning. The blaze reached 7-alarm status due to the number of departments reporting to bring the fire under control.
Each year, the Rex royalty stops in front of the historic home to toast past and present kings.
We offer condolences to the Grace family on the loss of their home at 2525 St Charles Ave. Designed by Thomas Sully & built around 1885, the home saw generations of the same family. https://t.co/s1eqOuqTP6 pic.twitter.com/ASt56aZqam
— The Historic New Orleans Collection (@visit_thnoc) February 20, 2019
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According to The Preservation Resource Center, the home was built sometime before 1865 by famous architect Henry Howard. The Queen Anne-style mansion has been home to many members of the Rex royalty, but the tradition of stopping there began in 1907 when the king of Rex invited a large group of friends over to celebrate his honor. The parade stopped to toast the crowd of gathered friends and family, and so a tradition was born.
Photos posted a short time ago by the NOFD seem to show the fire is now under control, but it’s unclear whether the house will be salvageable.
