The original Pizzati Arch at City Park. Each stone gate had a bronze plaque attached. One reads “Erected AD 1910” and the other “Donated by Capt. S. Pizzati.”
In April of 1910 while attending the annual City Park festival, retired steamboat captain and fruit importer Salvatore Pizzati decided to donate funds to build a stone gate and elaborate arch over the (then) main entrance to City Park, located across from Alexander Street. The well-known philanthropist announced his plans that day.
The arch consisted of two stone gates with an Art Nouveau wrought-iron arch spanning them; it contained 103 electric lights and was brilliantly illuminated at night so the words “City Park” across the top could be seen at all times.
Pizzati’s Arch was dedicated on September 3, 1910, which also happened to be Pizzati’s 71st birthday. Music from the Naval Reserve Band was followed by a speech from J. Arthur Charbonnet, who spoke as a representative for the notoriously modest Pizzati. He presented the arch to the City Park Board of Commissioners with these words: “I take pleasure in presenting this arch to the Board of Commissioners of City Park, and through them to the people of New Orleans, to their children and their children’s children forever.”
A celebratory birthday dinner was held at Darribere & Pujos Restaurant just down the street at 841 N. Alexander St. At the end of dinner, a toast was made to Pizzati. When asked how to stay young, the captain answered: “Have a good time.”
Pizzati’s Arch served as the main entrance to City Park for only one year, until the art museum was completed and the main entrance was moved to the Esplanade Ave. approach. Another successful Italian-New Orleanian – Antonio Monteleone – took the cue from Pizzati and had an arch added to that entrance as well.
It is unknown exactly when the original Pizzati’s Arch was removed – park officials guess sometime in the 1920s or 1930s. The gates remained, but the arch was gone. In 2000, a state grant was secured to fund a replacement arch. The design was based on photographs of the original, and local businesses donated their services to bring it to life, this time in aluminum. By 2002, Pizzati’s Arch was back up, lighting an entrance to City Park once again.
