Coordinates
1101 Convention Center Blvd.
Across from Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Structural Narrative
House In
A Tree.
The Scrap House Memorial
1101 Convention Center Blvd • Artist: Sally Heller
Forged from Debris
Created by artist Sally Heller, this sculpture is built entirely from found and recycled materials. The "tree's" bark is constructed from salvaged 55-gallon oil drums, transforming industrial waste into a permanent memorial.
Dedication: August 29, 2009. The fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Beacon of Return
Inspired by the post-storm sight of debris lodged high in trees, the sculpture depicts a ruined shack caught in branches. An internal light shines permanently from within, symbolizing hope and the enduring drive of residents seeking to return home.
Resilience in Steel
Visitor Protocol
Access Level
Free Admission. Open 24 hours a day in a public park setting.
Conservation
A testament to material reuse and sustainable art in the wake of destruction.
Reminder: Resilience & Recovery
Illuminating the path home since 2009
History & Background
Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras, Louisiana on August 29, 2005, as a powerful Category 3 storm. The surge of water that followed — driven by the storm's winds pushing Gulf of Mexico water into Lake Pontchartrain and the surrounding waterways — catastrophically overtopped and breached the levee system protecting New Orleans. By August 30, approximately 80% of the city was flooded. Some neighborhoods saw floodwaters rise 15 feet or more. Approximately 1,800 people died in Louisiana and Mississippi, making Katrina the deadliest hurricane to strike the United States since 1928.
The image of houses submerged to their rooflines — with only the highest branches of surrounding trees visible above the water — became one of the defining visual symbols of the disaster. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, and over a million residents were displaced. The failure of federally designed and constructed levees was a man-made catastrophe layered atop a natural one, raising urgent questions about infrastructure, race, poverty, and the government's obligations to its citizens.
The "House in a Tree" sculpture, created as a memorial to the disaster, freezes this iconic image in permanent form — a house elevated as if lodged in a tree's branches, representing the surreal and terrible reality of those who watched their homes disappear under the floodwaters. Unveiled in 2009 as part of New Orleans' post-Katrina recovery and cultural revival, it serves both as a memorial to those who suffered and as a statement of the city's resilience and determination to rebuild.
Nearby Attractions
Lower Ninth Ward Living Museum
Located in the neighborhood most devastated by Katrina's floodwaters, this community museum documents the history and culture of the Lower Ninth Ward before, during, and after the storm. Walking tours of the neighborhood's recovery are available and provide a ground-level perspective on both the destruction and the ongoing work of rebuilding.
Floodwall Art Project
Large-scale murals painted on the floodwalls protecting neighborhoods along the Industrial Canal and elsewhere in New Orleans document community stories and the Katrina experience in vivid visual terms. These works are accessible along bike trails and walking paths and represent New Orleans' tradition of public art as a vehicle for community healing and expression.
New Orleans City Park
One of the largest urban parks in the United States, City Park encompasses 1,300 acres including the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, and extensive bayou waterways for kayaking and fishing. The park was heavily damaged by Katrina but has been comprehensively restored and improved in the years since the storm.