The founding of Gentilly Terrace as a European settlement happened soon after the establishment of the Vieux Carré, or French Quarter, in 1718. French colonists Mathurin and Pierre Dreux selected the natural levee along Bayou Sauvage as the site of their plantation in 1727, which they named “Gentilly” after the commune from which they came. Gentilly was essentially rural, with a small village located three miles from the Vieux Carré, through the 19th century. The establishment of Dillard University in 1930 and improvements in drainage technology further spurred development, and as early as 1900, streetcar lines that connected the neighborhood with downtown made transportation easy. Residents have long taken pride and initiative in this neighborhood; the Gentilly Terrace and Gardens Improvement Association was founded in 1935. Gentilly Terrace was established as a National Register Historic District in 1999.