History

Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, a New Orleans landmark and celebrated bastion of fine Creole food, has welcomed notable individuals as well as thousands of locals through its doors since opening in 1941. The unquestionable authority in the restaurant’s kitchen for many of those years, Leah Chase offers here a collection of recipes from the menu and her personal files that have delighted patrons for decades.

Spiced with exquisite works from the African American art collection that hangs in the restaurant’s dining room, this cookbook pairs the flavors of Leah Chase’s dishes with anecdotes recounting the restaurant’s traditions, origins of the recipes, and memories. This revised and expanded edition presents even more of the restaurant’s favorite offerings and features a new chapter on drinks. Dooky Chase’s longtime chef and proprietor passed away in 2019, but these pages honor Leah’s legacy through recipes and sentiments that will be forever intertwined with the history of New Orleans.

This volume features more than 300 authentic recipes straight from the kitchens of Creole Louisiana.

From Lobster Salad to Baked Stuffed Oysters and Crawfish Bisque, this compilation of recipes offers the best of New Orleans cuisine. Chef Lena Richards pulled inspiration from her southern roots and her experience in the catering business, to create delectable dishes. In addition to recipes, this comprehensive cookbook offers menu ideas for both formal and informal dinners.

Have you ever wondered how to make Crawfish Bisque or Baked Stuffed Oysters? Find out from an experienced caterer and cooking school owner who decided to share her secrets. In New Orleans, creating a fine dining experience and enjoying it is an art. This book teaches the ambitious cook how to create that art.

From cocktails, to compotes, to pastry and pies, this cookbook offers a bit of everything. Ideas for menus for both formal and informal dinners are also included. So get adventurous and have some fun creating some New Orleans favorites!

The Cajun language, spoken by the decendants of exiled Acadians, has been passed on by word of mouth for more than two hundred years. Cajun French is still widely spoken throughout Louisiana, despite threat of extinction and the controversies associated with including the language in school curricula. Conversational Cajun French I, the first systematic approach to teaching the language, makes Cajun French accessible to those born outside Cajun families and works to preserve the Cajun language and culture.

An extremely practical introduction to Cajun French, this resource focuses on everyday words and common phrases that can be understood everywhere the language is spoken, regardless of the various dialects and subdialects. The Cajun words for the days and months, holidays, parts of the body, numbers, clothing, colors, foods, animals, fruits and vegetables, tools, and plants, as well as a section of useful expressions and a list of traditional Cajun names, are among the elements included.

The book—designed for use in conjunction with the companion compact discs or audio download—includes a pronunciation guide to enable even the beginning student to converse with Cajuns. Narrated by author Randall P. Whatley, the CDs and download clarify the nuanced pronunciation necessary to learn this beautiful and, until now, elusive language.

A miniature book to hang on your tree (hanger provided).

More than forty-five years after its first appearance, Cajun Night Before Christmas® has become a modern classic that has sold more than 1,000,000 copies and has served as the model for Pelican’s ongoing, best-selling Night Before Christmas Series.

This miniature edition comes ready to hang on the Christmas tree. It will delight both young and old with its beautiful full-color illustrations and lively story, a timeless addition to Christmas celebrations across the country.

In these classic, fascinating, and often terrifying tales--Mardi Gras Indians, Baby Dolls, the Zulu King, Loup Garou, and the headless horseman of Natchitoches--all share the stage. Ghost stories from around Louisiana mingle with the true horrors of figures such as the infamous New Orleans Axeman. Learn stories of the Creoles and Cajuns, Southern church traditions, Voodoo rituals, hexes, and charms.  Gumbo Ya-Ya, everybody talks at once, expresses the tension between refinement and profanity, the sacred and the sensual--which defines Louisiana culture to this day. This 80th Anniversary Pelican Publishing unabridged edition's contents are wholly true to the 1945 original edition. First commissioned as a project of the Works Progress Administration Louisiana Writers' Program, it has stood the test of time and is a book beloved by historians, locals, and visitors.

This second cookbook from Leah Chase not only comes with her famous recipes, but it also contains her reflections on life, business, family, and friends. Now in paperback, the collection includes menus for special events.

Explore the dark and mysterious past of New Orleans with this riveting collection of tales that devle into the most haunted city in America.

New Orleans--the Big Easy, the birthplace of jazz, home of Cafe du Monde and what some call the most haunted city in America. Beneath the indulgence and revelry of the Crescent City lies a long history of the dark and mysterious. From the famous "Queen of Voodoo," Marie Laveau, who is said to haunt the site of her grave, to the wicked LaLauries, whose true natures were hidden behind elegance and the trappings of high society, New Orleans is filled with spirits of all kinds. Some of the ghosts in these stories have sordid and scandalous histories, while others are friendly specters who simply can't leave their beloved city behind. Join supernatural historian Troy Taylor as he takes readers beyond the French Quarter and shows a side of New Orleans never seen.

The iconic restaurant famous for Breakfast at Brennan's was a Creole favorite and New Orleans staple for decades before its closure in 2013. Now available in paperback, these classic recipes are sprinkled with both family and restaurant history and seasoned with the original illustrations. This collection is a must for everyone with a craving for true New Orleans flavor!

Once hailed as one of America’s greatest restaurants, Brennan’s in New Orleans was known worldwide as a home of fine cuisine. “Breakfast at Brennan’s” was a longstanding tradition on par with “dinner at Antoine’s,” and the restaurant was famed for its culinary inventions. Recreate the elegance at home with this classic collection of the Brennan family’s distinctive Creole recipes, first issued in 1961. Author and columnist Hermann B. Deutsch recounts the fascinating rise of the Brennan clan, telling how a family of poor Irish immigrants rose to become the premier restaurateurs in New Orleans. Numerous illustrations document the history of the family and their iconic restaurant.

Includes 150 iconic Brennans recipes like:

• Bananas Foster
• Trout Amandine
• Pompano en Papillote
• Eggs Benedict

Discover the origins of "second breakfast" in New Orleans.

Originally published in 1900 from the handwritten notes of Mme. Bégué herself, this collection of dishes from a quintessential New Orleans restaurant are now available in a reprint of the 1937 edition.

Pirate's Pantry: Treasured Recipes of Southwest Louisiana (50th Anniversary) is a bountiful collection of family and regional recipes, with a spicy lagniappe of local historical lore that reflects the Creole and Cajun flavor of this unique area, steeped in mystique and legend.

For most people, Southwest Louisiana evokes images of good food—an integral and inseparable part of the area’s past as well as its present. The Junior League of Lake Charles has collected family and regional recipes with a spicy lagniappe of local historical lore that reflects the Creole flavor and Cajun flair of this unique area. Steeped in mystique and legend, the bayous, rivers, and lakes of Southwest Louisiana provide the ingredients and the inspiration for Creole cuisine. Notorious pirate Jean Lafitte was a frequent visitor to the local planters’ tables, and his legend remains today throughout the swamps of Southwest Louisiana in Calcasieu Parish.Teaming with seafood, the local waters offer an abundance of ready possibilities for creative and delicious dishes. Sink your teeth into some Creole Jambalaya or Trout Au Gratin. Sample mouthwatering Crab Meat Quiche or Shrimp Thermidor. Delight in delicious Charcoaled Venison Roast or Grillades and Grits. Savor buttery Jalapeno Corn Bread and warm Swedish Puff Coffee Cake. Devour Heavenly Strawberry Pie, Ambrosia Cake, or Buttermilk Pralines at the end of any meal. Wonderful recipes such as these will greet you throughout these pages, delivering the distinctive tastes of Southwest Louisiana to your table. The sections include: Roux, Filé, Gumbos, Soups, Rice, Seafood, Wildlife, Beverages, Wine, Hors D’oeuvres, Eggs and Cheese, Breads, Meat, Poultry, Vegetables, Salads, Sauces, Accompaniments, and Desserts.

From the roast beef poor boys at Acy’s Pool Hall, to enchiladas with fresh ranchero sauce at Castillo’s, and pancakes of many varieties at Bucky Forty-Nine, this volume takes a bite out of New Orleans’ legendary dining scene. Authors Peggy Scott Laborde and Tom Fitzmorris reminisce about some of the best former eateries from around the city, highlighting and rating forty of their favorite recipes and period photographs provide a glimpse into the history of New Orleans' famous and culturally diverse culinary scene.

This pictorial treasure trove of information offers the history behind Gluck’s, the French Quarter restaurant where Tennessee Williams worked as a waiter; La Louisiane, the fancy establishment famous for Diamond Jim’s fettuccine alfredo; and Kolb’s, one of the only restaurants specializing in German cuisine.

Such recipes as Shrimp Toast from Dragon’s Garden, Stuffed Macaroni from Toney’s Pizza & Spaghetti House, Maylie’s Turtle Soup, and Christian’s Oyster Roland fill the pages of Lost Restaurants of New Orleans. Recollections from well known locals and photographs allow the reader to visualize New Orleans’ famous and old-time culinary scene.

Includes raised tombs, ornate statuary, and the alleged grave of voodoo queen Marie Laveau.

A chronicle of the rise and development of a unique musical form.

Inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame under its original title Walking to New Orleans, this fascinating history focuses on the music of major R&B artists and the crucial contributions of the New Orleans music industry. Newly revised for this edition, much of the material comes firsthand from those who helped create the genre, including Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Wardell Quezergue.

Join author Scott DeBose on a rugged journey through Louisiana’s No Man’s Land. Most Americans know the basics of the Louisiana Purchase, but few know that West Louisiana was left out of the purchase. They also don’t know that in 1806, the United States and Spain almost went to war over the boundary, and it was only an agreement negotiated by the American and Spanish commanders that prevented full scale war. But it wasn’t out of patriotism that James Wilkinson, commanding general of the US Army, negotiated the agreement. He was not only a Spanish Spy, but he was involved in Aaron Burr’s conspiracy. America now had a 40-mile wide and roughly 500-mile-long strip of land they could not station troops or police, and outlaws soon flocked to the region. This book will tell the story of how No Man’s Land was created, the conspiracy behind its creation, the outlaws, smugglers, and pirates who used the region as a base (such as Jean Lafite, Jim Bowie and John Murrell “The Reverend Devil”). But it wasn’t all outlaws—those folks will get their due, as well.

See how New Orleans became a place where several cultures met and blended to create a city and lifestyle unlike any in the United States.

Few cities boast a heritage as rich and a local color as dynamic as that of New Orleans, which is known around the world for its unique architecture, exquisite cuisine, flamboyant celebrations, and exotic peoples. Founded in 1718 as a backwater outpost of France, New Orleans was the catalyst for the greatest land deal in the history of the world, the Louisiana Purchase. Discover in these pages what made one city so appealing that one-third of the continental United States was purchased in order to obtain it. Images of the old city streets and such well-known districts as the French Quarter reveal the charm and mystery of New Orleans, and are complimented by informative and historical captions. A virtual tour of the city, New Orleans provides readers with a glimpse into the past and preserves the images of landmarks that have vanished. A scrapbook of memories for longtime residents of the city, this unique pictorial history will also be embraced by the millions of visitors who are captivated by the Crescent City.

Author Alan Brown guides the intrepid on a dark tour of the Pelican State’s most infamous residents. Louisiana beckons those the world over with its culture and Spanish moss–draped beauty. But that magnetic pull has also summoned a cast of reprobates vile enough to fill a book. In this version of Louisiana, pirate Jean Lafitte and gentlemanly train robber Eugene Bunch go ahead and help themselves to whatever they like, murderous dentist Etienne De Champs is the stuff of dentophobic nightmares, a psychotic killer known as “The Axeman” stalks the streets of New Orleans and a hail of bullets greets Bonnie and Clyde. Indeed, the sadistic Delphine LaLaurie and Voodoo Queen Clementine Barnabet are quite comfortable in this decidedly non-moss-draped history.

From brunch to dessert, these kitchen madams serve up history New Orleans style!

Author and culinary historian Poppy Tooker masterfully combines all the myriad strands that fill the rooms of Tujague’s beautifully restored establishment into a whole cloth of foodie lore. As the second oldest restaurant in New Orleans, Tujague’s boasts more than a century of fresh Creole cuisine served in the heart of the French Quarter. More than a cookbook, this foray into history combines memorabilia from the restaurant’s archives with stunning modern images from New Orleans photographers Sam Hanna and Louis Sahuc. The dramatic story of the successful effort to save the restaurant is included, along with tales of ghostly guests and authentic dishes and drinks celebrating the oldest standup bar in America and the restaurant that created the international tradition of brunch.

Join author and Louisiana historian Eric J. Brock on a visual tour of the most captivating New Orleans burial sites -  above ground!

The mysticism of cemeteries is inescapable and the cemeteries of New Orleans are no exception. They have long enticed residents and visitors alike with their beauty and rich history. We are intrigued by the way these sacred cities of the dead have the ability to both fascinate and unnerve us at the same time. Within these final resting places lie many personal histories marked by myriad monuments ranging from grand architectural homages to endearing sculptures and simple gravestones. In New Orleans, the cemeteries are unique in that they are primarily built above ground. Done in part because of the city's location below sea level, this type of burial is also a common practice rooted in the area's Latin culture tradition. Witness this for yourself with over 200 photographs accompanied by an illuminating narrative of some of the most intriguing burial sites of the Crescent City.

Strange True Stories of Louisiana is Cable’s compilation of seven unusual, factual accounts of life and history in the area. They include tales of two French sisters who made the dangerous trek to the unsettled lands of North Louisiana at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Focusing on New Orleans, Cable adds the story of “The ‘Haunted House’ in Royal Street” and evil socialite Madame LaLaurie, which spurs the imaginations of ghost hunters more than a century after its original writing. There is also a diary account, in its first published form, of a Union woman trapped behind the battle lines during the Civil War.

At the turn of the century, people outside of New Orleans viewed the city through the eyes of journalist and author George Washington Cable. His writings portrayed a tropical European city nestled on the banks of an American river still teeming with the literary, artistic, and social developments of a late Renaissance. In his own romance with Louisiana, Cable came upon many stories written by its denizens. While Cable assisted some authors in finding places to publish their works, there were many stories he kept for himself. Much of this collection can be found in Strange True Stories of Louisiana.

“They are mine by right of discovery,” writes Cable. “From various necessities of the case I am sometimes the story-teller, and sometimes, in the reader’s interest, have to abridge; but I add no fact and trim naught of value away. Here are no unconfessed ‘restorations,’ not one. In time, place, circumstance, in every essential feature, I give them as I got them—strange stories that truly happened, all partly, some wholly, in Louisiana.”

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARDS BEST REGIONAL NONFICTION OF THE SOUTH GOLD MEDAL

“When an elderly couple is charged with murder in the drowning deaths of thirty-five bed-ridden residents of St. Rita’s Nursing Home, an emotional edge-of-your-seat thriller takes off like a shot! The players: a wily and profane defense lawyer, a ferocious prosecutor, vengeful families of the victims, and a ravenous media that brands the defendants ‘Monsters of Hurricane Katrina.’ My advice—block out enough time to read this wonderful book in one sitting.”
—John Berendt, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

  “A passionate and personal book, artfully constructed.”
—Washington Post

  “A war story of jurisprudence. . . . a book you wish wouldn’t end.”
—Daily Beast

In 1984, the city of New Orleans hosted the last world's fair held in the United States.

Conceived as part of an ambitious effort to revitalize a dilapidated section of the city and establish New Orleans as a year-round tourist destination, it took more than 12 years of political intrigue and design changes before the gates finally opened. Stretching 84 acres along the Mississippi River, the fair entertained more than seven million guests with a colorful collection of pavilions, rides, and restaurants during its six-month run. While most world's fairs lose money, the 1984 New Orleans World's Fair had the dubious distinction of going bankrupt and almost closing early. However, the $350-million investment did succeed in bringing new life to the area, which is now home to the city's convention center and a bustling arts district.

A captivating visual guide to New Orleans's history!

Hailed as being one of the most comprehensive collections of photos, paintings, and drawings on its release in 1971, this educational and entertaining selection is now in paperback! From the city's French and Spanish beginnings to American forces fighting off British soldiers in the War of 1812, this is truly a fascinating compilation. These pages chronicle major historical moments along with the architecture, jazz, scandals, duels, cuisine, and fine arts that make New Orleans an amazing city to behold.

A heritage crafted of elegance and strength.

The wrought and cast ironwork of New Orleans is lauded worldwide for its intricacy and timelessness. Generations of artisans have labored to create the unyielding filigrees that guard windows, doors, and, gardens. Now, award-winning author Kit Wohl eloquently marries her passions for art, photography, and metalwork in this stunning tour of Crescent City craftsmanship. Graced with photographs of the city’s most famed works, histories of each piece and its location transport readers on a journey of elegance and beauty. From the famous cornstalk fence to the storied splendor of the Pontalba Buildings, these vignettes illuminate New Orleans’s rich artistic legacy.

Fear, rumor and white supremacist ideals clashed with an unprecedented labor action spawned an epic tragedy.

On November 23, 1887, white vigilantes gunned down unarmed black laborers and their families due to strikes on Louisiana sugar cane plantations. A future member of the U.S. House of Representatives was among the leaders of a mob that routed black men from houses and forced them to a stretch of railroad track, ordering them to run for their lives before gunning them down. According to a witness, the guns firing in the black neighborhoods sounded like a battle. Author and award-winning reporter John DeSantis uses correspondence, interviews and federal records to detail this harrowing true story.

Every New Orleanian knows Leah Chase’s gumbo, but few realize that the Freedom Fighters gathered and strategized over bowls of that very dish.

Or that Parkway’s roast beef po-boy originated in a streetcar conductors’ strike. In a town where Antoine’s Oysters Rockefeller is still served up by the founder’s great-great-grandson, discover the chefs and restaurateurs who kept their gas flames burning through the Great Depression and Hurricane Katrina. Author Alexandra Kennon weaves the classic offerings of Creole grande dames together with contemporary neighborhood staples for a guide through the Crescent City’s culinary soul. From Brennan’s Bananas Foster to Galatoire’s Soufflé Potatoes, this collection also features a recipe from each restaurant, allowing readers to replicate iconic New Orleans cuisine at home.

A classic is updated for a new generation!

The history of 613 Rue Royale, the site of New Orleans’ famous Court of Two Sisters restaurant, dates back to 1732—just fourteen years after the founding of the city, when it was the site of the home of Louisiana’s second governor. 

Beginning in 1886, the legendary “two sisters,” for whom the building and courtyard are named, operated a notions shop on the ground floor of the mansion. Located in the very center of “Governor’s Row,” 613 Royal became the focal point of Creole society. In many ways, the romance and history of the largest courtyard in the Vieux Carre epitomize the charm, the ambience, and the lifestyle of “America’s most European city.”

A tribute to the history that has made the restaurant famous throughout the world, the cookbook has been revised and updated with new recipes from the acclaimed kitchens. The history of the courtyard and the French Quarter offers an intriguing background for the recipes that follow—recipes that are Creole-inspired and taste-tested by the discriminating palates of tens of thousands of customers.

Historians Victoria Cosner Love and author Lorelei Shannon uncover the truth behind one of New Orleans' most famous stories and one of America's most haunted houses.

On April 10, 1834 Firefighters smashed through a padlocked attic door in the burning home of Creole society couple Delphine and Louis Lalaurie. The horrible discovery of chained and mutilated slaves spawned a legend that has endured for over 150 years. But what really happened in the Lalaurie home? Who was Mad Madame Lalaurie, and what motivated her to commit such ghastly atrocities, if in fact she really did?

Focuses on the Bayou Road, which was lined with the country seats and residences of the city’s earliest settlers.

Welcome to the spooky streets of New Orleans!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that New Orleans cemeteries are built above ground? Or that thousands of visitors each year come to see what ghosts and spirits may appear in these beautiful Cities of the Dead? Can you believe that the ghost of Marie Laveau—the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans—was once seen dancing on a tomb, with a snake wrapped around her? Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the Big Easy, and have you sleeping with the light on!

A tour of some of the most historic saloons in America.

There is no doubt that New Orleans has more drinking establishments per capita than any other city in the United States. Lavishly illustrated with more than 200 photographs, this elegant pictorial history provides a glimpse into the architectural and cultural treasures still operating today. From urban legends to classic recipes, all is revealed in this collection of fascinating true stories.

Revealing historical tales of the Southern mystique.,

“From various necessities of the case I am sometimes the story-teller, and sometimes, in the reader’s interest, have to abridge; but I add no fact and trim naught of value away. . . . In time, place, circumstance, in every essential feature, I give them as I got them—strange stories that truly happened, all partly, some wholly, in Louisiana.”

This presentation of the neighborhoods of New Orleans offers an expert's perspective on the city's architectural diversity and details, one block at a time. New Orleans Times-Picayune columnist Stephanie Bruno presents the best of her "StreetWalker" column in this illustrated resource. From the Garden District to Mid-City, each block included features photographs of the homes, a description of the buildings, and a map for easy access.

Join world-renowned paranormal researcher and author Nicole Beauchamp on a tour of ten of the most haunted hotels in the Quarter. The French Quarter, New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood, brims with eerie history and supernatural lore, drawing those intrigued by the unexplained. Explore the legend of Maurice Bergere at the Hotel Monteleone, the sinister spirit in Room 208 at the Andrew Jackson Hotel, the restless souls haunting the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, the phantom Axeman lurking in the shadows of the Haunted Hotel and the spirits that crawl into bed with guests at the Olivier House Hotel—and many more.

Delve deep into the history of Lake Charles, Louisiana's past, through pirates, Creoles and cowboys, and other lost stories with historian Adley Cormier.

Fires, hurricanes, neglect and progress erased much of Lake Charles's physical history. The young town was a magnet for pirates and privateers, like the infamous Jean Lafitte, who conducted business at the mouth of what is today called the Contraband Bayou. Michigan Men, creoles and cowboys made their way to the fledgling Louisiana town to start new lives. A great lumber industry shaped the town in the nineteenth century. Streetcars ran routes around the clock seven days a week. Author and historian Adley Cormier delves deep into Lake Charles's past to uncover a history that has been lost to time and change.

Discover how Jazz shaped the history and enhanced the life of the citizens of New Orleans.

From the days when Buddy Bolden would blow his cornet to attract an audience from one New Orleans park to another, to the brass bands in clubs and on the streets today, jazz in New Orleans has been about simple things: getting people to snap their fingers, tap their toes, get up and clap their hands, and most importantly dance! From the 1890s to World War I, from uptown to Faubourg Treme and out to the lakefront, New Orleans embraced this uniquely American form of music. Local musicians nurtured jazz, matured it, and passed it on to others. Some left the city to make their names elsewhere, while others stayed, playing the clubs, marching in the parades, and sending loved ones home with jazz funerals. Older musicians mentored younger ones, preserving the traditions that give New Orleans such an exciting jazz scene today.

Explore the city on the historic New Orleans streetcars!

The streetcar evokes a sense of nostalgia while representing the legacy of America's transportation history. Only in New Orleans can you ride the oldest operating streetcar line in America to reach some of the most interesting places in the city. With detailed maps of all current and anticipated street car lines across the city and stops along the way, this is a practical guide for both tourists and locals alike.

Images of America: Barksdale Air Force Base covers the history of the base from 1924 to the present with over 200 moving black-and-white photographs, many that have never been published before. This vivid history of United States military aviation includes everything from World War II to the Korean War, from the skies over Vietnam to alerts in the Cold War, from the sands of the Persian Gulf to the mountains of Kosovo, and on into the present-day War on Terrorism.

At the close of the nineteenth century, Louisiana's ports hosted an influx of Italian immigrants. Like so many immigrant communities before, acclimating to their new home was not easy.

Though the Italian contribution to Louisiana's culture is palpable and celebrated, at one time ethnic Italians were constantly embroiled in scandal, sometimes deserved and sometimes as scapegoats. The new immigrants hoped that they would be welcomed and see for themselves the streets paved with gold. Their new lives, however, were difficult. Italians in Louisiana faced prejudice, violence and political exile for their refusal to accept the southern racial mores. Author and historian Alan Gauthreaux documents the experience of those Italians who arrived in Louisiana over one hundred years ago..

Opelousas, one of Louisiana's oldest European settlements, takes its name from the Opelousas tribe, who roamed the area for years before the first French explorers arrived.

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the community was called Opelousas Church until it was officially incorporated as a town in 1821. Known for its hospitality, music, cuisine, and cultural diversity, Opelousas prospered during antebellum times, survived the Civil War, and suffered through the period of Reconstruction. In the late 1870s, the town again began to flourish with an increasing population and a great number of new businesses. The coming of the railroad in the 1880s led to more economic development, and Opelousas grew to be one of the most progressive towns in the state by the turn of the 20th century. In the 21st century, Opelousas is again seeing a revival of its past glory and continues to be the seat of Imperial St. Landry Parish, a title it has held for over 200 years.

Carola Lillie Hartley, a native of Opelousas, has worked for the city as tourism director and in 1993 became the first Opelousas Main Street director. A community activist and local historian for over 50 years, she has written numerous books and articles about Opelousas, including a weekly column titled Parlons Opelousas for the Daily World newspaper, part of the USA network.

Local author Andy Peter Antippas presents a walking history of the Vieux Carre, one alley, corner and street at a time.

Walking through the French Quarter can overwhelm the senses--and the imagination. The experience is much more meaningful with knowledge of the area's colorful history. For instance, the infamous 1890 separate but equal legal doctrine justifying racial segregation was upheld by the Louisiana Supreme Court at the Cabildo on Jackson Square. In the mid-twentieth century, a young Lee Harvey Oswald called Exchange Alley home. One of New Orleans' favorite drinks--the sazerac--would not exist if Antoine Peychaud had not served his legendary bitters with cognac from his famous apothecary at 437 Royal.

This section of Uptown New Orleans gets its name from the various colleges and universities, including Tulane and Loyola, that have existed within its boundaries. The architecture of this area ranges from the Gothic universities to the grand mansions of St. Charles Avenue to the modest shotgun homes and cottages scattered around the perimeter.

Authors Emily Ford and Barry Stiefel delve into the Jewish communities settled in New Orleans and along the Mississippi Delta.

The early days of Louisiana settlement brought with them a clandestine group of Jewish pioneers. Isaac Monsanto and other traders spited the rarely enforced Code Noir banning their occupancy, but it wasn't until the Louisiana Purchase that larger numbers colonized the area. Immigrants like the Sartorius brothers and Samuel Zemurray made their way from Central and Eastern Europe to settle the bayou country along the Mississippi. They made their homes in and around New Orleans and the Mississippi River delta, establishing congregations like that of Tememe Derech and B'Nai Israel, with the mighty river serving as a mode of transportation and communication, connecting the communities on both sides of the riverbank.

A classic look at old New Orleans.

First published in 1948, this collection of Louisiana tales provides a vintage look at local history. From General Andrew Jackson to Marie Laveau to Paul Tulane, colorful legends of the early Crescent City convey a fascinating, antiquated landscape and its captivating traditions. Cajun's lively characters and locations etch an animated past in which the bayou of yesteryear is authentically recreated on every page.

Come along for a haunted treck through New Orleans, where evil ghosts horrify, and good ghosts inspire. New Orleans thrums with ghosts, some so strong they terrify holy Voodoo priests. This guide, for the truly intrepid, leads you to ancient ghosts who patrol the French Quarter. Reveals the spirits who dine at Antoine’s and Commander’s Palace. Introduces you to the eternal residents of the Hotel Monteleone. Lures you under the shade of giant oaks to the undead duelling nearby. Teases you with mirages of vampires climbing from flooded caskets in Lafayette Cemetery. Fuels you with the power of Voodoo to call on your departed ancestors. Warns you to sneak past ruptured tombs and wicked mansions like Madame LaLaurie’s, where tortured spirits wail. 

Near Big Mamou in Southwest Louisiana, Mamère Cochon must send her three little pigs, ’Ti Joe, ’Ti Claude, and ’Ti Frère, out into the great big world to seek their

fortunes. As they prepare to go their separate ways, the brothers agree to watch out for the loup-garou, who’s been planning a cochon du lait for as long as they can remember.

How would the brothers make out on their own? Well, as ’Ti Joe always says, “Vouloir c’est pouvoir” (where there’s a will, there’s a way). But will they be able to avoid the hungry loup-garou? Well, if any three pigs ever had le savoir-faire (the know-how) to outwit the wily wolf, their names would have to be ’Ti Joe, ’Ti Claude, and ’Ti Frère, I garontee!

As a little lagniappe (something extra), the author has included ’Ti Joe’s special recipe for Grillades and Grits, the classic breakfast dish. Bon appétit!

Experience a cool splash of music history from the Bayou State!

This intensely personal and entertaining account is a snapshot of Blues from an outsider welcomed into the inner circles of Southern Blues icons. Englishman Julian C. Piper spent a year abroad at Louisiana State University and played blues primarily at the Blues Box in Baton Rouge. There he met many of the musicians with whom he conducted interviews between 1987 and 1988. Those interviews form the basis of this book. Through his close friendship with Blues Box owner Tabby Thomas and his son Chris, Piper collected stories of blues luminaries including Silas Hogan, Robert Pete Williams, Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter, Lonesome Sundown, Chris Thomas King, Lightening Slim, and many more.

Enjoy big Cajun flavors without the guilt!

Forget the myth that because it tastes great, it can’t be good for you. Culinary dietician Shelley Marie Redmond has done all the work and research to marry the authentic and delicious flavors of Louisiana cooking with principles of healthy eating. A list of pantry essentials forms the cornerstone of her plan and offers substitutes for ingredients high in carbohydrates (like Greek yogurt instead of butter). A shopping guide helps you to plan a successful and efficient trip to the grocery store. Recipes for such flavorful dishes as Mardi Gras Mambo Cajun Rice Dressing and Skinny Louisiana Cajun Chicken Pasta let you celebrate the best of Louisiana’s eats without the worry of compromising your health!

Shelly Marie Redmond is a culinary dietitian, media personality and founder of the Skinny Louisiana brand. She is a partner in Eberhart Physical Therapy, where she works with clients on food-related issues.

Veteran food columnist and cookbook author Marlyn Monette writes for The Times in Shreveport and is a frequent guest on television cooking programs. She liberally laces her recipes with amusing family stories.

The haunted history of the Crescent City!

Newly revised and updated, this installment in the much-acclaimed Ghost Hunter’s Guide Series is designed for locals, new residents, and travelers seeking the haunted history of the Crescent City. Detailed descriptions and historical background of more than ninety locations guide readers to sites where they might encounter ghostly apparitions. Experience the French Quarter, famous cemeteries, the spirits of Commander’s Palace and Arnaud’s Restaurant, haunted theatres and plantations, and more as you never have before. This informative and thorough guide includes informative supplementary materials for those looking to have and document their own paranormal experiences.

Author William Thibodeaux shares a bevy of Cajun Country tales.

From shocking one offs to delightful immersion into the quotidian lives of Cajuns long deceased, we find ourselves with a satisfying grab bag of Cajun history. A murder becomes a case that winds its all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. A feud erupts into a shootout on election day 1924 with three dead and four injured. One ordinary Cajun is torn between two passion—photography and railroading. Another young man rises to the rank of postmaster. Cajun music is reborn in these pages, and the university in Lafayette is founded. The legality of the Louisiana Purchase comes under scrutiny here, and communities lost to the great floor of 1927 are remembered, as is the once unthinkable banning of the French language on public-school grounds. During the yellow fever epidemic, one town tries to save itself by banning all inbound trains from NOLA. Another city in the region is befallen by a curse placed on its boundaries.

Bayou St. John played a significant role in the neighborhood of the same name, fueling debate over the waterway's use, control and ownership for centuries.

Native Americans first used it as a trade route. Later, it became a backdoor entrance for settlers to the present-day French Quarter. As commercial use declined, residents witnessed a progressive shift toward recreation. Following the Civil War, tourists flocked to witness Marie Laveau's voodoo ceremonies. The early twentieth century brought two amusement parks. And events like the Bayou Boogaloo music festival draw thousands of visitors. Despite its many costume changes, the bayou continues to be the Crescent City's most beloved waterway. Author Cassie Pruyn reveals this evolving story.

Engulfed by the bayou, Lafourche is a parish rich in history and culture known for its close-knit, family-centered communities.

The parish was originally inhabited by Native American tribes and later by European, African, and English settlers, and many of the residents of Lafourche can trace their ancestry back to these early settlers, strengthening the sense of community that is distinctive to southern Louisiana. The fertile bayou delta fostered small vegetable farms as well as large sugarcane plantations that continue to thrive. The numerous waterways and marshes of the parish produce bountiful catches of fish, seafood, and other wildlife, giving rise to its reputation as a sportsmen's paradise. The parish's economy is also made up of a shipbuilding industry as well as the oil industry, and because of the continuous pattern of homes and businesses that sprung up organically along the bayou, many refer to the town as the Longest Street in the World.

The definitive guide to all things Mardi Gras . . . past and present! From Twelfth Night to Ash Wednesday, New Orleans is transformed. Queens and fools, demons and dragons reign over the Crescent City. This vividly photographed book is a lively, comprehensive history of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Fascinating and intimate, this book seamlessly intertwines the past with the present.

“History in its most painless form . . . lightened not only by cartoons but by narrative approach.”—New York Herald Tribune

The history of New Orleans is a street-level story, with names like Iberville, Terpsichore, Gravier, Tchoupitoulas, and, of course, Bourbon, presenting the city’s past with every step. The late John Churchill Chase eloquently chronicles the origins and development of the most fascinating of American cities in this humorous masterpiece.

Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children details the interesting stories of the developers and families as well as the infamous and famous people, places, and events from which the city’s names and character are drawn. First published by now-defunct New Orleans publisher Robert L. Crager in 1949, the book remains funny and informative, generally accepted as a standard reference about the Crescent City.

A detailed history of a New Orleans landmark. Congo Square is an iconic location in New Orleans culture, filled with the echoes of jazz and the footsteps of modern dance. Brimming with the rich history of the city, this auspicious landmark traces its origins back to the 1740s. A popular gathering place for African-Americans, the square hosted public markets, musical events, and even the Congo Circus throughout its history. Johnson's detailed analysis of the development of the landmark places the deep-set culture of both the African-American community and the roots of New Orleans music firmly in the heart of Congo Square.

Meet the black men and women who toiled from sunup to sundown to live the American dream.

Using materials from the vast university archives in the Edith Garland Dupré Library, Drs. Zachary G. Stein and Michael S. Martin trace the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's dynamic history.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) welcomed its first classes in 1901. Originally a vocational school, the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute, it has since grown in physical size from a small parcel of former farmland to a campus of more than 1,300 acres and a student population of a handful of students to over 19,000 enrollees. Under the leadership of six presidents across more than 120 years, UL Lafayette’s students and faculty have overcome devastating adversities and ushered in dynamic changes. They provided relief amid the Great Flood of 1927, built military training programs during World War II, and developed among the nation’s earliest computer science labs and classes. Dozens of Black students made history in 1954 by being the first cohort to desegregate a previously all-white public college in the Deep South. Today, as an R1 institution, UL Lafayette continues to expand its reach through pathbreaking research, technological and environmental innovation, and dedication to its region’s unique cultures and history. 

In Images of America: Lake Pontchartrain, photographs document memories of a time that not even Hurricane Katrina could erase.

Native Americans used Okwata, meaning ""wide water,"" as a shortcut for inland trade between the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River. When the Europeans arrived, the original inhabitants showed them the route--the settlement near the river became the city of New Orleans, other lakeshore communities grew, and Lake Pontchartrain continued to be a vital waterway well into the 20th century. Aside from its economic value, Lake Pontchartrain was a cultural mecca: Mark Twain wrote about it and jazz sprang from its shores; locals and visitors traveled out to the amusement parks and opera pavilions, simple fishing villages and swanky yacht clubs, forts and lighthouses; and majestic hotels and camps perched precariously over the water.

New Orleans was one of the first cities to embrace street railways, and the city's love affair with streetcars has never ceased. New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line showcases photographs, diagrams, and maps that detail the rail line from its origin and golden years, its decline and disappearance for almost 40 years, and its return to operation. From the French Quarter to the cemeteries, the Canal Line ran through the heart of the city and linked the Creole Faubourgs with the new neighborhoods that stretched to Lake Pontchartrain.

Over the course of many decades, the city of Shreveport witnessed dramatic growth and ever-changing landscapes.

Mule-drawn railways gave way to electric streetcars, and what was once the Confederate capital of the state became today's vibrant commercial hub of northwest Louisiana. Drawing from their extensive image collection, authors Joiner and Roberson depict the forgotten scenes and lost stories that form the complex layers of Shreveport history. From the famous performances of Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show to the infamous red-light district, from the decline of vigilante justice to the victims who perished from yellow fever, Joiner and Roberson recover and remember lost Shreveport.

Let the good times roll down in New Orleans! Read the secrets and origins of the beloved Mardi Gras.

New Orleans practically owns Mardi Gras, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who would deny it. The wild celebration brings thousands of tourists to Louisiana each year, but none of it would be possible without the carnival krewes. The backbone of this Big Easy tradition, different krewes put on extravagant paries and celebrations to commemorate the beginning of the Lenten season. Historic krewes such as Comus, Rex, and Zulu date back generations and have become part of New Orleans' greater history, but today, what was once an exclusive position has widened their reach and new krewes are inaugurated regularly to enrich the flavor of Louisiana's cultural melting pot. Through careful and detailed research of over three hundred sources, author and New Orleans native Rosary O'Neill explores this storied institution, its antebellum roots, and its effects in the twenty-first century.