Here are examples of some of the books available in our collection. Please continue your search in the online catalog. To learn more about searching the catalog, watch this video.
The Garden District of New Orleans
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The Garden District of New Orleans has enthralled residents and visitors alike since it arose in the 1830's with its stately white-columned Greek Revival mansions and double-galleried Italianate houses decorated with lacy cast iron. Photographer West Freeman evokes the romance of this elegant neighborhood with lovely images of private homes, dazzling gardens, and public structures. Author Jim Fraiser vividly details the historical significance and architectural styles of more than a hundred structures and chronicles both the political and cultural evolution of the neighborhood. The Garden District, unlike the French Quarter, evolved under the auspices of predominantly Anglo-American architects hired by newly arriving, and newly wealthy, Americans. Beyond these wealthy homeowners, the Garden District also offers a startlingly diverse and freewheeling history teeming with African American slaves, free men and women of color, French, Italians, Germans, Jews, and Irish, all of whom helped fashion it into one of America's first suburbs and most extraordinary neighborhoods. Fraiser animates the Garden District's story with such notables as Mark Twain; Jefferson Davis; occupying Union general Benjamin Butler; flamboyant steamboat captain Thomas Leathers; crusading Reverend Theodore Clapp; Confederate generals Jubal Early and Leonidas Polk; jazzmen Joe "King" Oliver and Nate "Kid" Ory; champion pugilist John L. Sullivan; local authors Grace King, George Washington Cable, and Anne Rice; Mayor Joseph Shakespeare; architects Henry Howard, Lewis Reynolds, and Thomas Sully; cotton magnate Henry S. Buckner; and Louisiana Lottery co-founder John A. Morris.In words and photographs, Fraiser and Freeman explore the unexpected evolution of this district and reveal how war, plagues, politics, religion, cultural conflict, and architectural innovation shaped the incomparable Garden District.
Main Streets of Louisiana
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Pt. A. Settlement to 1860 -- pt. B. 1860 to World War I -- pt. C. 1920 to present.
The Streetcars of New Orleans
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"With a vibrantly painted exterior and bells alerting eager passengers of its arrival, the New Orleans streetcar is mor than a method of transportation; it is a symbol of the city's past moving forward into a bright future. The pictorial history documents the legacy of this icon, covering events that took place between 1964 and 2008. It recalls the day the streetcars were removed in favor of buses, the rejoicing heard around the city when they returned, and the years of restoration after weathering an infamous storm--Katrina. Technical information, explanations regarding the enginering of these intricate machines, nostalgic pictures, and personal anecdotes are peppered throughout each chapter. How the streetcar has become part of American culture, appearing in the famous movie 'A Streetcar Named Desiree' and frequently as souvenirs and memorabilia, is also depicted. A keepsake itself, this attractive book covers every aspect of the streetcar and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of aficionados or fans of New Orleans" --Cover, p. 4.
Street Railways of Louisiana
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[This is a] "carefully compiled and accurate history of all electric and animal traction, street and interurban railways in Louisiana, excepting New Orleans. Special emphasis is placed on detailed illustrated equipment rosters and precise railway corporate history. 147 pages with photographs, maps, bibliography and index." (from the AbeBooks description)
