Description:

Widely regarded as the definitive text for tourists and guides, this concise history directs the reader through the diverse traditions and cultures that have left an indelible mark on New Orleans. Chapters include details of the city’s founding, changing European rule, slavery, and much more. The updates in this latest edition include histories of jazz and the African American community, as well as why the Crescent City is so bright and colorful to the present-day visitor. With lists of notable figures and events, this reference volume is a must for historians, tour guides, and lovers of the Big Easy.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans "I heartily recommend Beautiful Crescent. It is clear, concise, and authentic, but not overpowering. A perfect reference book for students, teachers, tourists and native New Orleanians-a must for every library and home." -Coralie G. Davis, library associate, UNO Library "The list of governors, mayors, noted personalities, and the chronology make Beautiful Crescent an indispensible tool for tour guides-and indeed fun for everyone who loves New Orleans." -Jane Molony, training committee, Friends of the Cabildo "Beautiful Crescent is a must in every tour guide's library. The Tour Guide Association of Greater New Orleans endorses and applauds this latest update and revision." -Suzanne Wooderson, president, Tour Guide Association of Greater New Orleans, Inc. This concise history of the Crescent City details the role of the Mississippi River, the city's founding, European rule, and more. Extended information on African Americans and jazz are also included, along with updates from Friends of the Cabildo. This edition expands upon the original text by well-known local authors Joan B. Garvey and Mary Lou Widmer, who also wrote Louisiana: The First 300 Years. Updates by editors Kathy Chappetta Spiess and Karen Chappetta Wildenfels enhance this classic volume.

About the Author

MARY LOU WIDMER, a native of New Orleans, is a certified descendant of the area's settlers prior to the Louisiana Purchase. She is a member of the Louisiana Colonials and the Daughters of 1812.

JOAN B. GARVEY, a former teacher and tour guide, is a native New Orleanian.

Editors KATHY SPIESS and KAREN WILDENFELS are the owners of the Tale of Two Sisters bookstore in Covington, Louisiana.

Karen Chappetta, a native of New Orleans, currently works as a paralegal. She and her sister, Kathy Spiess, owned Tale of Two Sisters Bookstore in Covington, Louisiana.