New Orleans as It Was
"Some of these incidents are so startling, romantic and improbable that, were they not authenticated by undeniable proof, they might be taken as the vaporings of an exuberant imagination."  From the Preface ANTEBELLUM NEW ORLEANS, specifically 1760--1850, is the focus of this engaging book, first published in 1895. This was a period of transition and upheaval in New Orleans. Henry C. Castellanos recounts the effects of the Louisiana Purchase, the Aaron Burr Conspiracy, the Great Conflagration of 1788, and the political struggles between the Whigs and Democrats on the city and its inhabitants. New Orleans As It Was, part of Pelican's Southern Library series, is an exhilarating journey through the Crescent City's turbulent past. Castellanos's style is witty and entertaining, focusing on the more ironic aspects of the city's history. One of New Orleans' most prominent citizens, Castellanos was a lawyer, teacher, and journalist, serving for several years on the editorial staff of the Louisiana Courier. At the time of his death in 1896, he was planning a series of books on the unwritten history of Louisiana. Castellanos was able to complete only New Orleans As It Was, which endures today as a living testament to his genius.