In the decade preceding the Civil War, New Orleans was a boisterous port with one of the most diverse populations in the world. But the city was enjoying a transient heyday, soon to be replaced by devastation and Reconstruction.

During the mid-nineteenth century, commerce, culture, architecture, education, and other important facets of life reached their zenith in the fabled Crescent City. But beneath the outwardly carefree surface, yellow fever and typhus claimed thousands of lives every year, branding New Orleans "the most unhealthy city in the world."

In this detailed...

-. . . first history of Louisiana which merits this name.-
-Marc de Villiers du Terrage, author of Les Dernii1/2res Anni1/2es de la Louisiane Frani1/2aise

Frani1/2ois Xavier Martin's The History of Louisiana is considered to be the first written history of the state. It expands upon Louisiana's rise to statehood, beginning with the discovery of America and culminating in the War of 1812. Martin wrote the book as a way to preserve Louisiana's history and culture for future generations. This edition provides a complete index, an introduction by Professor Robert C. Reinders, and a...