Social life in old New Orleans

About This Book

The wonder and beauty of the antebellum South comes alive once again in the memory of Eliza Ripley. Born in 1832, Ripley witnessed firsthand the changing South and lamented the loss of elegant Southern balls and wedding traditions, such as having the ceremony in the house's parlor.Having spent most of her childhood in New Orleans, Ripley documents every facet of life in New Orleans and along the river, from spring housekeeping to slave narratives. She recounts past journeys on steamboats, which she calls palatials, and her favorite ship, the Grey Eagle, which featured staterooms and a social h...