ALONG THE RIVER ROAD; PAST AND PRESENT ON LOUISIANA'S HISTORIC BYWAY.. This item is unavailable.ALONG THE RIVER ROAD; PAST AND PRESENT ON LOUISIANA'S HISTORIC BYWAY.

Louisiana's River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, much more than a parade of antebellum mansions, is the product of over three hundred years of documented history and of multiple layers of settlement by people of varying ethnicity. However, much of the River Road is hidden; with few signs or explanations readily available, it is easy to miss some of the most memorable sites. Along the River Road, like the first edition, is a portable reference and companion. It includes historical background, why and how the area has developed as it has - including information about the river and river control, the sugar industry, and the Catholic Church - and the road's physical appearance - such as land development, architectural forms, and natural history.

the best historical/cultural tour guide to the River Road
Think of the area between Baton Rouge and New Orleans along the Mississippi River--the River Road-- as a parkway through three hundred plus years of history, cultures, and fascinating stories. Many books about this area focus on the antebellum plantation houses--beautiful along the river, but hardly the only aspect of the area worth noting. With the river as the centerpiece, the River Road area--actually one narrow, winding road on each side of the river-- was home to Native Americans, French, Spanish, African slaves, Creoles, Cajuns, Italians, and many others who contributed to the development of a colorful and unique culture. The River Road is much more than the nine plantation houses open to the public. There are interesting, small museums, historic churches and cemeteries with tombstones in French, the vast river and man's efforts to control and use it, a 200-year old sugar cane industry, a history of boats from pirogues to towboats, 18th century creole architecture, spanish moss and armadillos, tales of ghosts, bandits, and lovers, and much more. "Along the River Road" is the only book that puts this area in a context, offering both visitors and natives an overview of how it developed, and then guides you on a ride up the east bank and down the west bank pointing out the mostly unmarked treasures. The author is a professional nonfiction writer and longtime area resident; she also wrote "The Pelican Guide to Louisiana" and has published articles on Louisiana history and culture in Smithsonian Magazine, Travel&Leisure, Southern Accents and other national publications. Area reviewers have called Along the River Road "the best book about the River Road" and "the best compansion on an outing along the River Road."