Volume XXII, Number 3 Summer 2004

HAIL TO THE CHIEF New Orleans Salutes a Parade of Presidents

And They Were Wined and Dined Top to bottom, Menu for a banquet in honor of President- elect William Howard Taft on February 12, 1909, at the Grunewald Hotel (1970.34.1); Menu for a banquet in honor of President William McKinley on May 1, 1901 (1950.41); Menu for a banquet in honor of Teddy Roosevelt on March 11, 1911, at the Grunewald Hotel (1981.322.8) HAIL TO THE CHIEF: New Orleans Salutes a Parade of Presidents

rudence and decorum Consider the stash define the office of the from William McKinley’s Ppresidency. But try tell- May 1901 swing through ing that to George Washington. Louisiana—photographs, The Father of Our banquet programs, sou- Country, coated head to toe venir ribbons, and in sugar, once climbed onto mouth-watering descrip- a table during revels at the tions of 11-course feasts. St. Charles Hotel. Thomas The first president to visit Jefferson, not to be outdone, New Orleans during his went skydiving over Lake President William McKinley saluting passing boats in river parade, stereograph, 1901 term in office, McKinley (1989.9i,ii) Pontchartrain. And Ulysses S. spent three days being Grant swigged from a jumbo bottle of visitors. Rest assured that the victor in fed and feted. The president ventured beer while weaving his way down the presidential stakes will return to some formal remarks on trade (and the Canal Street. New Orleans, post-election—if not to benefits, for the port of New Orleans, Impeachable behavior? Scandalous raise cash, then to raise Cain. States- of an “open door policy” with China), hijinks? Hardly. Simply business as men, no less than college kids and but festivity was the real business of the usual in New Orleans. conventioneers, appreciate the allure of day. One man-on-the-street, quoted in Whenever elections draw nigh and the Big Easy. the States, summed up the situation: coffers run low, presidents—and The Historic New Orleans Collec- “E is de g-g-g-r-r-r-eat President of aspirants—hit the road. The long, hot tion houses numerous political those Etats Unis what come to Noo summer of 2004 has spawned thicker- artifacts—broadsides, bills, editorials, Orleans for eat those fine crayfeesh than-usual swarms of campaigners. proclamations—of serious import. Less bisque, yes!” Louisiana has been designated a “battle- weighty, but equally illuminating, are McKinley and his entourage toured ground state,” its venues booked for the menus, postcards, badges, and other the Cabildo, met with a “colored” dele- fundraisers and rallies, its airwaves satu- ephemera that illustrate the lighter side gation from Southern University, and rated with political advertisements. of politics. Among the liveliest are paraded through the flag-draped streets Come November, the campaign will those documenting presidential visits to of the city. “As far as the eye could see,” draw to an end. But not the parade of New Orleans. observed the Times-Democrat, “New Orleans was a shimmering, fluttering, floating bouquet of beauty…by the side of which the glories of Mardi Gras paled into insignificance.” Only one minor mishap—a mix-up over harbor jurisdiction—marred the visit, forcing a brief delay in the “River Parade” and exposing Mrs. McKinley to the midday heat. Nautical misadventures notwith- standing, the president told the press “My Visit Has Been Delightful” and vowed to return soon. Four months later, he was dead, the victim of an assassin’s bullet in Buffalo. Nearly every president since McKinley has fit a New Orleans junket into his schedule. Teddy Roosevelt came for a banquet—and returned for a bear hunt. Dwight Eisenhower came New Orleans welcomes President-elect Taft, photograph by Ernest P. Carriere, February 11, 1909 (1977.10)

2 portrait of the general now hangs in Though dead, and granulated, Washing- The Collection’s galleries. ton still had style; a reporter for the Daily Another military hero, Zachary Picayune enthused over the “exquisite” Taylor, although born in Virginia, execution of the centerpieces. adopted Louisiana as his home. In If Washington was miniaturized for December 1847, fresh off his triumphs his visit to New Orleans, Jefferson was in the Mexican campaign, Taylor was blown up—literally. A fireworks dis- toasted at a “corporation dinner” at the play during the sesquicentennial St. Charles Hotel. A year later, Taylor celebrations of 1953 featured “fiery was tabbed as president—and New portraits” of Louisiana Purchase deal- Orleans bustled to arrange a fitting brokers Jefferson and Napoleon. send-off. An invitation, on file at The (Dwight Eisenhower, who spoke at the Collection, announces a Grand Civic Cabildo but skipped town before and Military Ball to be held January 8, nightfall, made an unlikely third in the 1849, at Armory Hall. To the dismay pyrotechnic trio.) of all, a cholera epidemic forced the And Grant? He really did visit Andrew Jackson by Jacques Guillaume Lucien Amans, event’s postponement to January 25. New Orleans during his presidential 1840 (1982.11) By then, Taylor was already en route to term—in the guise of a bug. The Mistick was so enamored of Brennan’s Bananas Washington, for his inaugural. Krewe of Comus scored a Mardi Gras Foster that he requisitioned 11,000 And what of Washington, Jeffer- triumph in 1873 with a torchlit proces- servings for his 1984 inaugural. son, and Grant? Truth be told, sion titled “The Missing Links to George H. W. Bush popped into their visits owe more to artifice than Darwin’s Origin of Species.” For the Arnaud’s, during the 1988 convention, to actuality. occasion, Grant’s visage was grafted for a quiet dinner en famille. And Bill On December 14, 1799, Washing- onto the body of a tobacco grub. As if Clinton feasted on crawfish gazpacho ton passed away at his Mount Vernon that weren’t indignity enough, Rex and catfish pecan meuniere, courtesy of estate. On December 26, 1855, the resuscitated the design in 1997, the Palace Café, in 1996. Keystone Association of New Orleans installing Grant-the-grub on a float and held a banquet at the St. Charles Hotel. plopping a big bottle of beer in his New Orleans, beloved of tourists, A menu card identifies Washington— paws. And there, on his float, we will freely dispenses love in return. For or a sugary facsimile thereof—as one of leave him, bringing up the tail end of inaugurating the tradition of presiden- the “ornamental pieces of confec- our parade of presidents. tial visits, William McKinley will tionary” decorating the dinner tables. —Jessica Dorman always hold a special spot in the city’s heart. But two other, earlier presi- dents—each with Louisiana ties, and each well-represented in The Collec- tion’s holdings—can also claim pride of place. Andrew Jackson, “Defender of New Orleans,” returned to the city on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his great military triumph. Arriv- ing on January 8, 1840, the 72-year-old stepped off a steamboat and continued, by barouche, to the Place d’Armes, where he was saluted by both veterans and civilians. Too frail Invitation to a ball in honor of President- to visit the battlefield at Chalmette, elect Zachary Taylor scheduled for Jackson spent most of his five-day stay January 8, 1849, at Armory Hall resting in a hotel suite at the St. Louis (1956.29) Exchange. He ventured out to lay the cornerstone for his equestrian statue; and he sat, in his chambers, for Jacques Design for a float in the 1997 Rex parade entitled “May Grant return all the presents he got” (1997.39.12) Guillaume Lucien Amans, whose

4 Director of Publications Appointed FROM THE DIRECTOR The board of directors announces the appointment of Jessica In early May, The Collection Dorman as director of publications effective the beginning of and other area museums April. Originally from Connecticut, Dr. Dorman holds a hosted the annual meeting of master’s degree in English and a Ph.D. in the history of Ameri- the American Association of can civilization from Harvard University. She has served as a Jessica Dorman Museums, the most compre- professor of American Studies at Trinity College and Penn State University. As an hensive conference and undergraduate, she was an editor and president of The Harvard Crimson, the daily exposition for museum profes- newspaper of Harvard University. Dr. Dorman’s experience also includes serving as sionals. More than 5,000 national and international assistant editor at Beacham Publishing, an educational publisher in Washington, D.C., attendees met at the Ernest N. Morial Convention and as a manuscripts assistant at the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College in Cam- Center and attended functions at sites throughout bridge, Massachusetts. Her publications include Harrisburg’s Old Eighth Ward, with the city. Collection staff served as volunteers, man- Michael Barton (Charleston: Arcadia, 2002), “Muckrakers” in Encyclopedia of the aged hospitality, and entertained visitors at a United States in the Nineteenth Century (New York: Scribner’s, 2001), and “The Arts” wonderfully successful “French Quarter Frolic.” in American Eras: 1878-1899 (Detroit: Gale Research, 1996). Accreditation by the AAM, the foremost asso- ciation for establishing industry standards, is a primary goal of most museums. The Historic New MARK YOUR Orleans Collection first received AAM accreditation CALENDAR in 1978 and had this status renewed in 1988 and 1999. The AAM offers museum professionals The Historic New Orleans Collec- opportunities for training, growth, and networking, tion thereby keeping our institutions viable and respon- sive to our communities. Our participation in the Tenth Annual AAM conference brought us many new ideas and Williams Research Center Sympo- resources that we hope will make The Collection sium even more valuable to each of you. Third Christ Episcopal Church building, built in 1847 We are gearing up for a season of investigating English Spoken Here at the corner of Canal and Dauphine Streets and demol- the influence of Great Britain on Louisiana. Begin- Great Britain and Louisiana ished in the mid-1880s, in Marie Adrien Persac’s 1873 ning with the annual genealogy workshop on drawing of the 900 block of Canal Street, north side August 14, continuing with the tenth annual (1958.78.1.8) Saturday, January 8, 2005 Williams Research Center symposium on January 8, 2005, and concluding with a study trip to London A Heritage of Faith and Bath in the spring, we will be learning about The hegemony of France and Spain in Christ Church Cathedral Britain’s significant but often overlooked contribu- shaping the history and culture of the and Episcopal Louisiana tions to the colonization and development of Louisiana Territory is well documented. 1805-2005 our region. But the British imprint on Louisiana is As we approach another milestone in history, less often recognized. Great Britain took October 19, 2004-March 26, the 2004 presidential election, I know you will find active measures—exploration, immigra- 2005 Dr. Jessica Dorman’s cover article particularly inter- tion, military incursion, trade—to shape esting. We are proud to announce that Dr. Dorman has recently joined our staff as director of publica- Louisiana’s fate, while the Bourbon Formally established in 1805, the Episco- tions. Established by Dr. Patricia Brady in 1982, the monarchs and the French Republic pal Church in Louisiana will celebrate its department has been responsible for a wonderful worked to oppose British designs for liturgical bicentennial with an exhibition array of publications over the years. Our latest North America. A day-long symposium at The Collection. Featuring documents, books, Charting Louisiana: Five Hundred Years of will feature scholarly presentations on pictorial materials, and artifacts from Maps, George L. Viavant: Artist of the Hunt, and Louisiana history as filtered through the Christ Church Cathedral in New Orleans From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapes- desires of Great Britain. Dr. Light T. and other sources, A Heritage of Faith: try, are proud recent accomplishments. Thanks goes Cummins, professor of history at Austin Christ Church Cathedral and Episcopal once again to Lou Hoffman and Lynn Adams for College, will moderate. Final program Louisiana, 1805-2005 will trace the his- serving, sequentially, in the position of acting direc- details will be announced in the fall. tory of the church and relate the stories of tor and to Mary Mees for her part in the creative those who created it and were affected by research and editing that go into all of our projects. it. Appropriate programming, to be With Dr. Dorman on board, we look forward to announced, will be presented during the continued success! course of the exhibition. —Priscilla Lawrence

55 A PARTNERSHIP for TENNESSEE WILLIAMS SCHOLARSHIP

In early 2004 The Collection formed a Williams. Published in the fall of each nessee State University, Robert Bray partnership with Dr. Robert Bray to pro- year, the journal includes scholarship on received a master’s degree from the Uni- duce the Tennessee Williams Scholars’ Williams’s plays, fiction, and poems and versity of Southwestern Louisiana and a Conference and the Tennessee Williams on the film adaptations of his works. Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. Annual Review. Held each year in Each issue also showcases at least one pre- In addition to his current project, a major conjunction with the Tennessee Williams/ viously unpublished work by Williams. critical study written with R. Barton New Orleans Literary Festival, the In 2002 the Annual Review was converted Palmer on the film adaptations of Ten- scholars’ conference was established in to an electronic format available at nessee Williams’s plays, Dr. Bray has 1996 with Dr. Bray as its director. The www.tennesseewilliamsstudies.org. The published over two dozen articles, mostly Annual Review, founded in 1998 as an partnership between Dr. Bray and The on Williams. He contributed several outgrowth of the scholars’ conference, Collection will provide for both print and entries to The Tennessee Williams Encyclo- remains the only major journal devoted electronic versions of the journal. pedia and has written articles for the exclusively to the works of Tennessee Professor of English at Middle Ten- Quarterly on The Collection’s Fred W. Todd Tennessee Williams Collection— the world’s largest private holding of Williams materials. As the editor of the Annual Review, Dr. Bray works with an editorial board of internationally respected Williams scholars to select articles for publication; the same editorial board also judges the merit of submis- sions for presentation at the scholars’ conference. The publications staff of The Collec- tion and Dr. Bray will work together to continue to publish the highest quality Jessica Dorman, Lynn Adams, Williams scholarship, to publicize the Mary Mees, and Robert Bray Fred W. Todd Tennessee Williams Collec- at the entrance to the attic of tion, to expand the journal’s content, and 722 Toulouse Street, where Tennessee Williams had an to reach the broadest audience possible. apartment in the late 1930s For more information and to subscribe, e-mail Dr. Robert Bray at [email protected].

PUBLISHED PAPERS FROM THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE BICENTENNIAL EXHIBITION ON VIEW CONFERENCE AVAILABLE THROUGH OCTOBER 9

The Center for Louisiana Studies at the works by scholars Hans W. Baade, John From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong: University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with B. Boles, the late Glenn R. Conrad, A Cultural Tapestry, an exhibition the support of the Louisiana Endowment Joseph Ellis, Patricia Galloway, Daniel featuring artistic and historical trea- for the Humanities, has published the H. Usner, Jr., Peter H. Wood, and oth- sures from The Collection on view at papers from the Louisiana Purchase ers. One of the most comprehensive 533 Royal Street and the Williams Bicentennial Conference—a symposium examinations of the Louisiana Purchase Research Center at 410 Chartres Street, presented by The Collection and the available in a single volume, The examines four themes in the develop- Louisiana Historical Association in Janu- Louisiana Purchase and Its Peoples is ment of Louisiana—colonial history, ary 2003. Edited by Paul E. Hoffman, available for $29.95 from the Shop at the growth of 19th-century New The Louisiana Purchase and Its Peoples: The Collection, (504) 598-7147, Orleans, the visual arts from 1870 to Perspectives from the New Orleans Confer- [email protected], and from the Center 1940, and jazz. ence explores the political, economic, and for Louisiana Studies, (337) 482-6027, social consequences of the Purchase in www.cls.louisiana.edu.

6 SAVING WEDNESDAY’S CHILD In 1892 at a meeting of community leaders at the Dryades Street Monday’s child is fair of face, Methodist Church, the Reverend Alfred E. Clay initiated a campaign of “unceasing warfare against all the enemies of little children.” This broad Tuesday’s child is full of grace, mission statement launched the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a nonsectarian society dedicated to assisting chil- Wednesday’s child is full of woe ... dren regardless of race or gender. The organization, which was renamed the Children’s Bureau of New Orleans in 1926, has changed its approach to dealing with children’s issues over time, but its mission has remained the same for well over a century—to improve the quality of life for children and their families. Industrialization and technological advances in the last decades of the 19th century brought about tremendous social and demographic change. Large numbers of the rural poor moved into New Orleans in search of opportunity; scores of European immigrants poured into the city’s port. These newcomers often clustered in overcrowded, unsani- tary, and dangerous tenements—an environment particularly stressful for families. The strain of such living conditions led, in some cases, to domestic abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism, and child neglect. Saving Wednesday’s Child, an exhibition on view at the Williams Research Center from June 23 through October 1, examines the social problems that led to the creation of the Children’s Bureau and charts the organization’s response to the complex issue of child welfare over the Children fighting in front of the Beauregard House on Chartres Street, ca. 1907 past century. (1981.261.3) —Mark Cave

KEMPER AND LEILA WILLIAMS PRIZE AWARDED TO JOHN M. SACHER The Historic New Orleans Collection Civil War. The publisher A Perfect War of and the Louisiana Historical Association notes that “Sacher’s Politics was selected awarded the 2003 Williams Prize in welcome study provides from 18 entries, all Louisiana History to Dr. John M. Sacher a fresh, grassroots per- published in 2003. A for his work A Perfect War of Politics: spective on the causes of panel of three histori- Parties, Politicians, and Democracy in the Civil War and con- ans evaluated the Louisiana, 1824-1861, published by firms the dominant role entries for Louisiana Louisiana State University Press. Dr. regional politics played in content, scholarly Sacher received the prize, which includes antebellum Louisiana.” merit, and overall his- a cash award and a plaque, at the LHA’s A native of Miami, torical significance. annual meeting in Hammond, Louisiana, Florida, John Sacher A list of past on Friday, March 12, 2004. The received a bachelor’s degree Williams Prize recipi- Williams Prize, offered annually since in history from the Uni- ents and application 1974, recognizes excellence in research versity of Notre Dame in information for next and writing on Louisiana history. 1992 and went on to earn both a master’s year’s prize are available at www.hnoc.org. Dr. Sacher is interim chair of social degree (1994) and Ph.D. (1999) in his- Works published in the 2004 calendar sciences and assistant professor of history tory from Louisiana State University. His year exploring any aspect of Louisiana at Emporia State University in Emporia, teaching interests are varied, ranging in history and culture, or placing Louisiana Kansas. In A Perfect War of Politics, he period from the American Revolution subjects in a regional, national, or inter- examines the growth of the distinct two- through Reconstruction, and in theme national context, are eligible. The party system in Louisiana from the from African American history to party deadline for all 2004 Williams Prize sub- Jacksonian era until the outbreak of the politics to the history of Mexico. missions is January 15, 2005.

7 History IN PHOTOGRAPHS:

Pioneer aviatrix Ruth Law landing at the National Farm and Live Stock Show at the New Orleans Fair Grounds, photograph by John T. Mendes, November 1917 (2003.182.146). Law set three records on a flight from Chicago to New York in 1916, was the first woman authorized to wear a military Above, Bill Strother, the “human spider,” uniform, and broke the world record for succes- addressing a crowd before scaling the Hibernia sive loops at the New Orleans Fair Grounds. Bank building, photograph by John T. Mendes, 1919 (2003.182.193). Strother, a Hollywood stuntman, gained notoriety by climbing build- ings around the country; left, wading pool in Audubon Park, photograph by John T. Mendes, July 24, 1924 (2003.182.399). The tempera- ture reached 100 degrees on the day this photograph was taken.

istorical study is facilitated ate surprise. These collections quietly and through the use of visual materi- carefully preserve the character of an ear- Hals as well as the written record. lier time—a precious gift for us, today, Within the pictorial holdings of The when homogenization rules in so many Historic New Orleans Collection, photo- aspects of life. graphs far outnumber images of other The photographs of amateur photog- types. This aspect of THNOC’s holdings rapher John T. Mendes (1888-1965) were continues to grow, now covering virtually a gift to The Collection from Waldemar the entire period of photography’s exis- Nelson. The 609 glass negatives, mostly tence—from 1839 to the present. Two 4x5 in size, date from the end of World recent donations of photographic materi- War I to the late 1920s. Mendes turned als serve as windows into different periods his camera toward a number of newswor- of the century just concluded. thy events—Bill Strother, the “human John T. Mendes and Dr. Abbye A. spider,” scaling the Hibernia Bank build- Gorin each created compelling bodies of ing; the smoldering shell of the French work, Mendes during the 1920s and Opera House; the fire-devastated ruins of Gorin from the 1950s through the 1980s. the Fair Grounds grandstand; Liberty Their witnessing of those eras is intelli- Bond parades; and the appearance of avi- Demolition of the St. Louis Hotel, photograph by John gent and literate; their pictures not only atrix Ruth Law in New Orleans—as well T. Mendes, 1916 (2003.182.11) underscore familiar truths, but also gener- as more quotidian subjects. His collec-

8 THE COLLECTIONS OF JOHN T. M ENDES AND DR. ABBYE A. GORIN

Above, Zerlin’s, 139 Chartres Street, ca. 1964, photograph by Abbye A. Gorin (2004.140); Selling fish in the French Market, ca. 1964, right, Mama Brocato and Boys at Brocato’s Ice photograph by Abbye A. Gorin (2004.140) Cream and Confectionary Parlor, 617 Ursulines Street, ca. 1964, photograph by Abbye A. Gorin (2004.140)

tion offers a vivid impression of marks. The videotapes include the edited graphs complement numerous other New Orleans during the roaring ’20s. works, a number of which were broadcast photographic collections housed in the Dr. Abbye A. Gorin’s archive of over on New Orleans television stations, as Williams Research Center. The Charles 700 items dates from 1954. With an well as the outtake footage. L. Franck Collection and Eugene Del- almost clairvoyant approach, Gorin Dr. Gorin’s donation also includes croix Collection serve as counterpoints to recorded people, places, and events, many the maquette for a pictorial study of Mendes’s images, both in the use of glass now gone or changed. Gorin’s images New Orleans; factors extraneous to the negatives and in certain areas of content, stand as icons of their time, a reminder book’s content prevented its printing in such as architecture, public events and that the commonplace of one era is the the 1960s. Another aspect of Gorin’s work spectacles, and scenic views. Gorin’s specter of another. The archive contains showcased in the collection is her attention to architecture and landscape not only hundreds of photographic prints innovative and award-winning use of mirrors aspects of the Clarence John and negatives made in and around New photographs in advertising. And her Laughlin Collection, the Jules Cahn Orleans, but videotape footage from sev- longstanding documentation of the Span- Collection, and the Franck-Bertacci Col- eral projects produced with Barbara ish colonial architecture of North and lection. Inventories of both the Mendes Coleman—interviews with sculptor South America and the Philippine and Gorin archives are available to Angela Gregory and architect and histo- Islands, well represented in the archive, patrons of the Williams Research Center. rian Samuel Wilson, Jr., and documen- provides a strong basis for understanding As The Collection’s new database tation of the demolition of the New Spanish influence on Louisiana’s becomes operational, these collections Orleans Rivergate, one of the city’s most architecture. and others will be available on the Internet. distinctive modern architectural land- Both the Mendes and Gorin photo- —John H. Lawrence

9 GIVING BACK DONORS January - March to the Algiers Historical Society Dr. Celeste Newbrough Mercedes González de Amezúa Edward Newsome COMMUNITY Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Armstrong Errol J. Olivier The Bayon Family: Mrs. Frances Howard Parkside Foundation on behalf of Mr. and “Once you visit here, Bayon, Mrs. Suzanne Bayon de Neufville Mrs. Linton L. Young you have to come back,” Mr. and Mrs. John D’Arcy Becker Angele M. Parlange in honor of Mimi says Larry Garvey in ref- erence to The Historic Robert M. Becnel and Diane K. Zink Calhoun New Orleans Collection. BellSouth Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Indeed, Larry and his Edwin J. Blair Brenda K. Perkins wife Marla have contin- Sarah V. Bohlen Estate of Earl J. Peyroux ued to “come back” to Judith H. Bonner Diane W. Plauché THNOC since their ini- Barbara V. Broadwell Phyllis J. Ponder tial introduction to the Bethany Ewald Bultman Purveyor of Fine Wines, Ltd. institution on a trip to Ellis Johann Bultman Rault Resources Group Spain organized by The Philip D. Burden Alice N. Rayer Collection. They’ve come Judith Fos Burrus Dr. and Mrs. James L. Reynolds to enjoy exhibitions, to Mimi C. Calhoun Mary Ringwald delve into collections at Canadian Consulate General The Ritz-Carlton the Williams Research Mrs. William K. Christovich Mr. and Mrs. John Robert Sarpy Center, and to attend Laussat Society events. Robert B. DeBlieux Lynn D. Segraves Larry and Marla Garvey And because they have John D. Dupy Violet N. Sicard been so impressed with Marlive E. Fitzpatrick Anne Smith the institution and the manner in which it “uses its funds Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence D. Garvey Marti and David Speights wisely and in the public interest,” the Garveys have chosen Shelley Herman Gillon Statewide Bank to support The Collection. Shirley Ann Grau Irma Stiegler A native New Orleanian, Larry Garvey grew up in the Mary Ann Grigsby Audrey Moulin Stier Gentilly area, where he developed a love for fishing and Charlotte Hayes Stonehaven CCS Canada Corporation hunting. The Collection’s publication of the biography of Hermann-Grima/Gallier Historic Houses Hugh Ramsay Straub George L. Viavant, an artist of the hunt who resided in Gen- Jerome S. Glazer Foundation, Inc. Stan Strembicki tilly, was an obvious addition to the couple’s library. For Dr. Florence M. Jumonville Mary Stutts many years Larry was involved in the operation of the fam- K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen Marian Sylvester ily business, The Doctors Exchange, a doctors’ messaging Estate of Iris Kelso Marianna Flowers Tomeny service established by his father in 1921. In 1958 Larry and his brother Don founded Radiofone—the second selective Maria G. Kron Amelie Goodwin Urbanczyk calling/paging system in the United States and the first in the Henry W. Krotzer, Jr. Dr. Javier Morales Vallejo city. The cellular system was added in 1985. Marla Garvey, Daniel de Lamaze Robert J. Villars also a New Orleans native, comes from a family of bar pilots. Mrs. Alfred Smith Landry WDSU–TV The Garveys’ strong ties to New Orleans have inspired them Mr. and Mrs. G. Charles Lapeyre Mr. and Mrs. Stanly B. Whitney in memory to give back to the community and in turn to support The Mrs. J. M. Lapeyre of Paul Leo Bacas and his wife, Loretta Collection. According to Marla, “Larry and I have lived here Richard Lebherz Regis Macken all of our lives, and our business was here. We love the city Justice Harry T. Lemmon in memory of Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum and want to see our history preserved.” Anne Brittain Mrs. Routh Trowbridge Wilby in honor of Impressed by the “extent and depth of the resources that Dr. and Mrs. William Leon John E. Walker the institution has amassed and preserved over the years,” Woodward Logan Mr. and Mrs. Robert John Axtell Williams Marla and Larry Garvey have formed a close relationship John Magill WLAE–TV with the staff of The Historic New Orleans Collection. In Rose Milling Monroe Estate of Dianne A. Woest their words, “We know from the interactions we’ve had with the staff that they understand the mission of the institution New Orleans Public Library Dalton L. Woolverton and do their very best to support it.” New Orleans Television WWL–TV

10 The Benefits of CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS Second in a series on planned giving. Next: Giving Through Life Insurance

What is a Charitable Remainder Trust? Alternatively, the Benefactors could establish a CRT A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) pays an income stream designed to pay 5 percent, or $50,000, annually. In addition to a non-charitable beneficiary—often the donor and/or to more income, the Benefactors receive an immediate chari- donor’s spouse—for the life of the designated individual(s) or table deduction on their federal income tax equal to the a fixed term of not more than 20 years. The trust property actuarial value of the charity’s remainder interest (subject to then passes to one or more charitable organizations. CRTs are general conditions and limitations on charitable deductions). structured to qualify for special income, gift, and estate tax The CRT may sell the shares free of capital gains tax and the advantages: assets will pass to charity free of estate tax. • Immediate federal income tax deductions • Tax-free diversification and growth of investments Custom Designing Your Charitable Remainder Trust There are various ways to structure a CRT to help meet your in the CRT needs and objectives. For more information about CRTs or • Bypass of capital gains tax on sale of an appreciated other forms of planned giving, please call Jack Pruitt, Jr., asset held by the CRT director of development, (504) 598-7173. The following • Estate tax charitable deduction materials are provided free of charge: Proper planning with a CRT puts donors in the enviable posi- • Giving Through Charitable Remainder Trusts tion of doing good while ensuring that they and their family • Giving Through Life Insurance will continue to do well. • Giving Through Your Will Comparison Shopping • Giving Securities Let’s assume Mr. and Mrs. Benefactor own 10,000 shares of • Giving Real Estate GrowthCorp, originally purchased for $100,000 and cur- • Giving Through Retirement Plans rently valued at $1,000,000. The Benefactors would like to • Giving Through Gift Annuities sell their shares, invest the proceeds, and use the income pro- All inquiries are held in strictest confidence and without duced to help finance their retirement. obligation.The Charitable Remainder Trust is a creation of the On a taxable sale of the property, the Benefactors receive tax laws and as such must meet various technical requirements. $1,000,000; pay 15 percent federal tax on their $900,000 Potential donors should consult with a tax advisor in connection long-term gain; and have $865,000 left. At 5 percent, that with establishing a CRT. amount yields $43,250 annually before tax.

Private Viewing of Exhibition for Laussat Society

On Thursday, May 20, members of the Laussat Society gathered at The Collection for a private viewing of From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry, followed by a reception. Pictured are, left to right, Frederick Guess, Marda Burton, David Speights, and Marti Speights; Michael Valentino, Darleen Carlisle, Peggy Armstrong, and Robert Armstrong; Diane Zink and Robert Becnel

11 port of the preservation of the St. Charles on Charity Hospital, Louisiana State Uni- ACQUISITIONS Avenue streetcar, and Williams’s reaction versity, Southern University, Louisiana to the news of actress Anna Magnani’s State Penitentiary, the insane asylum, and T HE H ISTORIC N EW death. the home for lepers, among others. The ORLEANS COLLECTION encourages research in the n The Collection’s holdings include report also touches on military matters. In Williams Research Center abundant materials related to the Ten- words that resonate forcefully today, in at 410 Chartres Street nessee Williams/New Orleans Literary light of continued troop deployments to from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 Festival. Founded in 1986, the festival fea- Iraq, Governor Foster states that p.m. Tuesday through Sat- urday (except holidays). tures theatrical performances, master Louisiana “has promptly furnished two Cataloged materials avail- classes, interviews, panel discussions, and a regiments of National Guards, one bat- able to researchers include scholars’ conference, most of which take talion of Naval Reserves, and will supply books, manuscripts, place in the French Quarter. The Collec- other regiments of volunteers” for service paintings, prints, drawings, maps, photo- graphs, and artifacts about the history and tion has recently received additional in the Spanish-American War. “Louisiana culture of New Orleans, Louisiana, and memorabilia for inclusion in the festival must patriotically do its share,” Foster the Gulf South. While acquisitions by pur- archive, which includes correspondence, observes, “in the successful prosecution of chase have been temporarily discontinued, brochures, news clippings, photographs, the hostilities already begun.” The Collection is pleased to report the fol- n lowing notable donations. Though only minutes, and press materials that docu- Dr. Javier Morales Vallejo of the Patri- selected gifts are mentioned here, the ment the festival from its inception. monio Nacional in Madrid, Spain, has importance of all gifts cannot be over- —Mark Cave donated a copy of Urbanismo Español en stated. Prospective donors of Louisiana America (Madrid: Editora Nacional, materials are invited to contact the authors of the acquisitions columns. 1973), a major collection of maps and plans of early Spanish cities and towns in the Americas. The volume affords an MANUSCRIPTS opportunity to compare Spanish colonial New Orleans to Spanish colonies in Latin For the first quarter of 2004 (January- America. According to OCLC’s WorldCat March), there were 18 manuscripts database, no other library or historic repos- donations, totaling approximately 139 itory in Louisiana owns this title. linear feet. n Claudia Queiroz’s self-published n Fred W. Todd continues to add to the work, Bound by Love, tells the story of the extensive Tennessee Williams collection author’s quest for information about her that bears his name. Significant additions relative Jacques Cantrelle, Sr., known as include theatrical posters from many the benefactor of St. James, Louisiana. notable productions of Williams’s plays The narrative, which explores the history and a scrapbook devoted to the issuance of of St. James Parish, sheds light on the chal- the Tennessee Williams postage stamp, lenges faced by early Louisiana settlers. both purchased by Mr. Todd from the n To complement its holdings of Denis Lifelong friends Pancho Rodriguez y Gonzales John Buonomo Tennessee Williams Col- and Tennessee Williams at Pat O’Brien’s during Mardi Diderot’s Encyclopédie, the library has lection, then donated to The Collection. Gras, 1962 (2003.228.1) acquired a copy of L’Encyclopédie Diderot et Mr. Todd also acquired the Pancho D’Alembert: Planches et commentaries Rodriguez y Gonzales Collection for présentés par Jacques Proust, a reference THNOC. Gonzales, a lifelong friend of LIBRARY work that explains the illustrations in Tennessee Williams, is considered by some Diderot’s monumental encyclopedia from to be the inspiration for the character of For the first quarter of 2004 (January- the French Enlightenment period. Ency- Pablo Gonzales in A Streetcar Named March), there were 16 library donations, clopédie, published over the course of more Desire. Noteworthy items in the collection totaling 92 items. than 20 years (1751-77), contains 11 vol- include photographs documenting Gonza- n In Message of His Excellency Governor umes of beautifully engraved plates les’s friendship with Williams from the Murphy J. Foster to the General Assembly of illustrating 21 volumes of text. An addi- 1940s through the 1970s and a diary kept the State of Louisiana (1898), a rare pam- tional resource is a collaborative website by Gonzales during one of Williams’s visits phlet donated by Rose Milling Monroe, established by the University of Michigan to New Orleans in 1973. In the diary, the governor reports on the operations of that provides translations of some of the Gonzales describes a dinner party at various public institutions and gives an 70,000 articles included in Encyclopédie Williams’s French Quarter home, a account of the financial condition of the (www.hti.umich.edu/d/did/intro.html). fundraiser that Williams attended in sup- state. The biennial report includes sections —Gerald Patout

12 Churchyard, Europe by Ellsworth Woodward, between 1890 and 1920 (2004.29.1)

CURATORIAL

For the first quarter of 2004 and Zoo, Louisiana State Univer- (January-March), there were sity, Alexandria Mall, and 30 curatorial donations, totaling Piazza d’Italia. 65 items. n St. Louis photographer Stan n Laura Simon Nelson’s dona- Strembicki has photographed tion of works by Ellsworth and New Orleans Mardi Gras for over William Woodward adds apprecia- a decade, amassing hundreds of bly to The Collection’s holdings by photographs of its many aspects. the Massachusetts-born brothers He recently donated a print of who strongly influenced art and flambeaux carriers and police offi- art education in late 19th- and cers in the 1991 Hermes parade. early 20th-century Louisiana. After the Accident by Charles Richards, between 1946 and 1949 nCourtney Anne Sarpy, H. Leon Mrs. Nelson’s gift also includes (2004.53) Sarpy, and Mr. and Mrs. John paintings by Luis Graner and Sarpy have donated what may be Robert M. Rucker. serves to tie the women’s expressions to the state’s oldest documented piece of n In the late 1940s Richard Lebherz the painting’s title. needlework. The cotton and linen sam- acquired a haunting painting from New n Cashio, Cochran, L.L.C., the oldest pler, bearing the date December 8, 1815, Orleans artist Charles Richards, which he landscape architecture firm in the state, is the work of a 10-year-old Ursuline has recently donated to The Collection. has donated 176 drawings for landscape school student, Pauline Fortier. Samplers Titled After the Accident, the painting and urban-design projects in New were worked by girls and young women shows a frieze of disconsolate women Orleans and elsewhere in Louisiana. The mastering the art of needlework and with downcast eyes. A pair of children’s drawings, ranging in date from 1970 to learning numbers and the alphabet. shoes in the lower, right-hand corner 2000, include designs for Audubon Park —John H. Lawrence

13 STAFF Educational Outreach Update

IN T HE C OMMUNITY Sue Laudeman was selected to be “principal for Art Jam 2004 a day” at Benjamin Franklin Elementary Math & Science School. Mark Cave was named chairman of the Acquisitions and Appraisal Sec- On April 3, 2004, hundreds of people gathered at Washington Square for Art Jam, tion of the Society of American Archivists. KID smART’s annual interactive children’s art festival. Puppet making, silk screening, Carol Bartels received the 2004 Louisiana Archives and Manuscripts Association’s Contin- parasol painting/second lining, and mask making were among the creative projects uing Education Scholarship to attend the organized by Art Jam’s partners, sponsors, and artists. Col- Society of American Archivists’ encoded lection staff members worked with an enthusiastic group of archival description workshop at Tulane Univer- children to create a mural illustrating the theme sity, June 10-11, 2004. John Kallenborn and Alfred Lemmon received Order of St. Louis IX “One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” medallions in recognition of their years of serv- The concept of “nation,” past and present, was also brought ice to the Archdiocese of New Orleans. home to the children through role-playing activities related CHANGES to the Louisiana Purchase. Mark Cave, manuscripts curator; Siva Blake, Art Jam is one of several programs sponsored by KID reference archivist; Robyn White, obituary smART, an organization devoted to teaching at-risk children index project. positive life skills through hands- V OLUNTEERS A N D INTERNS on arts activities. Established in Bill Chauvin and Myrna Bergeron, volunteers, 1999 as a Saturday program serv- docent department; Angela Roberts, manu- ing 20 children at a single school, scripts volunteer; Rachael Schultz and Ed Apffel, library volunteers; Donna Price, intern KID smART now reaches over (Southern University); Lenora Costa, intern 600 students at schools across (University of Delaware); Andrea Faber, intern Uptown, Central City, and the (Southeastern Louisiana University). West Bank.

Editors Jessica Dorman Lynn D. Adams, Mary C. Mees Head of Photography Jan White Brantley Additional photography by Keely Merritt The Historic New Orleans Collection Quarterly is published by The Historic New Orleans Collection, which is operated by the Kemper and Leila Williams Founda- tion, a Louisiana nonprofit corporation. Housed in a complex of historic buildings in the French Quarter, facilities are open to the W E N EED YOUR HELP! public, Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tours of the his- tory galleries and the Williams Residence are The Collection is fortunate to have encompassing Louisiana’s colonial available for a nominal fee. dedicated volunteers who contribute history, art, and architecture gives vol- Board of Directors Mrs. William K. Christovich, Chairman generously to the work of the institu- unteers an inside view of our John E. Walker, President tion. But as we continue to grow, we collections and latest exhibitions. Charles Snyder Fred M. Smith John Kallenborn must increase our volunteer corps. Vol- Please consider helping The Collection Priscilla Lawrence, Executive Director unteers are needed in the docent to further its goal of preserving and The Historic New Orleans Collection department, to guide tours of the His- interpreting the history and culture of 533 Royal Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 tory Galleries and Williams Residence, New Orleans and the Gulf South. For (504) 523-4662 [email protected] • www.hnoc.org and at the Williams Research Center. more information call Bunny Hinckley ISSN 0886-2109 A total-immersion training program at (504) 598-7141. © 2004 The Historic New Orleans Collection

14 THE SHOP PLEASE SEND Quantity Amount _____ From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry, $35 ______

Taxes as applicable 9% Orleans Parish ______4% other La. residents ______Subtotal ______

Shipping and Handling From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong, $6 ______Total Amount Due ______

Name______Address______To complement the current exhibition, of Birds of America, originally pub- City, State, Zip______the Shop is offering From Louis XIV to lished in New York and Philadelphia Telephone______Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry, from 1840 to 1844. The seven-volume Visa MasterCard Check or money order an English-language edition of La series was the first to combine the plates Account Number______Louisiane, de la colonie fran¸caise a` l’État with the text in a conventional book size. Exp. Date______américain, the catalogue that accompa- Audubon referred to the royal octavo Signature ______nied the exhibition held last winter at series as his “Birds in Miniature”; many the Mona Bismarck Foundation in Paris. of the prints were based on his original With full-color illustrations throughout, drawings of birds in New Orleans From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong and in other parts of Louisiana. Each was includes essays by Collection staff mem- printed and meticulously hand colored bers John Lawrence, Alfred Lemmon, by John T. Bowen and assistants, under Correction John Magill, and Jason Wiese. Audubon’s direct supervision. Visit or On the cover of the spring issue of the Also available in the Shop is a call the Shop (504-598-7147) for Quarterly, the caption for the bottom selection of first-edition prints from details of prints available. Prices range right-hand image should read Imperial John J. Audubon’s royal octavo series from $200 to $700. Orchestra, ca. 1905.

Obituary Index Goes Live

In the Louisiana Division at the Main “Obit Index” has the same problem the first 215,000 names, with citations to Branch of the New Orleans Public that all such paper-based finding 46 local publications. The Web version of Library is a huge card catalog housing the aids have—it is only available during the database allows researchers to search New Orleans Public Library Obituary regular library hours. for records by first, middle, and last Index. Originally created as part of a In 2000, The Historic New Orleans names, as well as nicknames; an WPA project in the 1930s and main- Collection joined with the New Orleans advanced-search facility allows for more tained by the library for more than 40 Public Library to put the Obit Index into refined queries. Work will continue on years, the index includes citations to an online database and make it available the Obit Index until the entire card cata- approximately three million obituaries to the public over the Internet. Working logue is online. With 410,000 names that appeared in local newspapers from with powerful database software donated remaining to be computerized, The Col- the early 19th century until 1972, when by Minisis, Inc. of Vancouver, Canada, a lection is seeking data-entry volunteers the newspapers themselves began index- team of data-entry workers began the task and donations to expedite the completion ing the obituaries. Long an invaluable of creating an electronic version of the of the project. For more information call resource to historical researchers, the index. In June the database went live with Gerald Patout at (504) 598-7125.

15 AT THE COLLECTION

Susan V. Nicassio presented a lecture on Les Author George E. Jordan signs a Visitandines, the controversial opera that played copy of George L. Viavant: Artist in New Orleans in 1805, at the third annual of the Hunt for Dave Dugas at Performers directed by Jay Weigel at the fifth Les Comédiens Français lecture in March. The Collection’s book signing on annual Bill Russell lecture held at St. Louis Pictured are Susan Nicassio,Paule Perret, March 30. Cathedral on April 16. Mr. Weigel presented a Joel Weinstock, and Yvette Rosen musically illustrated lecture on New Orleans gospel music, focusing on the river as a prevalent symbol in traditional spirituals. Support for the event was provided by Statewide Bank, the St. Louis Cathe- dral, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Contemporary Arts Center, and the French Quarter Festival.

On May 7, The Collection hosted a “French Quarter Frolic” for American Association of Museums conference participants. Attendees enjoyed carriage rides between the Williams Research Center and the Royal Street complex, the music of Kermit Ruffins, and plenty of refreshments.

KEMPER AND LEILA WILLIAMS FOUNDATION THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION Museum • Research Center • Publisher 533 Royal Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 (504) 523-4662 Visit the Collection on the Internet at www.hnoc.org ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED