How did a “small alcove” blossom into the second-largest Confederate Civil War collection in the United States? We’re standing before the Confederate Memorial Hall Museum, a striking testament to history nestled in the heart of New Orleans. The museum, often called Louisiana’s oldest museum, had an unlikely beginning. After the Civil War, Confederate veterans sought a place to gather, reminisce, and safeguard their wartime relics. In 1889, this dream took its first tentative steps in the form of the Louisiana Historical Association. They found a temporary home within the Howard Library, dedicating a “small alcove” to their collection. However, the trove of artifacts quickly outgrew its humble space. Enter Frank T. Howard, a local philanthropist with a heart touched by the war’s legacy. Howard, whose own father had fought for the Confederacy, envisioned a grander space for the collection. He funded the construction of a dedicated annex to the library, a magnificent structure dubbed the “Howard Annex,” later to be known as Memorial Hall. Designed in the Romanesque style, the building was completed in 1890, a testament to the enduring spirit of the South. On January 8, 1891, the Confederate Memorial Hall Museum opened its doors, a treasure chest of Confederate history. From uniforms and flags to personal letters and everyday items, the museum offers a poignant glimpse into the lives and experiences of those who lived through a defining era in American history.
Greater Saint Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church
Established 82 years ago this is Greater St Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. It began in Uptown New Orleans with