We've been having one of the warmest, prettiest autumns that I can remember here in New Orleans this year. So Steve and I decided to spend some time exploring more of the old historic sites in the area.
First up was Port Hudson. Yes, it's another Civil War battlefield (for trivia buffs, it was the longest military siege in American history). But there isn't much left to see today beyond some overgrown old earthworks and a cemetery (thousands of men died here). Now it's probably best known for its hiking trails--miles of them, up and down a series of bluffs and ravines that would not have been fun to fight over.
A good way to work off any Thanksgiving excesses!
Next up was Centenary College in Jackson, Louisiana. Also another battle site, this one lies just a few miles to the west of our lake house. Once, Centenary College was one of the grandest liberal arts colleges outside of New England. In fact, its main academic building was actually the largest in the country.
All that's left today is the west dormitory, and another graveyard (the college was turned into a military hospital during the Civil War).
Once, there were so many colleges, preparatory schools, and finishing schools in Jackson that it was known as the "Athens of the South." No longer...
