446. Stephen Winick, part 2

446. Part 2 of our conversation with Stephen Winick, of the Library of Congress. In 1902, on a prairie in southwest Louisiana, six members of a farming family are found murdered. Albert Edwin Batson, a white, itinerant farm worker, rapidly descends from likely suspect to likely lynching victim as people in the surrounding countryside lusted for vengeance. In a territory where the locals were coping with the opening of the prairies by the railroad and the disorienting, disruptive advances of the rice and oil industries into what was predominantly cattle country, Batson, an outsider, made an ideal scapegoat. Stephen has studied the events of the time, and the ballads that were written about the death of Batson. He has written about all of it on the Library of Congress blog.

1. This week in Louisiana history. December 4, 1919. The famous French Opera House of New Orleans burns down.
2. This week in New Orleans history. The French Opera House burned in the early morning hours of December 4, 1919. By dawn, the building was in ruins. The cause of the fire was never determined, although it was widely believed to have begun in the restaurant housed in the building. For years, New Orleanians cherished hopes of rebuilding the theater and resurrecting the elegant days of French opera, but in the 1960s a modern hotel (now the Inn on Bourbon) was erected on the site. Until the construction of the Theater of the Performing Arts in 1973, New Orleans was without a permanent home for opera.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Christmas on the River
   Monroe - West Monroe
   Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas on the River in Monroe-West Monroe! Our holiday season is chocked full of family-friendly events and attractions including two parades, a variety of shops, a spectacular fireworks show, ballet performances, and other great holiday events. Don’t miss the festive light displays on Antique Alley and throughout downtown Monroe-West Monroe. Enjoy special holiday happenings at Christmas at the Biedenharn and Santa’s Christmas Village at the Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum.
     Shop along West Monroe’s Antique Alley where you’ll find classic antique shops and trendy boutiques stocked full of clothing, furniture, home décor, spices, and so much more. Continue shopping at the Monroe RiverMarket along the beautiful Ouachita River with vendors of all types and fun special events throughout the season. Hungry? We’ve got something for everyone on our menu like fried chicken, fresh seafood, smothered pork chops, po’boys, burgers, hotwater cornbread, banana caramel pudding, and more!. Be sure to check out celebrity chef Cory Bahr’s Parish Restaurant and other popular local restaurants like the Cheniere Shack, Waterfront Grill, and Warehouse No. 1 Restaurant.
   So plan your trip today. Use the itinerary builder to create a list of events you don’t want to miss then book a hotel room. Merry Christmas!
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Buckwheat Zydeco.

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