Majesty of the Garden District, The

Under a canopy of magnolias and live oaks, bordered by the streets of Jackson, Magazine, Louisiana, and St. Charles, spacious mansions serve as a gallery of fine architecture in a section of New Orleans known as the Garden District. Once home to a grand plantation, the property was sold and divided for residential use more than 150 years ago. Now, where fertile crops once grew, a garden of magnificent houses has come to bloom, representing one of the most characteristic features of the Crescent City. In his final work, critically acclaimed photographer Paul Malone visits forty-three picturesque landmarks of the Garden District. With historical text provided by his wife, Lee Malone, The Majesty of the Garden District displays these remarkable homes inside and out, with an emphasis on the gracefully decorated interiors. These brilliant full-color photographs capture the history, design, and grandeur of this New Orleans neighborhood. Among the buildings in this collection are notable homes ranging from Toby's Corner, believed to be the oldest house in the district, to the Edward Davis house, which is now more commonly known as the headquarters of the New Orleans Opera Association's Women's Guild. The Malones even veer from the usual architectural features to focus on some unusual characteristics of the borough such as Christ Church Cathedral, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, and the world famous Commander's Palace restaurant. The Majesty of the Garden District is the fifth book produced by Paul and Lee Malone. Paul Malone was a portrait photographer and a member of the Professional Photographers of America. Lee Malone is a former manager of the Paul Malone Photography studio in New Orleans. Their delightful collaboration of textual history and color photography has also produced Louisiana Plantation Homes: A Return to Splendor, long known as the premier photographic book of Louisiana's plantation gems and The Majesty of River Road . The Malones completed work on The Majesty of the Garden District just weeks prior to Mr. Malone's death in 1993. This book serves as a fitting tribute to his photography career.