A Fierce and Fractious Frontier: The Curious Development of Louisiana's Florida Parishes, 1699-2000

by Hodding Carter (Foreword)

Louisiana’s Florida Parishes eight modern-day parishes located in the southeastern portion of the state endured a tumultuous evolution, including domination by every major power that invaded North America, exclusion from the Louisiana Purchase, insurrection and the establishment of the original Lone Star Republic, and some of the highest rates of rural homicide recorded in American history. The area was long neglected by scholars until some of its foremost experts came together to explore and celebrate its singular identity. A Fierce and Fractious Frontier, edited by Samuel C. Hyde Jr., is a result of that collaboration and consists of ten essays on the history and culture of this unique territory from its colonial periods through the twentieth century. Revealing the difficulties of the past and suggesting considerations for the future of Louisiana’s Florida Parishes, this volume will stand as a model for the emerging field of southern subregional studies.

Genres: History

232 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

William Hodding Carter II (February 3, 1907 – April 4, 1972), was a Southern U.S. progressive journalist and author. Among other distinctions in his career, Carter was a Nieman Fellow and Pulitzer Prize winner. He died in Greenville, Mississippi, of a heart attack at the age of sixty-five.

Reviews

[Chuck Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of several essays. Most are very interesting, as they pertain to incidents that are not well documented or not well known. A couple, such as Paul Templet’s essay on the relationship between a strong economy and environmental quality, belong elsewhere. That said, I particularly recommend the essay on the Battle of Lake Borgne, a predecessor to the Battle of New Orleans, that bought Andrew Jackson time to establish his defenses.