This book tells the story of the Big Easy's ascent; its extraordinary people, great moments, and feats of architecture. From the earliest European maps of the region to superb photography of its most famous sights, the book picks out images that best represent key moments in the development of New Orleans as we know it today. It includes photographs of the city's best loved sights, such as the French Quarter, Vieux Carre, the Garden District, riverboats plying the Mississippi, and Mardi Gras, as well as fascinating fragments of history, including vintage photos of plantation life outside the city, street jazz in the early twentieth century, and the elegant Cabildo building.