Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Travel Tuesday-Memories of New Orleans.






Ephemera, those little bits and pieces you find of someone's life, like ticket stubs, postcards, souvenirs etc. can really help tell a story.

Just as you keep little mementos from special events and trips, your ancestors did too. Don't make the mistake of going through a scrapbook or box of "stuff" and throw it out. 
Take a good look at what was important enough to save and let it speak to you. If you listen you may hear the story it tells.

My maternal grandmother Azile Juanita (Daughrity) Roberts Sullivan (1921-2009) and her second husband Francis "Frank" Sullivan, Jr. (1922-2004) took a trip to New Orleans in November of 1960.
An adventure I had not known about until I discovered several items saved from the time they were there. 

Azile and Frank
Pat O'Brian's
New Orleans

November 1960
©Cheri Hudson Passey


The napkin is seen in the photo above under Azile's glass.









City Guides for all the best places to see.































Post Cards to remember what they saw.



Canal Street
















La Fitte's Blacksmith Shop
Bourbon Street

French Quarters























Restaurant Antoine
Front
Restaurant Antoine
Back

     The menu from a  restaurant.




















This postcard sent to my dad while he was at basic training in the U.S.A.F. tells of their visit to the restaurant in November of 1960. 
My grandmother writes "we were not too impressed". 

Photo Post Card of Antonine's Restaurant



Back of Antoine's Restaurant Postcard
Sent to my dad John Allen Hudson by Azile Juanita (Daughrity) Roberts Sullivan
November 1960



And a map to find their way around. Did they stay in the Bel-Air Motel?



This was a once in a lifetime trip for a small town couple. 
Grandmom and Frank went to New Orleans! 
What prompted their visit, how long did they stay and how did they travel? 
Wish they were here so I could ask.
Thankfully, the ephemera kept throughout several decades tells a part of the story.


Have you discovered clues to your ancestor's travel? What types of items tell their story?


Thanks for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,






6 comments:

  1. Earlier that year, my parents had moved our family to Nova Scotia. I have often wondered if they'd been in the States in November, 1960, would they have voted for JFK or Nixon? Looks like Azile threw caution to the wind and had a ball in NO, LA instead! Azile and Frank look very elegant at Pat O'Brien's. And those hurricanes look pretty good!

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    1. It is interesting to think of our ancestors and how the events of the day would have affected them. Grandmom always dressed her best where ever she went! lol! Wish I had known about the trip and heard them tell about it! Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to leave a comment!

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  2. Cheri. that photograph & memorabilia are wonderful. You are right about not throwing things away till you look very closely at each item. These tell a delightful story!

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    1. What was fun was having the postcard to my dad with the date of the trip. I wasn't sure when they went until I found it!

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  3. Cheri, I love finding these special mementos! I treasure them so much! Since moving not too long ago, I haven't had a chance to unpack all of my boxes. It will be like Christmas when I start unpacking my family history stuff again.

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    1. Gosh, it's hard when life gets in the way of our research! Hope you get those boxes unpacked soon! Thanks for reading, Diane!

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