Louisiana's Civil War Museum

History:

Confederate Memorial Hall opened its doors in New Orleans on January 8, 1891, and since that time has been celebrating over 100 years of Southern heritage and tradition.  The museum is the oldest in Louisiana and houses one of the largest collections of Confederate memorabilia in the United States.

The museum’s origin dates back to the troubled days of the Reconstruction era.  Early in 1869 Confederate veterans realized a sense of duty and organized the Southern Historical Society, an association of “benevolent” Confederate veteran associations.  Its president was the Reverend M. Palmer, the Presbyterian minister who had previously helped sway New Orleanians into secession. Confederate Generals Bragg, Beauregard, Buckner, and Maury were among its founders.  The Society had only a brief existence and soon languished due to its suppression by local Federal authorities, including General Philip Sheridan.  It moved its headquarters to Richmond, Virginia leaving the numerous Confederate associations of New Orleans to exist independently.