Gossip
Gossip from the West Bank
A snippy, sun-scorched sampling of small-town scandal, mosquito curses, and fish tales from the West Baton Rouge Sugar Planter, September 1881—reprinted for modern mischief-makers.
Latest
Alternate History
Poverty Point in 1875alt: A Reclaimed Ritual on Ancient Louisiana Mounds
An equinox ritual at Poverty Point reawakens ancient mounds in 1875alt Louisiana. A letter from the archives remembers what was—and what endures.
Letters from the Archives
In Praise of Steam and Spirit: A Gentleman’s Reply to ‘Men Are But Children Grown’ (1853alt)
A fictional letter from 1853alt Baton Rouge responds to a lady’s sharp critique of steamboat racing. Dignity, steam, and a hint of bruised pride.
Society of the Vis-à-Vis
A Fractured Nest: The 1913alt Egg Boycott Divides the Society of the Vis-à-Vis
Two fictional letters from 1913alt debate the Housewives’ egg boycott with equal parts wit and indignation. Mayonnaise, morals, and meringues are on the line.
Community Stories
A Trip to Grosse Tete: Sunrises, Crocodiles, and Creole Weddings in 1853 Louisiana
A real letter to the editor from 1853 recounts a whimsical journey through Grosse Tete, where sunrises, soft-shelled turtles, and Creole weddings await.
Letters from the Archives
A Lady Responds to 'Hawkeye': Sarah Louviere Challenges Gender Norms in 1873alt Louisiana
In this fictional response to an 1853 editorial, Sarah Louviere challenges the idea that girls are born neat and boys wild. Mud, hammers, and freedom ensue.
Real Voices
The Louisiana Boys Who Never Came Home: Remembering Our D-Day Fallen, 81 Years Later
On the 81st anniversary of D-Day, we remember 33 sons of Louisiana who never came home. Their stories are written in blood and bayou soil.
Alternate History
The Dream That Didn’t Fade: A French Louisiana That Could Have Been
In 2025alt Louisiana, French is not forgotten—it’s lived. Étienne Marchand remembers a dream of heritage, language, and the homeland that wasn’t lost.
Real Voices
The Reinvention: Finding Elsewhere in Louisiana
After divorce and displacement, Emilio Puig came to Louisiana with nothing to lose. What he found wasn't just reinvention—it was Elsewhere.
Alternate History
The Kingfish Reimagined: What If Huey Long Had Lived?
What if Huey Long hadn’t been assassinated? In this 1936alt timeline, America caps wealth, funds healthcare, and builds fairness from the bayou up.
Society of the Vis-à-Vis
Opposition Letter: A Lady of Baton Rouge Denounces the New Society Section (1873alt)
In this 1873alt satire, a woman of “breeding” protests the rise of civic equality—before being flattened by poetic justice in the form of a horse.
Emiio Puig
Emilio Puig and the Books That Filled the Gaps: A River Parish Librarian Remembers
A school librarian in the 2018alt timeline remembers Emilio Puig—a quiet man who tried to fill their empty shelves with books, one box at a time.