Honeymoon Adventures, Part 2: The Churches of New Orleans

"He took her to plays and annoyed her by whispering that God probably didn’t approve of such amusements, and to churches and, sotto voce, retailed funny obscenities and then reproved her for laughing." 

--Gone with the Wind, Chapter XLVIII

Yesterday we explored the theatres of New Orleans that Rhett and Scarlett could have frequented on their honeymoon, and today we turn our attention to our second installment of their honeymoon adventures with a look at the churches of New Orleans.  So without further ado, let's get started on examining the Butlers' more spiritually-minded pursuits.  

St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans

St. Louis Cathedral.  We would be remiss if we did not start our discussion with the most famous place of worship in the New Orleans: the St. Louis Cathedral, which presides in stately grandeur over Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter. Named for King Louis IX of France, St. Louis Cathedral bears the distinction of being not only the oldest church in the fair city of New Orleans, but also the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States. Originally established in 1718 as a modest wood building, the church was upgraded to a larger, brick structure in 1727, only to be destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788. The cornerstone for the new church was laid in 1789 and by the time of the church's completion in 1794, it had already been named a cathedral the year before. 

Later renovations were made in 1849-50 to bring the St. Louis Cathedral its "modern" state, which is how Rhett and Scarlett would have encountered on their honeymoon. The Illustrated Visitors' Guide to New Orleans (1879) describes the legendary church thusly: "the exterior of the Cathedral is of majestic appearance, while the the interior is at once grand, solemn, rich and artistic." Had she attended church there, perhaps Scarlett would have enjoyed her lofty surroundings, as well as felt a connection between the Cathedral's French origins and her own Robillard ancestry. Of course, this wasn't the only church in New Orleans in which Rhett could have brought his new wife, nor the only one that had a connection to Miss O'Hara's background. Which brings us to...

St. Patrick Church, New Orleans

St. Patrick Church. If ever there was a church to catch the fascination of Scarlett O'Hara (a questionable prospect to be sure), St. Patrick Church in New Orleans holds a strong claim to that crown. For as you'll see, the Church recalls Scarlett's own heritage in some truly lovely ways and one would venture that Rhett would score points with his bride if he took her there. In the first decades of the 19th century, Irish immigrants attended church services at St. Louis Cathedral--but its masses conducted solely in French did little to inspire these new arrivals from the Emerald Isle.

So with Gerald O'Hara-like pluck, they set out to establish their own church, one that would be grand enough to rival even the imposing St. Louis Cathedral. The cornerstone for the church, naturally named after the patron saint of Ireland, was laid in 1838 and by 1840 the church was complete. Modelled after the Exeter Cathedral, St. Patrick's elaborate Gothic architecture fulfilled the dreams of its Irish builders and the church soon become nationally renowned for its beauty. In 1850, it even served as the pro-cathedral for New Orleans while St. Louis went under renovation.

Noted for its "grave and quiet grandeur" per the Illustrated Visitors' Guide to New Orleans, St. Patrick's interior features three soaring murals behind the main altar: the Transfiguration of Christ in the main panel, with the Christ Walking on Water on the right--and St. Patrick baptizing the Princesses of Ireland in the halls of Tara. Of this, we think Scarlett would wholehearted approve. Perhaps a longer honeymoon would have even made a church-goer out of her, if  she only went to St. Patrick's Church to gaze at the royal princesses of Tara.

Christ Church, New Orleans

Christ Church. Thus far we have operated under the assumption that Rhett Butler only took his Catholic (in name, at least) wife to Catholic churches. But perhaps Mr. Butler had other ideas and used their honeymoon excursions to better acquaint Scarlett with the Protestant faith (Ellen Robillard spins in her grave as we speak!). If this was the case, an excellent option for our couple would have been Christ Church, the oldest Protestant Church in New Orleans and Episcopalian in its denomination. (GWTW of course hints that Rhett is Episcopalian). Christ Church was founded in 1803 by an intrepid band of 53 Protestants who endeavored to create the first non-Catholic place of worship in New Orleans. In order to decide on the church's denomination, they held a vote--and the Episcopalians won in a landslide, garnering 45 total votes. The church grew rapidly and by 1846 a new Gothic structure was built to better accomodate its growing faith community. Recognized for its buttresses and central tower, the Christ Church was described by Jewell's Illustrated Crescent City as "one of the most elegant church structures in New Orleans," thereby making it an ideal venue for our always image-conscious twosome.

So ends our look at the churches of New Orleans. We hope that you've enjoyed our exploration of the theatres and churches of New Orleans, and that it's given you a little more insight to the places that Rhett and Scarlett could have actually seen on their honeymoon.

Honeymoon Adventures, Part 1: The Theatres of New Orleans

"He took her to plays and annoyed her by whispering that God probably didn’t approve of such amusements, and to churches and, sotto voce, retailed funny obscenities and then reproved her for laughing." 

--Gone with the Wind, Chapter XLVIII

Rhett Butler is a consummate romantic. After all, what young bride doesn't want to spend her honeymoon going to plays and churches? Of course, I kid only slightly, as the aforementioned passage never fails to make me gleeful and starry-eyed, creating as it does such a charming glimpse into Rhett and Scarlett's time together on their honeymoon. So using this passage as our inspiration, we will be taking a look at where in New Orleans the Butlers actually could have bickered and flirted their way through enjoyed their Shakespearean dramas and worship services. Up first today will be a post on the theatres of New Orleans, to be followed by the churches of New Orleans.

Perhaps no surprise given its flair for the dramatic and the different, New Orleans featured a robust circle of theatres, which started to come of age from the 1830s onwards. Many survived the ravages of the Civil War to continue to serve as cultural landmarks for the city. Today, we'll examine five of the main theatres of New Orleans in the post-war period, all of which are displayed in the illustration below: the Academy of Music, the St. Charles Theatre, the National Theatre, the Opera House, and the Varieties Theatre. Much of my information for this post comes courtesy of three wonderful old books: the Illustrated Visitors' Guide to New Orleans (1879); Jewell's Crescent City Illustrated (1873); and Standard History of New Orleans, Louisiana (1900).  Alright, introductions aside, let's enter stage left and begin Act I...

Illustrated print of the "Theatres of New Orleans" from the book The Great South, published in 1875.

The Academy of Music Opened originally in 1853, the Academy of Music operated for only a one year as an actual music academy before it changed its tune and re-emerged as a theatre in 1854. From there, the now-misnamed theatre quickly endeared its way into the hearts of New Orleanians and visitors alike, becoming one of the most popular spots within the city for entertainment. Indeed, the Illustrated Guide to New Orleans (1879) describes the Academy in most glowing terms: "Its name is never mentioned by our citizens except with a smile and expections [sic] of pleasure, and especially is this so with ladies and children, to whom the 'Academy Matinees' are always enjoyable events."  

The Academy also held a unique spot in Civil War history: it was here that actor and lyricist Harry McCarthy first introduced "Bonnie Blue Flag" to New Orleans audiences during September 1861. Soon after, New Orleans printers republished the song in zeal, helping to spread use of the tune as an anthem for the Confederacy. Perhaps it was after hearing an encore performance of the tune at the Academy of Music that Scarlett was encouraged to belt out the song on her infamous ride through the streets of New Orleans in an open carriage?

St. Charles Theatre  Built in 1835 for a staggering $350,000, the St. Charles Theatre would have suited Scarlett's opulent taste perfectly and could have therefore served as an optimal play-viewing spot for the new Mr. and Mrs. Rhett Butler. Boasting one of the largest stages in the United States and seating for more than 4,700 guests, the St. Charles Theatre was as lavish as it was enormous, furnished with a 12 foot high chandelier, gilded columns flanking the stage, and stage boxes adorned in yellow, blue, and crimson silk. It was regarded as one of the best theatres in the country and featured a wide range of performances, from traditional drama and comedy selections to opera and to variety acts where jugglers, singers, and comics took to the stage. As one of the nation's premier theatres, the St. Charles played host to many of the most famous actors of the period, along with a truly infamous one. John Wilkes Booth performed in the St. Charles Theatre's opening production of Richard III on March 14, 1864, along with several other plays before he departed the city on March 26.

National Theatre  While the glitz and glamor of the St. Charles Theatre would have no doubt appealed to our young bride, I fear the same cannot be said about the National Theatre. For you see, the National Theatre was also known during the period as the German National Theatre--and featured quite a number of German plays. With this knowledge at hand, we can only speculate about whether Rhett, in one of his less tender moments, escorted Scarlett to the National, simply to annoy her and poke fun at her lack of cultural depth.

The Opera House  Established in 1859, the Opera House (also known as the Old French Opera) was, quite simply, the social mecca of New Orleans--the de rigueur place to see and be seen within the Crescent City. So surely the Butlers, flush with money, dressed to the nines, eager to thumb their nose at polite society, would have made their appearances at the Opera House on their honeymoon. Like its elegant cousin the St. Charles, the Opera House maintained a reputation for sophisticated glamor. The Illustrated Guide to New Orleans does not spare its praise in declaring it to be"one of the finest buildings of the sort in the United States... supplied with all the care and conveniences required in a first class Temple of the Muses." While opera naturally served as its main attraction, the Opera House also featured an eclectic mixture of entertainment, including plays, receptions, concerts, debuts and Carnival balls--so Rhett and Scarlett would have found many opportunities by which to entertain themselves in its posh confines. 

Varieties Theatre Last but certainly not least, our look at the theatres of New Orleans ends with the Varieties Theatre, described as "a gem of a theatre" by The Illustrated Guide to New Orleans. Built in 1849, the original theatre, known as The Gaiety, was destroyed by fire in 1854 and reopened the following year under its new name. In a similar vein to the Academy of Music, the Varieties Theatre also helped to popularize a well-known Southern tune. "Dixie Land" was first performed in New Orleans at the Varieties Theatre in the late 1850s, where it was greeted by enthusiastic applause and soon spread in popularity. Throughout the mid-Victorian period, the Varieties enjoyed a reputation as a well-respected theatre house, drawing major actors from around the nation and serving as "favorite place of amusement" within New Orleans. 

Thus, our dizzying look at the many and varied theatres of New Orleans now draws to a close. But before we draw the curtain and take our final bow, we invite you to check out the slideshow below, which showcases all of the theatres mentioned in our post. The images are drawn from Jewell's Crescent City Illustrated, a souvenir book of New Orleans published in 1873. 

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Marietta But Were Afraid to Ask

“Scarlett was in Marietta when Rhett's urgent telegram came. There was a train leaving for Atlanta in ten minutes and she caught it.” --Gone with the Wind, Chapter LXI

“'I do business in Marietta, a lot of business,' he [i.e. Frank] said.” --Gone with the Wind, Chapter XXXV

I won't lie to you, people. Before I joined the Gone with the Wind discussion group on Yahoo about two years ago, I only had a hazy recollection of Scarlett returning from Marietta to find Melanie dying and an even hazier idea of where the said city was on the map. (In my defense, I live across the pond. Also, on good days I know enough geography to find the bus station in the morning. On bad days...well, let's just say those are better left undiscussed, and leave it at that.) But, as you'll see after the jump, I largely recovered from my ignorance, and Marietta, Georgia will be the first in our series of posts documenting the places mentioned in Gone with the Wind.

Probably named after Mary Moore Cobb, the wife of the US senator in whose honor Cobb County itself was christened, Marietta was established in 1833. The days of its antebellum history were largely uneventful, but marked by steady growth, especially after 1845, when the Western & Atlantic Railroad united it to Marthasville (soon to become Atlanta).

Where in the World is Rhett Butler?

Rhett Butler--blockade runner, explorer, traveler extraordinaire. The man simply went a lot of places in his day. So to keep track of his journeys, we created an interactive map, illustrating all his travel spots as mentioned in Gone with the Wind.

Some quick instructions: click on any marker to see a place name, along with a corresponding citation from Gone with the Wind. The map is scrollable, so you can zoom in or out to get a better look at where in the world Rhett Butler is.

And, in case you're in a pinch and need to find Rhett Butler's possible location in the future, you can always find the link to the map on our side bar menu, under the Pages tab.

View Where in the World is Rhett Butler? in a larger map