Boston Club of New Orleans records
Scope and Contents
The Boston Club was founded 1841, and was named not for the city of Boston, but for a card game. Its members were leading business gentlemen of New Orleans. Its first quarters were on Royal Street, and moved several times to different locations in downtown New Orleans. The collection consists of handwritten and typed correspondence, financial records, minutes, charters, bylaws, histories, annual reports, photographs, invitations with stamped and postmarked envelopes, printed programs for annual dinners including menus and member lists, clippings, and other printed items pertaining to the activities of the Boston Club of New Orleans. Included is an autographed letter of appreciation from President Woodrow Wilson, dated 1913 December 26.
Dates
- 1870-1966
Creator
- Boston Club (New Orleans, La.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.
Biographical / Historical
The Boston Club was founded 1841, and was named not for the city of Boston, but for a card game. Its members were leading business gentlemen of New Orleans. Its first quarters were on Royal Street, and moved several times to different locations in downtown New Orleans. During the Civil War, the club was closed, but it reopened in 1865. In the twentieth century, elegant annual dinners were held. As the population of the city increased, the membership went up. It gradually rose to 200, then 325, then 400. Membership limits kept increasing until 1970, when the limit stopped at 600.
The Boston Club is very closely associated with Mardi Gras. In 1872 New Orleans had its first King of Carnival. The first Rex was a Jewish banker and cotton factor named Lewis Salomon, a Confederate veteran of Shiloh and other battles and a member of the Boston Club. Ever since, with few exceptions, Rex has been chosen from the membership of this club.
Extent
2.5 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement Note
The collection is arranged as follows: correspondence, administrative records, Club history, printed materials, photographs, clippings, bound volumes including charters and rules, and oversized volumes. The collection consists of two boxes and two oversized volumes. It is 2.5 linear feet.
Source of Acquisition
Gift of the Boston Club. Date acquired: 05/11/1972.
Processing Information
Collection processed in 1971, revised in 2006 by Melissa Smith.
- Administrative records Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Administrative regulations Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Clippings (information artifacts) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Clubs -- Louisiana -- New Orleans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dinners and dining -- Louisiana -- New Orleans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Minutes Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- New Orleans (La) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- New Orleans (La) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- Photographs Subject Source: Local sources
- Title
- Archon Finding Aid Title
- Author
- Jazmin Smith
- Date
- 06/09/2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Tulane University Special Collections Repository
