Country Roads owes its origins to the vast crowds of tourists that Dorcas Brown imagined traipsing through St. Francisville in the orbit of the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans—but those travelers never did come to the Felicianas. Instead, the magazine found a local flock for its particular brand of cultural exploration, the attitude that insisted their hometown was worth four (then six, then twelve) issues a year, and bolstered this vision with a willingness to act on the magazine’s enthusiasm for area culture and events. Over the decades, the Country Roads ethos has extended further. Now based in Baton Rouge, the same insatiable curiosity, positivity, ingenuity, and perspicacity casts a net from Natchez down to New Orleans, from Jackson all the way to Lake Charles. Some magazines might set up shop in Savannah at this point, for a new delta of stories, but we’re still sifting our way through South Louisiana and Mississippi. Just this year, we met the Tunica language revivalists, the ardent bargain hunters of the Reddell auction, the four generations of French Quarter parfumeuses, and the one and only Hungarian strawberry farmer. Savannah?! Pfft. Read on for glimpses of the colorful carriages, critters, characters, and chef's notes we've encountered over thirty-five years.
Featuring:
- Dispatches: Favorite snippets from our writers' travels.
- Country ... Seas and Skies?: High-in-the-sky and high-seas hijinks.
- St. Francisville ... Where It All Began: A reminiscence for a former editor.
- Reader, Take the Wheel: We're nothing without a devoted audience—here are a few adventures inspired by our magazine.
- People and Their Passions: The creative energy that keeps the region going.
- Saints, Schemes, and Swindlers: Louisiana, home of some highly original sins.
- Cuisine ... With a Shelf Life: Learning what's timeless about local food.
- Nature and Outdoors: A Country Roads spotter's guide.
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