Ernest Bjerknes (1865-1955) was a Norwegian civil engineer, city planner (in Oslo), and outdoorsman. The journal is a transcription of his account of a stay with New Orleans relatives in 1935-1936. It includes descriptions of his trip to America and visits to Savannah, Georgia, and to Mississippi; of daily life in New Orleans; of parks, outings, the Vieux Carre, local planning & building, water purification & drainage, Mardi Gras, the new Huey Long bridge, and other topics. Also included are his descriptions of events such as the Archbishop's inauguration, Leif Ericson Day, and a consular picnic. The narrative is accompanied by sketches made by Bjerknes of scenes in and around New Orleans as well as a strip of small photographic portraits made in 1939. A typescript in Norwegian is also available.

Gift of Hilda Hansen (Bjerknes' granddaughter), 2000.

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