For many years in the mid to late 1800's, and in all of the classic Louisiana Masonic history books of the time, it was believed and written that no Freemasonry existed in New Orleans before the creation of Perfect Union Lodge #1 and Etoile Polaire Lodge #1 in the 1790's. Then came a startling discovery in an old lodge in France. Records of an unknown Freemasonry in New Orleans much earlier than the 1790's changed the known history of Freemasonry in Louisiana. This is The Story of the Ecossais Lodge of New Orleans. Unlike other editions, this edition contains a photographic reproduction of the original handwritten French text, a French transcription and an English translation. Published in association with the Louisiana Lodge of Research.