A letter from my home town in 1866, after the civil war.

[LiberalArkie]

[LoisB]

1. Interesting. Thank you.

[jmbar2]

2. I've always been fascinated by the post-Civil War recovery process

Particularly how freed slaves had to suddenly compete for jobs. Since they did all the work, they had all the skills that were needed for that era.

Some parallels for today... Immigrants have been filling construction and labor jobs for years that Americans didn't want. Now they have those skills, and we are in need of lots of new housing.

[3Hotdogs]

3. I question that, one year after the war, the negroes are all employed and have homes.

[LiberalArkie]

4. Probably in her area. Not many had any news but their own area.

This letter appears to be from a long distance away from El Dorado. Probably the Hermitage, Arkansas area. maybe 30 minutes now by car. But could be days back then or more if the Champagnolle Creek or the Ouachita River wasn't flooded. It flooded at lot when I was a kid. My guess El Dorado being a BIG lumber area and future oil city was where they went to the "Big City for market. But then Moro Bay is mentioned a lot back in those days.