Excavations at the Rising Sun Hotel site in New Orleans have revealed unique garden contexts from the French and Spanish colonial periods (1722–1796). New Orleans is well known for its beautiful gardens, which date as far back as the French colonial period. Gardens can be seen as an avenue of inquiry for understanding the creation and negotiation of social identity. This paper examines the history and archaeology of the estate and its great houses, and how its interpretation has changed through time. Point Breeze is a place which has long elucidated strong reactions both positive and negative from visitors. Further complicating matters are the varied reactions of local residents to Point Breeze, reactions which ranged from awe, to vandalism, to perhaps even arson. Joseph's efforts are particularly interesting given his liminal position as the exiled brother of a self-proclaimed emperor. The archaeological investigations serve to illuminate the ways gardens, architecture and landscapes were deployed by early 19th-century intellectuals in efforts to create public identities based on an international currency of style, taste, knowledge, and social harmony. A combination of historical research, geophysical investigations, landscape studies, and archaeological excavations by Monmouth University have revealed extensive information about the estate and landscape Joseph created. There, the former King of Naples and Spain designed a European-style country estate containing a pair of palatial mansions, guest houses, a large observation tower, ancillary buildings, designed gardens, and numerous tenant farmsteads, together forming an elaborate public stage where he could play the part of an exiled monarch. Joseph Bonaparte's 2,225-acre Point Breeze estate in Bordentown, New Jersey was one of 19th-century America’s grand picturesque landscapes.
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