Old Louisiana State Capitol
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| Old Louisiana State Capitol | |
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| (U.S. National Historic Landmark) | |
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| Location: | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1847 |
| Architect: | Dakin,James H.; Freret,William A. |
| Architectural style(s): | Gothic Revival |
| Added to NRHP: | January 12, 1973 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 73000862[1] |
| Governing body: | State |
The Old Louisiana State Capitol is a building in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that served as the Legislature building before the current capitol tower was built. It is built to both look like and function like a castle and has led some locals to call it the Louisiana Castle or the Castle of Baton Rouge; though most people just call it the old capitol building. It should be noted that when someone says "Old State Capitol" in Louisiana they are probably talking about this building and not the two towns that were formerly the capital city; New Orleans and Donaldsonville.
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[edit] History
In 1846, the Louisiana state legislature in New Orleans decided to move the seat of government to Baton Rouge. As in many states, representatives from other parts of Louisiana feared a concentration of power in the state's largest city. In 1840, New Orleans' population was around 102,000, fourth largest in the U.S. The 1840 population of Baton Rouge, on the other hand, was only 2,269.
On September 21, 1847, the City of Baton Rouge donated to the state of Louisiana a $20,000 parcel of land for a state capitol building, taking the seat of the capitol away from the City of New Orleans. The land donated by the city for the capitol building stands high atop a Baton Rouge bluff facing the Mississippi River, a site that some believe was once marked by the red pole, or "le baton rouge," which French explorers claimed designated a Native American council meeting site. The state house itself is one of the most distinguished examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the United States.
New York architect James Dakin was hired to design the new Capitol building in Baton Rouge, and rather than mimic the federal Capitol Building in Washington, as so many other states had done, he conceived a Neo-Gothic medieval castle overlooking the Mississippi, complete with turrets and crenellations. The floorplan, towers, exterior stained glass windows and gables give it the appearance of a 15th-century Gothic Cathedral. Dakin referred to his design as "Castellated Gothic" due to its decoration with cast-iron, which was both cheaper and more durable than other building materials used at the time. In 1859, the Capitol was featured and favorably described in DeBow's Review, the most prestigious periodical in the antebellum South. Mark Twain, however, as a steamboat pilot in the 1850s, loathed the sight of it, "It is pathetic ... that a whitewashed castle, with turrets and things ... should ever have been built in this otherwise honorable place."[2]
In 1862, during the Civil War, Union Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans and the seat of government retreated from Baton Rouge. The Union troops first used the "old gray castle," as it was once described, as a prison and then as a garrison for African-American troops under General Culver Grover. While used as a garrison the Old Louisiana State Capitol caught fire twice. This, in turn, transformed the building into an empty, gutted shell abandoned by the Union troops. By 1882 the state house was totally reconstructed by architect and engineer William A. Freret, who is credited with the installation of the spiral staircase and stained glass dome, which are the focal points of the interior. The refurbished state house remained in use until 1932, when it was abandoned for the New Louisiana State Capitol building. The Old State Capitol Building has since been used to house federally chartered veteran's organizations, and the seat of the Works Progress Administration.
[edit] Modern Use
Restored in the 1990s, the Old State Capitol is now a museum. Numerous events are held there including an annual ball wherein the participants re-enact dances and traditions of French culture while wearing traditional 18th and 19th century dress. It is arguable the only true castle in North America according to the most traditional sense of the word. It is located in downtown Baton Rouge within walking distance to the new state capital tower and all of the many culturally significant buildings there. Some of these include the Old Louisiana Governor's Mansion, The Louisiana Arts and Science Museum, St. Joseph Cathedral, Baton Rouge and the newly built and wildly acclaimed Shaw Center.
The museum inside the Old Louisiana State Capitol houses many displays concerning political history in Louisiana. It is also the place where the gun that was used to kill Huey Long is stored on display.
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ Life on the Mississippi, Chapter 40.
[edit] External links
- Governor Henry Watkins Allen Memorial by La-Cemeteries
- Survey number HABS LA-1132 - Louisana State Capitol, North Boulevard, Saint Philip, America & Front Streets, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
- Baton Rouge Guide has information and photos on the old state capitol
This article incorporates text from a National Park Service website([1]) that is a public domain work of the United States Government.
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