Old Louisiana Governor's Mansion
Encyclopedia
The Old Louisiana Governor's Mansion is located at 502 North Blvd. between Royal and St. Charles Streets in Baton Rouge
and was used between 1930 and 1961; a new residence
was completed in 1963. When the original Louisiana Governor's mansion was termite-infested during the beginning of Huey Long
's governorship, Long decided to build a new one on the site. This governor's mansion is modeled after the White House
in Washington D.C. supposedly because Governor Long wanted to become familiar with Washington's White House. During the construction of this new governor's mansion Huey Long refused to move into the original one. Instead after his inauguration Long stayed at the Heidelberg Hotel in Baton Rouge while his family stayed back home in Shreveport
.
In 1963, a new Mansion was constructed just east of the towering State Capitol building, and in 1964 the old Mansion became the home of the Louisiana Arts and Science Center Museum. The Mansion served as headquarters for the LASC until 1976, when the Museum moved to new quarters in the Old Illinois Central Train Station. In 1978, the Mansion reopened as a historic house museum.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
and was used between 1930 and 1961; a new residence
Louisiana Governor's Mansion
The Louisiana Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the Governor of Louisiana and his or her family. The Governor’s Mansion was built in 1963 when Jimmie Davis was Governor of Louisiana. The Mansion overlooks Capital Lake near the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge...
was completed in 1963. When the original Louisiana Governor's mansion was termite-infested during the beginning of Huey Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
's governorship, Long decided to build a new one on the site. This governor's mansion is modeled after the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in Washington D.C. supposedly because Governor Long wanted to become familiar with Washington's White House. During the construction of this new governor's mansion Huey Long refused to move into the original one. Instead after his inauguration Long stayed at the Heidelberg Hotel in Baton Rouge while his family stayed back home in Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
.
History
This building replaced the first Governor's Mansion, which was a rather large, though modest, frame house constructed for Nathan King Knox, a Baton Rouge businessman, and was the official residence of Louisiana's Governors from 1887 until 1929, when it was razed and the present Old Governor's Mansion was built. The building cost almost $150,000 to complete, and, at a cost of $22,000 (a princely sum for depression-era Louisiana), the Mansion was furnished with the finest damask and velvet drapes, crystal chandeliers, hand-printed French wallpaper, and other fine appointments.In 1963, a new Mansion was constructed just east of the towering State Capitol building, and in 1964 the old Mansion became the home of the Louisiana Arts and Science Center Museum. The Mansion served as headquarters for the LASC until 1976, when the Museum moved to new quarters in the Old Illinois Central Train Station. In 1978, the Mansion reopened as a historic house museum.
External links
- Old Governor’s Mansion - official site
- Old Louisiana Governor's House, at National Park Service