Built 1930 Opened 1930 Phone +1 225-387-2464 Added to NRHP 24 July 1975 | NRHP Reference # 75000847 Area 4,452 m² Architectural style Neoclassical architecture | |
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Location 502 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, Louisiana Address 502 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA Hours Open today · 10AM–4PMThursday10AM–4PMFriday10AM–4PMSaturdayClosedSundayClosedMondayClosedTuesday10AM–4PMWednesday10AM–4PMSuggest an edit Similar Old Louisiana State Cap, Magnolia Mound Plantatio, Capitol Park Museum, Shaw Center for the Arts, Louisiana Governor's Mansion | ||
The Old Louisiana Governor's Mansion, home of Preserve Louisiana [1] 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.
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. The Mansion is currently run by the state-wide preservation advocacy organization Preserve Louisiana [2]. Preserve Louisiana promotes the preservation of Louisiana cultural and architectural heritage through education, advocacy, and stewardship. As stewards of the Old Governor's Mansion, Preserve Louisiana offers monthly educational lectures at the Mansion, tours of the Mansion to visitors and school groups, and also offers the Mansion as an event venue for weddings, bridal portraits, corporate parties, and more.