BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA– Politics can indeed be unsettling, no matter what political party you identify with. However, government is necessary and everyone should take part in their due diligence and vote. Turning a blind eye to the policies that affect the future is like walking into a mysterious tomorrow. For today’s Hometown Horror Story, we take a road trip to the “Capital City” of Louisiana, to learn about Louisiana’s old state capitol building.
The tallest state capitol in the country belong’s to Louisiana, but down the road rests the original state capitol. It is a feat of artistic design and great beauty.
Mary Durusau, with the Museum Division of the Secretary of State’s office says, “there’s a big fence around it. It sits on almost four acres of land, it’s imposing, it looks like a castle, so sometimes people are just hesitant to come inside. That is one of the first questions we are asked, if it is haunted.”
The castle was built in 1850 and survived two fires. Once during the civil war and once in 1906, when electricity was installed. Perhaps equally electrifying are the chilling accounts of staff workers who say ghosts indeed haunt the premises.
“If the door takes a little while to close, suddenly you hear it slam. We have had security guards that have said they’ve seen motion detectors go off,” says Durusau.
Many of the great decisions of the age were once debated inside the ornate walls of the state capitol edifice. Years long after bills were passed and legislation gone into effect, the men and women have come and gone… Well most of them.
“You can still feel the spirits of the people who served here. The people who so wanted great things for Louisiana. Think about the tremendous speeches that must have been given in the house and in the senate chambers. Those are the spirits that I feel in the building,” says Durusau.
One of the persistent rumors of the building is about senator Pierre Couvillion, who was believed to have died of a heart attack in the heat of argument in 1852. The tale is often depicted of the senator passing away in the building, however he did not die in the capitol, instead he was at home in bed.
On the lawn outside is the imposing majesty of a great oak tree but other things use to be there. During the Civil War, people were afraid they would loose their valuables and they hid them. An entire silver service was found, silver sword, an entire box of rifles, a seven karat diamond ring and most important of all is the body of an unidentified person that was unearthed from under the pond.
The Old State Capital holds tours all-year-long and it’s a great way to learn a bit of history while taking in beautiful architecture. Every year, there is a fundraising party entitled The Spirits of Louisiana. This year the event is October 24th at 6:30. The gala, includes tastings from Louisiana distilleries and other refreshments. You can purchase tickets here.
Hometown Horror Stories is brought to you by The Mortuary.