The Castle on the Hill: Louisiana’s Old State Capitol

Full Trip

The Castle on the Hill: Louisiana’s Old State Capitol

View LPB’s electronic field trip to The Castle on the Hill: Louisiana’s Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, the site where Louisiana seceded from the Union and plunged into a bloody civil war.

Like a phoenix, the lovely Gothic castle on the hill in Baton Rouge repeatedly rose from the ashes, suffered through a difficult history, to be reborn as a museum of Louisiana politics. Learn how the Great Flood helped carry the colorful Governor Huey Long into office; how he wielded power within the Capitol’s chambers; and ultimately faced impeachment there. Tour the old castle on the hill and decide for yourself whether Mark Twain’s opinion about the castle was accurate. This electronic field trip is appropriate for upper middle and high school students.

Underwriters

This electronic field trip and companion website have been made possible through funding provided by:

Louisiana Public Broadcasting and our partners bring you the best in educational field trips.

Online Resources

Today the Old State Capitol is a museum of Louisiana political history where you can learn more about the legacy of Huey Long.

News reels about the Friendship Train

For an example of the types of contents in the Merci Train check out the interactive exhibit on the site of the State Historical Society of North Dakota

A.O. King, Image Courtesy of the State Library of Louisiana.

Works Progress Administration (WPA). Courtesy the State Library of Louisiana.