Old State Capitol, Baton Rouge (must see)

The Old State Capitol also referred to as the State House or the Louisiana Castle, is a museum and former government building. It originally served as a home to the Louisiana State Legislature.

Construction on the building began in 1847 and was completed in 1852. It was designed in the Gothic Revival architectural style by the architect James H. Dakin. The Old State Capitol was designed to resemble a castle.

The location of the capitol building holds significance to the history of Baton Rouge. It is believed that the land for the castle was once a Native American meeting site marked by a red pole. The French explorers who settled in the region referred to that red pole as "baton rouge."

During the U.S. Civil War, the Union Army used the building as a prison. It later turned into a garrison for African-American troops. The interior of the building was mostly destroyed during this time. Much of the destruction came from a fire in 1862.

The building was reconstructed under the leadership of architect William A. Freret. Freret rebuilt the Old State Capitol to its original aspect, adding the stained glass dome and a spiral staircase.

The Old State Capitol was used for governmental purposes through 1932 when the new Capitol was constructed. It is now the Museum of Political history. It includes exhibits that highlight the architecture of the building and an interactive gallery of Louisiana state governors. Its main attraction is a theatrical production called "The Ghost of the Castle." Guests can "meet" the ghost of Sarah Morgan Dawson, who describes the history of the building in detail.

The Old State Capitol building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973. It was designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark the following year.