Funding for this program is provided by the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

Louisiana's old state capitol.

The Castle on the Hill.

This National Historic Landmark is one of the most distinguished examples of Gothic architecture in the United States.

Inside These Walls holds an account of Louisiana's history, survival, and purpose built in 1850 high atop a bluff facing the Mississippi River.

The old State Capitol in Baton Rouge has seen days of glory and suffered many indignities over a century and a half.

The castle on the Hill stood witness to history, including Louisiana's secession from the United States, suffered three major fires, oversaw the impeachment trials of Governor Huey Long, inaugurated a governor and his grandson exactly 100 years apart, and annually salutes Louisiana's legends that have contributed so much to the state's culture, wellbeing, identity and passion.

Join us as we tour the Castle on the Hill, Louisiana's old state capitol.

Hi everyone, I'm Charlie Windham, and welcome to our program.

Over the years, this castle on the hill has not only served as the seat of government for the state.

It has also been a prison, a hospital, and even barracks for Union soldiers.

Now, it's a wonderfully preserved jewel that serves as a museum to Louisiana's political and governmental history.

And when people first come inside, they are welcomed by the beautiful rotunda, which includes a spiral staircase made of cast iron, and overhead, the breathtaking glass umbrella dome that features over 2000 individual panes.

But these two signature pieces were added after the Civil War and were not part of the original building.

This Gothic structure opened in 1850 and completed the vision created by New Orleans architect James Dakin.

And that's where we'll begin our story.

But we'll do it with the help of a retired schoolteacher who has literally written the book on the history of the old state Capitol.

Can I get your attention?

Yeah.

Thank you.

I know that you have seen part of the building already, but I wanted to tell you a little bit about what you're looking at, so you'll know what you've seen or what you're about to see.

Ever since retiring as an elementary and high school French teacher, Carol Haas teaches in a new setting as a volunteer tour guide of the old State Capitol.

It was something that I used to come here on field trips as a brownie and, as you know, school child, I would come here on field trips, and it's always been a beautiful building.

It's just always been here and always been a part of my life in Baton Rouge.

In fact, Carroll wrote the book on the history of the old state Capitol, released in 2009.

Carroll did not set out to become an author during her retirement years.

I started out to revise the volunteer handbook, the docent manual.

We had a docent manual, which was sketchy, and it had some information in it that was conflicting.

And when I decided to, to correct that, I did some research.

And in doing that research, I found so many stories and wonderful things that happened here and thought that those stories needed to be shared with, with everybody.

Back in the 1840s, the town of Baton Rouge, population 4000, was making a bid to move the state capital from New Orleans.

Critics statewide said politicians were mixing too little state business with too much pleasure of the Big Easy.

Baton Rouge citizens pooled $20,000 to purchase land from Judge Thomas Gibbs Morgan, and convinced the legislature to move the state capital to Baton Rouge, because it was actually pretty much the center of town at that time.

It was right in the middle of town, and it was a wonderful sight on a bluff.

It was one of the first high side on the river.

The castle design was the brainchild of New Orleans architect James Dakin.

He convinced lawmakers of the idea with the simplest of means.

When he first drew up his drawing, he he just sent a little sketch of a drawing and said, this is what I want to build.

It looked like a castle.

And he decided he wanted the castle because every other capital in the country was like the capital in Washington, D.C. it had a dome in the middle, and then the two wings on the sides.

He thought Louisiana was a distinctive state and that it needed a distinctive capital.

So he decided on the Gothic architecture.

And he told the legislature it was a little cheaper to build it that way, and they liked that, so that was agreed upon.

That's why the castle, the first drawing was not detailed at all.

It was simply a drawing, and it didn't have any landscaping or anything.

It was just a picture of the castle.

He did not want to insult the commissioners, as he said, by trying to trick them with details of landscape and things that had nothing to do with the building.

Deacon's majestic building on the bluff looks to be made of stone.

It is, in fact, made of brick.

The architect did not want it to look brick, so he wanted it to look strong, like a castle.

So after they put the brick up, they covered it with a plaster and then scored the plaster to look like huge stones, just to imply strength during the construction.

Dakin questioned the bricks quality and an argument with the manufacturer reached a tipping point.

It was not quality brick and it infuriated him so that when the workmen were placing brick in the tower, which is right behind me, he decided that it was not the quality brick he wanted, and climbed the scaffolding and literally began tearing brick out with his hands and throwing it to the ground.

It caused such a ruckus that the brick manufacturer climbed the scaffolding as well, and they began a fistfight.

The sheriff was called, and he came up and arrested both of them and find them $3 apiece.

But he find the architect James take in $10 because he's the one that threw the first punch.

The state capitol was completed in November of 1849 at a cost of $400,000.

A glorious dedication ceremony was scheduled but canceled two weeks before the dedication.

A disastrous fire destroyed much of downtown Baton Rouge.

The mood of the town was not one of celebration.

Money earmarked for a grand dedication ceremony was diverted to aid victims of the ruinous fire.

The castle on the hill was only 11 years old when Governor Thomas Overton Moore called a special session in the House Chambers on January 26th, 1861.

The legislature voted to secede from the Union.

16 months after that announcement.

In this chamber.

Union forces made their way into Baton Rouge, occupying the town and the state House, and in 1862, just four days after Christmas, as Union troops resided here and Confederate soldiers were held as prisoners.

A great fire started in a chimney, engulfed the building, and completely destroyed the interior.

All that was left was the great white exterior walls hovering over the town like a ghost of the war.

Louisiana's Confederate capital would move north to Opelousas, then Shreveport.

Union powers would later rename New Orleans as the new capital.

This shell of a building would remain dormant for the next two decades.

The two lions in front of the old State Capitol once guarded the front of the Saint Louis Hotel in New Orleans.

For seven years, the hotel on the corner of Canal and Royal was the state capital during reconstruction.

However, the uproar continued from lawmakers all across Louisiana for a better suited building to conduct the state's business.

The legislature made a bold decision in 1877, asking the federal government for funds to repair the statehouse in Baton Rouge.

After all, it was destroyed by Union soldiers during the Civil War.

The federal government approved the request with the help of architect William Charette.

The old State Capitol came back to life in 1882, but with a number of changes.

The building has changed substantially over time, and in fact, we have a model downstairs that really illustrates this.

pre-Civil War it was a White castle looking building, just very traditional, very stately.

After the Civil War, the building became red and we added turrets and towers and a lot of fresh fruit.

Yes, there were tall iron towers on top.

There were six of them, and they were on top of the corners.

And then the the center portion of the building.

And I think they were about 12ft tall.

So they really extended pretty far up into the sky.

They were made of cast iron, and they were designed probably to offset the center of the building where the dome was housed.

The restored Louisiana Capitol drew criticism from Mark Twain.

He was not impressed from what he saw from the outside.

During that time, Mark Twain was a river pilot, and he was piloting down the Mississippi on his way to New Orleans, and he saw the building being restored.

And he said that it was a shame that the dynamite did not destroy what a charitable fire had started.

Well, you have to take Mark Twain for what Mark Twain was.

He was, he was a satirist.

He he he he, he made fun of things.

And that's how he made his living.

If you've seen pictures of the way it looked after Firet finished it.

It was pretty ugly because, Fred had taken this castle thing to the nth degree, and he had built little cast iron turrets on top of the turrets, and then he had painted it kind of federal brown with this, awful looking dark trim.

And, so it was pretty ugly.

That was when Mark Twain said that it was really pretty ugly.

And, I think he was kind of right.

I think that once again, it was just something about the uniqueness of Louisiana that that he was able to to kind of hone in on.

And it was poking fun at us.

But, you know, if you think about it, this, this building is one of the stellar attractions in downtown Baton Rouge.

If Firet was off target with the turrets, he more than made up for it inside.

Visitors see it the moment they walk in the rotunda.

His fourth floor edition was created to house the building's signature feature, a multi-colored glassed dome that sits above the rotunda like an umbrella.

Well, the dome, I think, is what is the moment for everybody on when visitors come in from and they do come in from all over the United States and all over the world.

That's the fun part, because I'll take him to the staircase and say, now look up and it's the moment.

Everyone just gasps when they see the dome because it's so beautiful.

Other inspiring points of interest include both the House and Senate chambers, the current tranquil and elegant setting stands in direct contrast to some of the grittier days of past politics.

There are so many stories of fistfights and things going on here.

And to me it's just a very dignified building.

It's beautiful and dignified and magnificent, and I can't imagine the turmoil and the tumult that happened here.

No, I can't.

Nor can some of the old state capitals youngest visitors, especially when the sunlight hits both chambers just right and illuminates the floor with a rainbow of colors.

And many of the little girls come in and want to be the princess in the castle.

So yes, they love it.

And so many of them think it's here.

The little girls will come in and just go in the House chamber and the Senate chamber, which has an A flat floor and is empty, and they'll just twirl around and dance.

They love it.

It's the aura.

It's the it's the aura of the building.

It just when you come in here, you feel it.

Oh, I think the House chamber is my favorite, because when you go in there, one of the reasons it's so grand is because William Forget, the architect for the 1882 restoration.

You could tell that he loved the House of Representatives, but he thought that was the most important chamber in this building because it's so ornate.

That's where you have the little magnolia blossoms that are all around the ceiling.

And, the really ornate, chandeliers that hang in there.

the beautiful work on the gallery that overlooks the house chamber.

You can tell that he really loved that chamber.

And he thought it was the People's chamber.

I remember the first time I walked into this room and stood here and thought, my goodness, I'm standing in a room where so many important things historically took place in Louisiana.

And, if you sit long enough and you're quiet long enough, you can almost hear the echoes.

I think the thing that I like most about this building is the sense of history.

we're sitting in a room where the secession took place during the, the Civil War, the prelude to Louisiana's involvement in the Civil War.

The speeches were delivered right down here on this floor.

they tried to impeach Huey Long in this building.

And the trial took place over in the Senate chamber across the way.

There's an incredible sense of history in this building that, that was so important to preserve the days of the old state Capitol as the seat of government were numbered when Governor Huey Long came to power.

Although the need for a new structure was apparent to all, money was just not available long did order.

The turrets on the towers were removed after a large chunk of one tower broke off and fell to the ground.

Long once said there wasn't another building in the whole country that was such a disgrace, and he wouldn't pay $25 for the whole thing.

But it was long fighting for his political life early in his administration, leaving no time to worry about the problems of an aging state house.

In April of 1929, the House of Representatives voted to impeach long and sent the charges to the Senate.

The Senate summoned long to face the charges.

The impeachment proceedings did not last very long.

15 senators presented a document stating they would never vote for impeachment, regardless of the evidence, and Huey Long survived and his power only grew.

A year and a half later, the Kingfish would successfully push his plan for a new state capitol.

With the attention focused on the new building, the old state Capitol languished in neglect after the new Capitol opened.

Of course, this became just general office space for different organizations and different people, and it kind of languished over time because nobody was really taking care of it.

Nobody loved it, looked after it.

I know a lot of people who live in the Baton Rouge area have great memories, fraternity parties here, because for years you had great parties in here, and they'd rent the building out and you'd come in here and they'd have dances in the House chamber or in the Senate chamber, and you could slide up and down the rail and all that stuff and very little supervision.

By the 1980s, the castle on the hill was merely an afterthought to the Baton Rouge landscape.

The future of the building was in jeopardy.

I don't think it would've just fallen down overnight, but a legacy was starting to to build around this building of nobody.

It was kind of a stepchild.

It's kind of great to look at, but what are you going to do with it?

With the building reaching a point of no return, scores of Louisiana citizens, politicians and officials would not let the old state Capitol go down without a fight.

Starting in the 1990s, a massive restoration project would begin to save the castle on the hill one more time.

Hi everyone.

I'm Charlie Wenham and you are watching Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

We will return to Two Castle on the Hill in just a moment.

And what a fun look and a look back at a program that I produced and hosted for LPB that explores how Louisiana's old state capital became the historical architectural gem that it is today.

Right now, if history is coming alive for you, if this is the sort of program you think LPB should be producing, more of, we need you to call us.

We need to hear from you right now.

The number numbers on your screen.

We have your choice of fantastic membership, thank you gifts.

But most importantly, LPB has the gift of the legacy and wonderful programs for you, your family, community, as well as future generations.

But we need to hear from you.

This is a very important time that you are watching, because this is when we take measure of whether you believe LPB should be presenting and producing programs about Louisiana.

Your membership is your vote.

Someone else you are seeing in this film is our good friend and executive director of the Louisiana Old State Capitol, Mary De Russo.

It's great to see you, friend.

How are you so much, Charlie, it is such a pleasure to be here at LPB.

I can't tell you how much we value LPB as a partner in everything we do at the Old State Capitol, so it's my great honor to be here.

We're going to chat about the old State Capitol in just a few moments, but we first need to tell you about the thank you GIFs, because we think they're very special and something of keepsakes that you might enjoy having.

And also being part of the Louisiana Public Broadcasting family.

These are some very special gifts you'll receive for a $300 annual pledge, or $25 a month.

You will see the Castle on the Hill combo, which include mimosa, handcrafted bronze, quatre foil bracelet, a cuff bracelet, while Louisiana, Mississippi.

The Great Book by Jay Darden and Carol Highsmith, a pair of LPB gumbo mugs.

you really want to take advantage of these.

And if you're if you're somebody who thinks ahead like me, I would do this and break them up as Christmas gifts.

But anyway, for $180 annual pledge or $15 a month, you'll receive the mimosa handcrafted bronze quatre foil bracelet.

This is a beautiful piece that showcases one of the architectural details at the old State Capitol, and the cuff is adjustable.

I want to point that out because I have very large hands, so it fits up to a 7.5in wrist and it's handmade by mimosas, hand crafted South Louisiana stereo.

It is a fabulous gift and very reflective of the old State Capitol.

Charlie and Mary, any donation of any size is exactly what we're asking for right now.

And you can also join, for $13 a month and you'll receive the Louisiana eight Mississippi hardcover book signed by Jay Darden and Carol Highsmith.

And then just at the $7 level, you'll receive a pair of LPB gumbo mugs.

We want you to listen up and really take heart that this is an important time, and we need to hear from you right now.

And in addition to be part of the LPB production team, you'll get to get those wonderful thank you gifts you absolutely will.

The greatest gift is the programing that you're watching.

And, we know the programing is important to you because you are watching right now.

And where else are you going to see a wonderful program like this about one of Louisiana's most iconic structures, the old state Capitol.

And we know this is a really important time.

Everybody's busy school is back, but we have a really special credit card offer right now for a $750 credit card pledge or more, you're going to receive a pair of tickets to the Louisiana all state capitals annual signature event, Spirits of Louisiana.

This year, our theme is royalty on the River and it's going to be a fabulous night.

in addition to that, you're going to get the lovely print that, Eddie Moorman did of the old State Capitol and all the gifts from Tonight Show.

This party is unlike anything else in Baton Rouge.

And you really want these tickets?

So that's a $750 credit card pledge or more.

and as I said, you get the tickets to the Spirits of Louisiana fundraiser, as well as the beautiful Eddie Moorman print.

And please, I know everybody's busy fall is such a frantic time with school going back and things going on, but please take a moment to pick up the phone or go to lpb.org to pledge Mary.

A lot of times when we live in a state that has some wonderful structures, such as the old State Capitol, it's easy to overlook them.

But I can tell you my position with Louisiana Office of Tourism not only travelers from around the country, but around the world, get a chance to see, the old state capital.

And what makes the old state Capitol special to you.

Oh, everything about the old state Capitol is special architecture particularly, and the history that's there.

And I tell people it's not just telling the stories of the past.

It's really about challenging children and adults to get involved.

We get the kind of government that we want.

And so it's important to educate people about democracy and about how to be engaged in that process.

And you're right, we have we were visited by people from 77 different countries last year.

It's amazing the people that come through our doors and we're thrilled to see all of them.

And we're especially thrilled to be a part of this program.

we are also thrilled to tell you about this is being a corporate challenge.

good folks at Roy O. Martin, they're proud to support the programing on LPB and challenging all viewers to donate.

Right now, they will match dollar for dollar.

The first $1,500 called in during this program only.

So in effect, Mary, this will make the donation worth twice as much to LPB.

And we all love a bargain.

We all love being able to double our money.

So please pick up the phone or go to LPB dawg to make your pledge.

now is a great time for you to support this station.

It's fall, and I've seen all the wonderful programs that are being rolled out on LPB, and I've got my DVR or whatever it's called, set and so, we just want to remind you again about the LPB gifts that you're going to receive for $25 a month or $300, an annual gift that you can set up on a sustaining membership level.

You set it and forget it.

you can do that for $300 or $25 a month.

You're going to, receive this mimosa handcrafted bronze quatro for calf.

the book while Louisiana eight Mississippi by our great historian and friend Jay Darden and photographer Carroll Smith and a pair of LPB gumbo mugs.

Then for $180, an annual pledge or $15 a month, you'll receive the beautiful mimosa quadruple floral cup that we have, and it's handmade by mimosas hand handcrafted South Louisiana studio.

Also at the $13 a month or $156 and you'll receive the Why Louisiana eight Mississippi hardcover book.

And at the $7 a month level, you will receive a pair of LPB gumbo mugs.

Before we go back to the program.

Just in a few moments, it is an exciting place.

The old State Capitol just never disappoint.

It is just there's always something going on.

We love having people come in, families, everybody.

We have a terrific show called The Ghost of the Castle, which was also a product of our friend Jay Darden's, leadership when he was at secretary of state.

So there's always something going on.

We have changing exhibits.

Everybody is welcome.

We're free, and we're open five days a week.

And this castle on the hill, this gem of a historic building is something to celebrate.

And, this doesn't happen by accident.

It takes a lot of efforts.

You're going to find out some wonderful restoration efforts back in the 1990s that makes this place still alive and kicking.

Let's go back to that show right now.

Welcome back to Castle on the Hill, Louisiana's old state capitol.

I'm your host, Charlie.

Winning the old state capitol faced its most recent challenge for survival in the 1970s and 80s.

But scores of Louisiana citizens would not give up the fight to preserve and protect this Gothic structure.

And in the 1990s, a massive restoration project was launched to give new life and new meaning to this old state House.

The six decades after state government moved to a new state capitol, Louisiana's old state capitol was falling apart.

It was a mess, and the roof leaked and water was coming up from it through the basement.

And I told somebody one time I testified before a committee.

I said, you know, the building literally is is rotting from the bottom up and from the top down.

And it was it was, it was in really in danger of being lost.

I think at some point it would have reached the point that the building would have been condemned because you were you were really losing a lot of the structure.

The building really was deteriorating at a very rapid rate.

And had we not gotten a hold of it, I just don't know.

The exterior of the building probably would have been okay, but the interior really would have been much, much worse had we not done something right then if it wasn't for some very, well deserved citizens here in Baton Rouge, our men and women that came together to make this a crowning point again, it would not have happened.

The secretary of State's office under Fox McKeithen would eventually take control of the crumbling structure and oversee a $6 million restoration project.

The building would undergo its biggest restoration since 1882.

It.

Bob Courtney served as Under Secretary to McKeithen and played a key role in the restoration team.

Architects, contractors, artists, and scores of construction workers were all summoned to bring new life into the old state House.

All right, but to save you a lot of time and effort on on spotting it downstairs.

You follow me when you come down, why don't you go and, and drill a little hole on the side and the floor we found?

Okay.

You know, when I worked for the Secretary of state, I was amazed at how ramshackle it was.

It was totally, It's hard to describe.

I mean, the paint peeling off walls, plaster coming off of walls, things falling down, of course.

The the entire interior of this building.

What you're looking at now is completely different than the windows were in terrible disrepair.

water just coming through everywhere.

Mold was a problem.

it really.

And a lot of that had to do with poor climate control, because, as you know, humidity is everyone's enemy in the southwest, and it really is a problem.

What I really think is interesting is the painstaking detail that went into this restoration.

I mean, you look at it with the broad brush.

I mean, you see the you see the final result.

But, one of the things that he and McNaughton did, the architect on this project was incredible research into paints, types of paints, hardware lock works.

Everything you see is as close as humanly possible to what this building had originally.

One of the biggest surprises in the restoration effort led to the discovery of the top portion to the stained glass window inside the Senate chambers.

The top of the window was previously covered by a false ceiling.

After the Senate chambers caught fire in 1906, we didn't know what existed above those ceilings, and when we tore out those false ceilings, we were astounded to see that none of those timbers, none of that woodwork, had ever been repaired.

So it still burned the way it was in 1906.

And so I said, we have to keep this so people can see it.

It's just, how do you do electrical impulses you about what do you come up with?

Oh, and, my understanding is we're talking about excess of $100,000.

Almost no matter what.

So all of this in the back, you know, all of that.

So America's got to check the design of there's got to check.

Well, the architect was not happy with that idea because he thought that that was a store closure since it had taken place over 50 years ago.

And we had kind of a little battle over what were we going to do with it?

We won, and the people won because you can walk into that building now, and you can walk up to that window and look up and you can see the damage that was done by that fire.

You can see a little remnant of history, a minor thing, but it also gives you a sense of the the character of this building and the fact that this building was was totally gutted in one fire.

it was burned again in 1906.

It was threatened with destruction by the administration, and then it was threatened with destruction by neglect.

It's as if the ghost of the great man who once passed through these halls had left a trace of their greatness behind them.

And on the evening of April 20th, 1994, the old State Capitol rose yet again from the ashes, making its third grand opening to the public.

It is fitting that here, in this place where much of our political history was written, where our political and governmental landscape was shaped and molded, that we should provide a place to tell our story.

Prior to all the people of Louisiana and the world.

Tonight, on the eve of our grand reopening, we begin to tell a part of that story with a very special symposium on Louisiana gov.

Welcome back to Louisiana, to your old state Capitol building, the center for Political and Governmental History.

Three former governors, John McKeithen, Dave Tree, and Buddy Roemer, joined then Governor Edwin Edwards as part of a symposium on the state's top office.

Governor Edwards greeted the Assembly with his trademark sense of humor.

In this building, fistfights broke out over the, scandals of the lottery in the late 1800s.

His and this building, the only, as I hope, the only impeachment proceedings that were instituted against the governor, many momentous events occurred in this old Capitol.

I'm very pleased that at this moment in history, I happen to be governor of the state and can be here when we rededicated.

And ever since that grand opening of 1994, Louisiana's old state capitol once again welcomes visitors from across the state and around the world to continue to tell the story of Louisiana.

Well, I think it any historic building matters.

it's truly unfortunate.

We went through a period of time where we seemed to destroy more things, and we built and, you know, for those who have had the fortune to travel to Europe, I mean, it's just unbelievable to see his history and where certain events and different periods of time have taken place.

And, to me, this structure, it's a very dominating figure here on the Baton Rouge riverfront.

This old state House is more than a repository of historic artifacts.

The story of Louisiana's history comes to life throughout every floor, with interactive displays, knowledgeable tour guides, and a chance to let your imagination walk back in time.

Inside a cozy sitting room to watch a movie called ghosts of the Castle.

The ghost of the Castle film tells this story the way no other person could.

It's told through the eyes of Sarah Morgan, whose family donated the land where the Capitol now sits, and who lived here during the Civil War, and wrote the famous Confederate Girl's diary that talks about seeing the building burned during the Civil War.

And so Sarah is sort of the voice of the building, if you will.

And so we're really proud of that exhibit.

It's a history museum.

It's a it's a museum of political history, and it's intended to demonstrate, to those visitors, what the past was in an effort to try to show what the potential future will be.

And so we look at it in that light.

It's a generational story that can best be shown with two past Louisiana governors.

In 1896, Murphy J.

Foster was reelected governor of Louisiana, and the inauguration celebration took place on the grounds of the old State Capitol.

100 years later, on January 8th, 1996, his grandson, Murphy James Mike foster, took the oath of office on the same grounds as his grandfather.

The prayer used in 1896 was repeated in 1996.

The Bible used in Mike Foster's swearing in ceremony was the same one used by his grandfather.

According to the best of my ability, according to the best of my ability, understanding and understanding.

So help me God, so help me God.

Thank you sir.

A century ago, my grandfather stood here and took this same solemn oath I've taken the day.

Despite his vision.

I doubt that he could have seen that a century later, our nation would have fought two world wars for freedom and liberty.

The man would actually walk on the moon with the diseases of death.

He could and would be cured and prevented after his grandson would stand here and take the same oath of office for our state's highest office.

The story of the two fosters is housed in what used to be the governor's office space inside the old State Capitol.

Continue the tour and you will come across the life and history of another former governor, Huey Long.

A painted crack down the middle of the room symbolizes the great divide of opinion people had of the powerful governor back in the late 1920s and early 30s.

And, you know, in those days there was no such thing as Republicans, Democrats.

It was even a prolonged anti-war.

We don't try to form that opinion of the good side of viewing of textbooks on new roads, Charity hospital and then the other side of Huey, which was the duck box and some of the other things that maybe aren't quite as, you know, pleasant to the to the discussion.

You form your own opinion at the end of that tour and to me that it it forces you to think.

So far, we've taken you to some of the more typical places of the old state capitol, part of the typical tour.

But right now we're about to take you to some of the hidden places and secret areas that aren't part of the regular tour.

And where am I heading to?

I'm going up one of the towers of the old State Capitol.

It's about 2020 five feet tall, a little over two storeys high.

What's neat about this area is that we're going to see some history at the very top.

You open the door and you will find walls filled with graffiti.

Remnants of past Capitol workers, mostly pages, would use this area as their private break room.

It looks like Eleanor Lobdell stopped by here in 1940, and a dozen pages from the 1922 session neatly left their mark.

Through the years, I've seen them back into the 1800s, the graffiti.

And there's one that someone told me about I was unable to find, but it just says, I know some stuff and I would love to find that one and know what they knew.

Billy Porteous junior was a page in 1912, 14, 16 and 18 and claims he is the kid that knows some stuff.

Horace Long a page in 1904 from the town of Floyd in West Carroll Parish.

He writes think of me, for you will never see me again.

what most people will never see in this castle is the structure above the beautiful glass dome.

It appears so magical and larger than life to all who see it from below.

Chief Maintenance Engineer Carl Smith knows every inch of this building.

A hidden spiral staircase takes him to a catwalk above the old state capitals glass dome.

Who actually comes up to this area?

Not many people.

Mainly just the maintenance and the supervisors and, security.

We're the only three people that ever come up to it.

You know, this area, contractors come up here every now and then to service the, exhaust fans and the the lighting that are suspended above the stained glass.

But, the public never gets to come up here.

A lot of people don't know, but the center of the thing is it's actually, you know, it's open.

before the air conditioning was installed in the building, what they would do, they have little vents at the very top of the building.

They would open windows on different floors, and it would cause them a huge vacuum straight through the roof of this thing, straight through the roof of the building.

And that was the air conditioning back then, before they were actually installed.

There is one more door to open and that is to the rooftop.

Carl's perch above the old state House is the same perspective persons over the centuries.

Court from this bluff, from Civil War ships coming up the Mississippi River to possibly noticing Mark Twain's riverboat floating down house.

Beautiful place it really is.

There's always a breeze up here.

I come up here once a week.

I really love this part of my job, you know, to come up here and inspect the roof and, check the light bulbs.

But the scenery from this point up here is just fan tastic.

Is breathtaking.

Carl thinks nothing of his high wire act, needed sometimes to get from place to place.

Perhaps that scenery can take your mind off most of your troubles and worries when you eventually make it to the top.

From up here you can see, you know, from miles down, up and down the river.

It's just beautiful.

Our old State Capitol tour comes back to Earth to view something in plain sight, but just as easily gets overlooked, it is the seven foot cast iron fence, full with Fleur de lees and other imagery that surrounds the entire four acre grounds.

The fence serves many purposes, as this picture, taken in 1880, shows how well it kept a doe inside the fence line.

A number of deer were donated to the governor at the time, and the most fitting place seem to be here.

Well, the fence was, It is as historical as the building.

It was erected in 1855.

It has a lot of symbolism to it.

There are a lot of, cut foils, which is the four leaf clover type thing that's in indicate eagles, magnolia pods or pineapples, depending on his view.

Listen two.

But the fence is so important to this building, it's what gives it its its character.

It's what it's what creates the.

It's like the frame around the picture.

and of course, if you look at that fence, it's an incredible structure mechanically.

Another interesting fence fact.

This iron gate fits together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

All the pieces are interlocking with the exception of the major post.

They're bolted into the concrete or into the masonry.

Everything sits in on top of each other.

The, the horizontal piece goes in and then the vertical members, and then another piece sits on top and another.

So there are no screws.

The whole thing just sits together.

And when you see that going down a hill, it's pretty impressive from an engineering standpoint.

The cast iron fence was almost torn down for scrap iron during World War two.

Some thought the fence could be donated to the war effort.

Fortunately, it was not needed and the cast iron lace remained.

However, by the end of the 20th century, it was the fence itself that was losing the battle against weather and time.

Fortunately, by the time the gate turned 152, capital outlay funds were secured to restore the Iron Gate to its original grand glory and not far from the fence on the north side of the grounds is a marble monument.

This is the tomb of Louisiana's 17th governor, Henry Watkins Allen.

In 1864, two years after the Capitol burned during occupation by Union troops, Allen was elected governor of the Confederate portion of Louisiana.

He earned a reputation as a brilliant military commander, and served as a Confederate general in the Civil War.

After the war, he exiled to Mexico City, where he died at the age of 45.

Allen was first buried in Mexico City.

The following year, this monument was created and his body was reburied in New Orleans, but 19 years later, Allen's body would move again for a third and final time.

He was laid to rest on the grounds of the old State Capitol and he rests next to the very building that, ironically, he never served in as governor.

Most visitors spend a few hours, or perhaps an entire day, at the old State Capitol.

But now, thanks to a program designed by the Secretary of State's office, you have a chance to spend the entire night inside the castle on the hill.

You can sleep inside the old state capitol.

The Secretary of State's office has a Heroes and Heritage trail.

And if you visit 11 of our 17 museums, you get to come spend the night with us.

We've had one group that did it had a fabulous time, and we do a big behind the scenes tour and take you up outside the stained glass on the catwalk so you can see everything and, just explore all the nooks and crannies.

We have, bunk beds that we've, put in place.

And, it's an enjoyable night.

You know, I actually spent, almost a better part of the night.

We had one of those groups that, look for ghost.

Now, it's a fact that the old state capitol served as a barracks, hospital and prison during the Civil War.

And if you are going to spend a night here with your friends, be very careful in your own barracks, because it's not too far from where the prison was once located.

These are very sparse wooden blocks, restored once again trying to evoke that feeling of the prison downstairs in the, You're not, of course, you know, locked down or anything, but it's very Spartan.

Let me say.

But whether you stay the night or simply make this a day trip, Louisiana's old state capitol is here to share its wealth of stories, histories, and artifacts.

It also challenges visitors to learn more about your government.

And it's wonderful because they you can see that they feel empowered and that they understand the process.

And so one of the things that I try to tell those young people before they leave here is that the lessons you have learned here, it's like Sunday school, don't leave it here.

Take it with you, take it out there and talk to your fellow students and to your parents and your friends and your siblings about what you learned about the process and how everyone really needs to be involved.

I think the future is great because I think that the, the, the work that was begun, by Fox Marquette and has been carried forward by J. Darden J did so much for this building, got new exhibits and, money to redo the fence.

And, and Tom Shetler has carried on that, that commitment to excellence here.

And I think as long as it's under the stewardship of people like that who believe in history and have a sense of history and the importance of preserving a building like this, I think it'll be here for a very, very long time to come.

It is beautiful to look at, but the hidden meaning is to be able to take a tour of the exhibits and to be able to, reflect on the past, but then look to the future.

I would like everyone in the state to know that this building does not belong to Baton Rouge.

This building does not belong to people who give tours here.

This building belongs to everybody in the state.

It belongs to everyone who lives in Louisiana.

We don't want to lose these stories.

And as much as we want to preserve the history of the past, this is a place that calls people forward, that calls people to, to be engaged in government, to understand how it works.

And we can point to the past and show illustrations of how people have made such a huge difference in this state.

And we want to challenge people to do the same.

Today.

Louisiana's old state capitol still stands proud after all these years.

That's been made possible because of the efforts of so many people who refuse to let it leave the Baton Rouge landscape, as well as Louisiana's collective memory.

Their efforts now stand as a true testament to this castle on the hill for everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

Thanks for watching.

Funding for this program is provided by the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

Hello and welcome back once again.

I'm Charlie Wynnum, and I'm joined by the executive director of the Louisiana Old state capital, Mary de Russo.

Mary and I and everyone at LPB want to thank those viewers who joined as members in the past.

And we're talking a few years back who made this program possible.

When we present stories about our great state during our on air membership campaign.

We ask you to vote for the production of the next great story with your membership.

It's the way we know you value what you see.

That's right Charlie, and if you're already member, thank you so much.

It's also a great time to renew your membership or make an extra contribution to take advantage of the wonderful gifts that I'm about to share with you.

You make these programs possible, so that's the main gift.

Please text give to 888769 5000.

You can pledge online@lpb.org or scan the QR code on your screen with your smart device.

Now let me tell you about those great gifts that I mentioned.

For $25 a month, you'll receive the Castle on the Hill combo, which includes this beautiful mimosa cuff bracelet, handmade, which reflects the beautiful, architecture of the old state Capitol.

While Louisiana and Mississippi, the hardcover coffee table book signed by Jay Darden and photographer Carol Highsmith, and a pair of LPB gumbo mugs for just $15 a month.

Now, think about how much you spend on coffee in a month.

For $15 a month, you can get this beautiful Quadrifoglio bracelet.

As I said, it's a beautiful represen tation of the architectural detail we have at our building.

Handmade by mimosas hand crafted South Louisiana Studio and Mary, we say this all the time.

Your level of donation.

It does not matter.

We'll accept every level, no matter how big or small.

And also, at the $13 a month level, you will receive the Louisiana eight Mississippi hardcover book.

And just for $7 a month, you'll enjoy receiving a pair of LPB gumbo mugs.

Mayor.

The most important thing I think we want to stress is we need to hear from you because now more than ever, we need to hear from outside and see just exactly what you think about LPB and what you want to see in the future programs.

It's that old phrase that, people vote with their feet while people vote with their pledges and their checkbooks.

You're telling us what's important, and we know how much these local, our LPB produced programs mean to our viewers.

And so that's why we need for you to call in.

We have a really special credit card offer going on right now for a $750 credit card pledge or more, you can receive two tickets to the old state capitals signature event.

spirits of Louisiana.

It's October 24th this year.

The theme is royalty on the River, so I think we're going to see a lot of Bridgerton, but I don't know.

but along with that, we're also going to be, giving away this Eddy Morman print of the old state capital, as well as the other gifts that we mentioned.

So that's $750 on a credit card.

This is a great deal.

You need to pick up the phone and call or go to LP dawg.

You'll enjoy a great deal.

You'll have a great time, guaranteed.

I also want to thank the, folks at Roy Martin because this is a corporate challenge and they are proud to support the programing on LPB.

They're challenging our viewers right now.

to donate.

And they will match dollar for dollar for the next 15 or the first $1,500 called in.

And that's during this program only.

So that means pledge right now.

And your donation is worth twice as much.

And everyone here at LPB thanks you as well.

Exactly.

We can't do these programs without member support.

And, membership has always been the bedrock of LPB.

It's the reason LPB is here.

The Louisiana Old State Capitol was saved time and time again by concerned citizens in this community, and it was concerned citizens who built LPB and the station that we know it is today.

And the great programing it has come Award-Winning program that has come out of this very studio.

So we need for you to pick up the phone and call and make a pledge or go on in line and make a pledge.

It's so important that we do this and we do it now.

Don't put it off.

Mary said the key word right there community.

community is a success.

for LPB, community is a success.

For the old state capital community is the success the magic formula to make historic buildings remain and not get torn down, to get restored, to get, that opportunity to stay alive, to tell future generations about just exactly who we are.

And and, Mary, one thing that I believe and when when Mary showed me around, the state capital way back when, when I was producing and hosting the show, I always was fascinated with the fact that it took a core of concerned people that said, we're not going to let this go.

Oh, absolutely.

it was almost on the tipping point of falling apart, when then Secretary of State Fox McKeithen and a group of really concerned citizens went to work and saved the building.

And, it still takes a lot of hands and a lot of dollars to keep it going today.

But we're thriving.

And as I said, it's that is thanks to the dedication of people who believe in a cause.

And we believe in the LPB.

There is nothing like this, folks.

You can go other places and there are other public TV stations.

But in my heart of hearts, I just think LP is the best.

So we want you to call in or go online and make a donation today, and I can remind you about the thank you gifts, which are many.

for $25 a month, you're going to get this beautiful handcrafted mimosa cuff bracelet that's based on one of the designs in our building.

You can get the Louisiana eight Mississippi Coffee Table Book by our great friend and historian, Jay Darden and photographer Carol Highsmith from the Library of Congress, and a pair of LPB gumbo mugs.

for $15 a month, you'll receive the beautiful bracelet that I'm wearing.

And it's going to be hard to give it up.

it's a handmade and mimosas, handcrafted South Louisiana studio.

One thing Mary brought up and I.

It's bears repeating this.

Thank you.

Gifts are wonderful keepsakes to keep.

You can also hand out these keepsakes and be a real hero as well.

So absolutely.

And at the $13 a month level, you'll receive the Louisiana eight Mississippi hardcover book.

And at the $7 a month level, you'll receive a pair of LPB gumbo mugs.

And, there's also a beautiful bronze cuff.

Oh, that's that's the cuff them where they understand that life bronze.

And it is beautiful.

And, the mimosa, handcrafted jewelry has a whole line of jewelry based on the old state gavel.

But they have graciously donated this for our pledge drive this time.

And so please take advantage of this opportunity.

For $15 a month, you can receive this beautiful bracelet, and it'll be a keepsake.

And you can come to the old state Capitol.

And where are you bracelet and point to the many waterfalls.

They are all over the building.

It's one of our signature pieces.

I'm getting memory flashbacks and once again, Mary was wonderful tour guide.

And a key component, of of production for LPB with the old State Capitol documentary and, thanks to Mary, she has keys.

She asks of places, and the rest of the people don't get a chance to see it.

So that's something we enjoy about LPB and the documentary set.

You'll see right here for the behind the scenes look, and it includes going up into the tower and finding out that there's people from generations.

And I would even call it ghosts past.

And the graffiti that you'll see in some of the walls up one of the towers.

And it always did.

It gave me chills when I did read some of those messages, including close your eyes and think of me, for you will never see me again.

We all leave our messages and we all leave a mark.

And we're asking you right now to leave your mark as well, in the form of a donation.

Right now.

Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month, but right now.

Because it's that important.

We need to hear from you right now and you'll enjoy the wonderful thank you gifts.

And you have beautiful stories to share about Louisiana's culture and history.

And isn't that what it's all about?

Mary, thank you once again.

It's been so many years, and I want to thank again for being our host, allowing me to go through the, you know, the old state capital so that we can share that story.

Because LPB is the storyteller of the state and share it to people around the country, even around the world, all around the world, literally every day there's someone from another country that comes in, and we just want to remind you before we go, I know we've got a corporate challenge, and we don't want to leave those dollars on the table.

Thank you to Royal Martin.

They are proud to support this, break.

And, the programing at LPB and is challenging all viewers to donate one right now.

And they will match dollar for dollar for the first $1,500 called in during this program only.

So again, corporate challenge by the good folks at Roy O. Martin that we thank so, so much.

Well, and I just want to say in closing that really LPB just like they all say capital, there is something for everybody here.

Literally.

I know all the moms with the littles who are watching the, the, the educational program.

I know how much teachers rely on the LPB.

I know how much I rely on the LPB for this quality program that you just who else is going to do this?

We have to do this.

We have to make this difference.

And so that's why it's so important that you call in or go online and make your pledge today.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

Let's hear from you.

Please.

Right now.