Caddo Parish Courthouse - Shreveport, LA (The Death of the Butterfly Man)

501 Texas St.

Shreveport, LA 71101

32.512156,-93.749811

            We begin our next story in 1838, when a newly created Caddo Parish was in need of a parish seat and center for local government. A temporary courthouse, if you wish to call it that, was established at the private residence of Thomas Wallace. Wallace would later become an important figure in Shreveport and Caddo Parish history, also giving Wallace Lake its name. Obviously, this would only be temporary, and by 1840, the parish then used a structure at the corner of Texas and Market Streets. In April of 1855 the building was sold at a sheriff’s sale, leaving the parish without a courthouse once again so they rented a structure in the 500 block of Market Street from Ephraim C. Hart. Finally, in 1860, someone would come up with the ingenious idea that maybe, just maybe, the city needed a permanent courthouse so a two-story colonial-style structure would be erected.
            As we have learned, during the Civil War, Louisiana was a state without a capitol, as

Photograph of the original Caddo Courthouse.

legislature would move from New Orleans, to Baton Rouge, to Opelousas, to Shreveport, finally returning for good to Baton Rouge. During the times that the temporary capitol was in Shreveport, it set up shop at the Caddo Parish Courthouse. By the time the capitol was returned to Baton Rouge, the building was in great disrepair and would ultimately be demolished in 1889. In 1892, a new Romanesque-style courthouse was built and would remain as the center of local government until 1926 when it too, was demolished and replaced with the current courthouse that stands there today.

Old State Capitol - Baton Rouge, LA (The Castle on the Hill)

100 North Boulevard

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

30.446602,-91.189098

www.louisianaoldstatecapitol.org

*EVP's courtesy of Louisiana Spirits
 
            The old Louisiana State Capitol is a beautiful structure, sitting high atop the land to overlook the mighty Mississippi River. If walls could talk, this 150-plus year old building could lecture for days! It has survived the ravages of war, fires, physical fights, political battles and so much more.
            The building, which is known as “Castellated Gothic” was designed and built by James Harrison Dakin in 1852, five years after Baton Rouge was able to gain control as the state’s Capitol. Prior to this, New Orleans served as the temporary capitol. The building definitely coincides with its construction style, as it truly looks like a stout castle with thick walls, turrets and plaster trim resembling large blocks.
            In 1862, under the command of Admiral David Farragut, Union troops captured the building, transforming it into a stronghold and prison, absolving the current Louisiana legislators, sending them to find another safe haven. On December 28, 1862 the interior of the capitol was completely destroyed due to a fire unintentionally started by Union soldiers. Fortunately, the charred interior was completely reconstructed in 1882 by architect William A. Freret. On March 1, 1882, Governor McEnery arrived in Baton Rouge to officially take reigns of the newly restored statehouse and the new life of the capitol began.