Louisiana Governor's Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louisiana Governor's Mansion |
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| General information | |
| Location | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Coordinates | 30°27′32″N 91°10′50″W / 30.45889°N 91.18056°W |
| Completed | 1963 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Annan and Gilmer |
The Louisiana Governor's Mansion is the official home for the governor of Louisiana and their family. It was built in 1963 when Jimmie Davis was the Governor. The Mansion is located in Baton Rouge, close to the Louisiana State Capitol and overlooking Capital Lake. It's a very important building in Louisiana's history and government.
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About the Mansion's Design
The Governor's Mansion was designed by a company called Annan and Gilmer from Shreveport, Louisiana. The total cost to build it was about $893,843. The outside look of the Mansion was inspired by a famous old home called Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana.
How Oak Alley Inspired the Mansion
Many plantation homes built between 1830 and 1860, like Oak Alley, had a second-story porch called a veranda. The architects thought a second-story veranda would look too casual for a Governor's Mansion. So, they left it out of the new design.
Mansion's Architectural Style
Even though the Mansion is mostly in the Greek Revival style, it also has some features from the Georgian style. These include dormer windows (windows that stick out from the roof), a special fan-shaped window above the front door, and a long window on the circular stairs inside.
Inside the Governor's Mansion
The Mansion is very large, with about 25,000 square feet of space. It has twelve bedrooms and eighteen bathrooms. There are also two kitchens, a small kitchenette, and two dining rooms. The Mansion has special rooms for state events and for everyday business.
Special Features Inside
You'll find a living room, a sitting room, and two areas for butlers. There are also two security stations for the state troopers who protect the Mansion. The Governor has an office, and there's another office for a secretary.
A grand spiral staircase is a main feature in the rotunda (a round room). There's also an elevator that goes from the basement to the third floor. Small lifts called dumbwaiters help move things between floors. To keep the large house cool in Louisiana's hot summers, it has a huge 90-ton cooling system.
The Louisiana History Mural
In the main entrance area, there is a large painting called a mural. This mural shows different parts of Louisiana's history. It also has symbols that represent many past Louisiana Governors. The mural was first painted in the year 2000 when Governor Mike Foster was in office. It was later updated to include symbols related to Hurricane Katrina and Governor Kathleen Blanco.
Outside the Mansion
The Mansion has white Doric columns along three sides. These columns are a classic part of Greek Revival architecture. On the east side, a driveway leads to an underground garage. The outside walls are made of special hand-molded bricks painted white.
Roof and Porches
The roof is made of gray-green slate tiles from Vermont. The front and side porches are also made of the same type of slate. The lamp posts in the parking lot used to be gas lights in Plymouth, England.
Railings and Grounds
The cast iron railings on the driveway walls and at the second-story windows were inspired by an old house in New Orleans. The architects added a diamond pattern to the design.
The Mansion sits on about 8 acres of land. The grounds include a tennis court, a swimming pool, a vegetable garden, and a fountain area.
Visiting the Mansion
The Governor's Mansion is located at 1001 Capitol Access Road (LA-3045) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you want to visit, you can take a tour by making an appointment.
See also
