7 Eye-Opening Historical Landmarks In Louisiana Everyone Should Visit At Least Once

In its heyday, Poverty Point was a massive 72 foot tall mound, built by hand built between 1650 and 1100 B.C. The original inhabitants of the area left no written records of their day to day lives, but archeologists are constantly finding new clues to piece together how these primitive people lived. You can visit this World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark at 6859 LA-577, Pioneer, LA 71266.

The Chalmette Battlefield is a monument to those that fought in the Battle of New Orleans. You can walk the grounds and learn about the battle and the men that bravely fought, and then head over to the Chalmette National Cemetery. The cemetery is adjacent to the battlefield, and honors the Civil War soldiers from both sides of the war. Also on the battlefield grounds is the Beauregard House, built in 1830. It's located at 8606 W St Bernard Hwy, Chalmette, LA 70043.

Built between 1847-1852, the building served as the capitol until 1932 when it was abandoned for the current capitol. During the Civil War it also served as a hospital and a jail, and has a reputation of being haunted. You can take a tour and learn more about this fascinating castle, located at 100 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA

Take a ride on the world’s oldest continuously operated rail line in the world. The St. Charles Streetcar Line has been in operation since 1835, and it’s only one of two moving streetcar National Historic Landmarks (the other being the San Francisco cable car system).

Also known as the Marksville Prehistoric Indian Site, the area is an archaeological goldmine featuring numerous earthworks build by the prehistoric indigenous people of the area. The 42-acre site features a museum displaying the artifacts found and information about the people that lived there, as well as trails to the mounds themselves. It's located at 837 Martin Luther King Dr, Marksville, LA 71351.

Come wet your whistle at the oldest structure being used as a bar in the country. According to legend, legendary pirate Jean Lafitte allegedly used this place as a home base to plan illegal seizures and sell illegal contraband. Aside from its historical significance, it’s also one of the most haunted locations in New Orleans. People claim to have seen the ghost of Jean Lafitte standing in the corner, the ghost of a woman upstairs, and creepy glowing red eyes in the fireplace. Ghosts, or perhaps one too many drinks? You be the judge. You can find this landmark at 941 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116.

Perhaps one of the most identifiable plantations in the state, Oak Alley’s iconic oak tree lined driveway is truly a sight to behold. Built in 1837, this Greek Revival style mansion was originally established to grow sugarcane. Fun fact: The oak tree lined alley was planted in the early 18th-century— long before the present house was built. You can visit this historical landmark at 3645 Louisiana 18, Vacherie, LA 70090.