The State Capitol Is My Favorite Haunted Place in Louisiana

There are hundreds of haunted places in Louisiana. No matter what city or town you visit in The Pelican State, you're sure to find someone who has a haunted tale to tell, and almost every area has a ghost tour that you can take to learn more about the ghosts and spirits that reside in that area. The spooky history of Louisiana is one of the things that makes this great state so special and unique, and people come from all over the nation and the world to listen to the ghost stories and haunted tales that make most Louisianans proud of their mysterious home.

Although there are stories of ghosts and ghouls in buildings in every town in the state, some are more interesting, creepier, and more believable than others. My favorite haunted place in Louisiana is one that others might not know, but it's one that I think is especially curious.

Furthermore, it's not a house, a church, or a speakeasy that's haunted in this case, but rather a building that is representative of the entire state in a way. It's appropriate, somehow, that one of the most haunted buildings in all of Louisiana is the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge!

Now, be careful not to confuse the current Louisiana State Capitol building with the Louisiana Old State Capitol. Yes, the Louisiana Old State Capitol is haunted, too - but here, we're talking about the current Louisiana State Capitol building, which was built in the early 1930s. The Louisiana Old State Capitol was built from 1847 to 1852 and was used as the state capitol building for many years, but as the state grew, it soon became too small for that purpose.

In 1928, Huey P. Long was elected as the Governor of Louisiana and immediately decided that a new Capitol building should be constructed. It was designed in Art Deco style, which was popular at the time, and cost $1 million to build. It has 34 floors inside and stands at 450 feet tall. It's one of only four skyscraper state capitols in the nation, and is one of only nine without a dome.

The building was completed and dedicated in 1932. Around the same time, Huey P. Long was elected to the United States Senate for Louisiana. During his tenure in the Senate, he was very outspoken and became known for speaking out against wealth inequality; he also considered running against Franklin D. Roosevelt for the presidency in 1936.

However, his plans were cut short. On September 8, 1935, he traveled to the Louisiana State Capitol building - the new Capitol building that was constructed while he was Louisiana's governor - to help get a bill passed that would redraw the district of an opponent. That opponent's son-in-law shot Long in the torso at point-blank range. Long's bodyguards killed the assailant with over 60 shots, and Long fled, but he later died in the hospital from his wound. Bullet holes from this incident are still visible in the Louisiana State Capitol's walls.

Today, many people believe that the Louisiana State Capitol building is haunted by the ghost of Senator Huey P. Long. This seems believable because this man, who dedicated so much of his life to the state of Louisiana, was shot in this beautiful building that he loved so much and died as a result. Of course, Senator Long would come back to haunt it, and would want to be a part of the Louisiana government forevermore and for eternity. Senator Huey P. Long never stopped working for Louisiana, and he continues to work in Baton Rouge to this day - just now in another form.

In addition to this ghost story, which contains interesting political state history along with a haunting, the Louisiana State Capitol building is simply beautiful to view and visit. It's quite different from most other United States state capitol buildings, and for that reason, on its own, it's worth a visit.

It's open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except for major holidays, and you'll not only love its Art Deco design, but you're sure to enjoy the view from the observation deck on the top floor. You can see all of Baton Rouge from there and so much more. Stop by and check it out - and tell Senator Long's ghost that OnlyInYourState.com sent you, too.

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