Louisiana is a truly unique state with a lot of history. If you’re a history buff, you may have already known some of these, but we’ve put together a short list of some Louisiana facts you may not know so you can impress your friends—or maybe get that question right on your next trivia night.

1. Louisiana has the tallest state capitol in the United States.
Wayne Hsieh/Flickr
It stands 450 feet tall with 34 floors.
2. Natchitoches is the oldest town in Louisiana.
Natchitoches Tourism/Facebook
It was established in 1714.
3. Louisiana is home to the only cemetery that faces north-south rather than east-west.
David/Flickr
Cemeteries are traditionally east-west facing to symbolize the beginning of life with the rising of the sun and the end of life with the setting of the sun. Maybe the gravedigger didn’t have a compass, or perhaps he just was having an off day, but the graves were set facing north-south, and too many people had been buried before the mistake had been realized. The graveyard is St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Rayne, Louisiana, and it’s certainly one of a kind.
4. There’s a reason the colors for Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold.
Jack/Flickr
You may have known what they represent (purple: justice, green: faith, gold: power) but according to historian Errol Flynn Laborde, the colors can be traced back to the first Rex parade in 1872. King Rex chose the colors, but why? Laborde concludes that Rex, being a king, needs a kingdom, and every kingdom needs a flag. According to "heraldry", you need both metals and colors, so gold was the obvious choice. Then, according to the rules that determine coat of arms, there were only five acceptable colors: black, green, purple, red, and blue. Obviously, purple and green were the winners.
5. The official state drink may surprise you.
KGSImaging/Flickr
Milk! Who knew?
6. Louisiana is the only state that still operates under the Napoleonic Code.
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All other states follow English common law.
7. Louisiana is only one of two states that don't use counties to divide the state.
Wikimedia
Alaska is the other state, and they use boroughs.
8. The St. Charles Streetcar line is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world.
Scott Beale/Flickr
It’s been in operation since 1835.
9. The first opera ever performed in the United States was in Louisiana.
Wikimedia
It was a performance of Ernest Grétry's Sylvain and it was performed in 1796 in New Orleans.
10. The world’s largest heliport is in Morgan City.
Antoonz/Flickr
With a total of 46 helipads, it’s primarily used to support offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
11. The oldest fishing tournament in the United States is right here in Louisiana
John Flannery/Flickr
The Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo was established in 1928 and is still going strong.

Did you know any of these fun facts? Let us know in the comments below! Learn about some of the historical facts about Louisiana that you may not know.

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The Most Amazing Facts About Louisiana

William Suphan | January 06, 2023

What are some historical facts about Louisiana?

Some historical facts about Louisiana include:

  • The largest and most complex Native American site in America is the mounds at Poverty Point which were built between 1650 and 700 BCE.
  • Since becoming a state, Louisiana has had ten different state Constitutions over the years. The most recent was ratified in 1974.
  • The last World’s Fair exposition was in New Orleans in 1984. It was not being as well-attended as it once was and finally ended.
  • The buildings in the French Quarter are mostly Spanish rather than French due to a fire in 1794 that destroyed most of the area and it was rebuilt by the then-ruling Spanish.

Learn more about these and other historical facts about Louisiana. 

What are some hidden facts about Louisiana?

Some hidden facts about Louisiana include:

  • If you order a pizza for someone else without letting them know first, it is illegal and will incur a fine of $500.
  • The oldest salt mine in America is on Avery Island, and this state produces the most salt in the country. It totals 24% of the country’s salt.
  • One of the first patents in Louisiana was for Tobasco Sauce in 1970, and the label is still the same as it was in the beginning.
  • The first opera ever performed in this country was in the French Quarter of New Orleans in 1796. 

Discover more about these and other hidden facts about Louisiana. 

What are the weirdest laws in Louisiana?

The weirdest laws in Louisiana include:

  • Children can play skeeball without adult supervision, but it is illegal for them to place coin-operated football without an adult present. 
  • You can’t feed garbage to your hogs without first cooking the garbage, and you must cook it on your own property.
  • If a person owns an alligator, whether it is dead or alive, it is unlawful to steal another person’s alligator.
  • You may not tie your horse to a tree next to a public highway, and the horse cannot stand in any way that might injure a tree.

Find out more about the weirdest laws in Louisiana. 

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