Old Courthouse Museum

The Old Courthouse, constructed in 1896, is an example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Plans for the courthouse were developed by the Favrot and Livaudais architectural firm of New Orleans. The architects designed the courthouse in the popular Richardsonian Romanesque style, and the building’s arched, recessed windows and the prominent center tower are typical of this style.

The building was badly damaged by fire in 1933. It has since been renovated three times. The first renovation occurred directly after the fire. During this renovation, the tower was lowered, the clock was removed and the roofline over the stairway was lowered. This radically changed the appearance of the building and, except for the clock, these changes have never been reversed. A second renovation took place in 1961, presumably to make the building more efficient to heat and cool. The ceilings were lowered and some of the rooms were divided. Also, aluminum and glass doors were installed. The final renovation took place in 1976. This was aimed at restoring the building to its original form, and reversed the changes made in 1961. Central heating, an elevator and three external clocks also were added