Towering above the Baton Rouge skyline, the Louisiana Capitol Building is one of the most visited state capitols in America. Forever linked with the political career of Huey Long, the building is one of the leading examples of the 1930s Art Deco style. Part of his gubernatorial campaign platform, Long pushed for the obsolete capitol building to be replaced. Once the building was complete, the 450 foot skyscraper became one of only nine American capitol buildings without a dome.
   Approved during a special 1930s legislative session, a constitutional amendment was favored by the Louisiana citizens by a 14 to 1 margin. Taking nearly two and a half years to complete, Long's creation was accomplished by the famous Washington DC firm of George A. Fuller Company. A rail spur, used to haul in building material, was built by the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. Approximately 2500 carloads of materials, including 200 carloads of limestone facade material, were brought in on the spur. Elected to the U.S. Senate during construction, Long wasn’t present during the state capitol building dedication.
   On a tragic note, Senator Huey Long was shot in the halls of the new capitol on September 8, 1935, a little over three years since its completion. Today, a fitting memorial marks the gravesite in the center of the Red Stick (Iti Humma) Capital Gardens.

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