At the same time that our nation celebrates the life of Abraham Lincoln, we are reminded of the great loss our country experienced with his tragic death. Victorian customs surrounding bereavement were elaborate and extensive and dress played a most important role, from dressing the deceased for post-mortem photographs and burial to expectations and practices of those grieving. This program will be presented by Pam Vinci, Curator of the LSU Textile & Costume Museum, and LSU colleagues Ryan Aldridge, and Dr. Jenna Tedrick Kuttruff.
For further information contact the Foundation for Historical Louisiana at 225-387-2464 or the Downtown Development District at (225) 389-5520.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, November 2 for a Fall First Sunday Festivities event in the downtown area. Hours will be from 12 noon until 5 p.m. All of the festivities and participating museums will be open free of charge for the event.
A number of cultural and museum organizations have been meeting over several months to synergize and to enhance their offerings to the public on these traditional free first Sunday of the month activities. The group has named themselves “The Red Stick Culture Coalition.”
Participating entities are The Old State Capitol, The Old Governor’s Mansion, the Louisiana State Museum, the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum, the LSU Museum of Art, the Manship Theatre, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, The Odell Williams African-American Museum on East Boulevard, the USS Kidd, the Downtown Business Association, the Louisiana Association of Museums, the Community Fund for the Arts, the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Shaw Center.
The Baton Rouge trolleys will be shuttling between the various locations to enable guests to take advantage of several sites during the afternoon. In some cases attractions will offer additional amenities such as performers, special exhibits, and programming on this particularly unique fall Sunday for Baton Rougeans and guests.
For further information contact the Foundation for Historical Louisiana at 225-387-2464 or the Downtown Development District at (225) 389-5520.
FHL Salute: Baton Rouge-The First Hundred Years from Standard Oil to ExxonMobil 1909-2009
Sunday, November 16, 3 p.m. Old Governor's Mansion
Free to Foundation for Historical Louisiana Members
As part of his research for a book on the history of Baton Rouge's Spanish Town, John Sykes, local historian and reference Librarian, became interested in the history of Standard Oil Company. In April 2009, the company will mark its 100th anniversary, celebrating the founding of Standard Oil Company of Louisiana. Sykes will present a summary of the company's history, illustrated with remarkable early photographs owned by John A. Bechtold, an early executive with the Company, and shared by his granddaughter, Mrs. Marna Bass Shortess.
John Sykes is reference librarian for The Advocate in Baton Rouge. A native of North Carolina, Sykes graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a Master's degree in American History from the University of Alabama.
The lecture is open to the public. It is free to FHL members and $10 for guests. For more information, call 387-2464. Complimentary refreshments will be provided by Calandro's Wine Cellars.
See the Flatboat Journey Arrive in Baton Rouge! Foundation for Historical Louisiana and Baton Rouge Visitor's and Convention Bureau host Lincoln's Flatboat Visit to Baton Rouge.
What: Flatboat. Crew: 10-12 people
Where: paperclip dock at the Kidd
When: 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1st arrival in Baton Rouge. Thursday, Oct. 2nd Presentation of Flatboat 10am to 4:30pm, and 6:30-8 p.m. reception at the Mansion, viewing and interaction with the crew all day Friday, Oct. 3
Why: to raise awareness of Lincoln during the bicentennial of his birth. He was born Feb. 12, 1809. The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial celebration began on that date in 2008 and continues until that date in 2010.
What you'll see: flatboat with explanation by costumed reenactors, educational display provided by the flatboaters. We will screen two short films inside its projection room courtesy of the nearby Kidd Museum.
Free admission to the Kidd museum for children - does not include the Kidd itself. Hosted by: FHL and CVB (lodging for flatboaters provided by Hilton River Center). Reception Thursday evening free to members of FHL, $10 for others.
About the Original Journey - Abraham Lincoln's Original Flatboat Journey: 1828
www.lincolnsjourney.org
They will arrive about 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2. They will be here all day Friday, Oct. 3. Visitors may go to the paper clip at the dock and see the flatboat. The Indiana delegation has about a 20 minute presentation and written materials. They will have an exhibit, probably on the wharf (deck). We will screen two short films inside the projection room of the Kidd Museum and admission to the Kidd Museum is free to children - NOT actually getting on the Kidd. One film is the orientation film for New Salem Village, IL, and the other is the newest orientation film at Lincoln's home in Springfield, IL.
They will leave about 8:00 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, spending Saturday night at Houmas House and they will arrive in New Orleans Sunday.
Lincoln made two such trips, one in 1828 (which this recreates) and one in 1831. He was 19 and 22. There are no written records of the trip from the time, but things he said later result in conjecture that he saw slaves auctioned in NO and this made an impression on him.
Somewhere below Baton Rouge (on the "sugar" coast") he said later that he and his companion were attacked by some slaves, but they fought them off and got away.
Lincoln is the only president to hold a patent,one for getting a boat over obstructions like the mill dam in New Salem, IL. He got them past on one of the two trips by removing and shifting some cargo and drilling holes in the boat to let water the boat took on out and then filling the holes.
It took him 3 months to make the trip downriver hauling a load of produce for a local merchant. He received $24 for his work and was guaranteed return passage to Indiana on a steamboat.
The 2008 Flatboat Journey, sponsored by Spencer County, Indiana:
Boat Length: 60 feet
Boat Weight: 50,000 pounds
Construction materials: poplar timbers
Boat Owner: Ron Drake
Motors: Donated by Mercury Marine
Days on the River in 2008: 27
River Miles Traveled 1085
The Crew: 10-12 people. Includes representatives from the Spencer Country Regional Chamber of Commerce, Spencer Country Visitors Bureau, Think Lincoln, Inc., and citizen ambassadors from Spencer County, Indiana
Towns Visited: 23, including Baton Rouge on October 2
TO BE RESCHEDULED
The Rev. Charles T. Smith, presiding pastor of the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, will be asked to speak on behalf of the present-day church and say a few words about the original church and to perhaps offer a prayer for the occassion.
In appreciation for the city's assistance and support during the process of designating Spanish Town as an historic district, the HSTCA will thank and ask Mayor "Kip" Holden to speak about the historic district designation and/or regarding the historic site markers .
We will also thank and ask Bill Brumfield, Chairman of the Society for the Preservation of Lagniappe in Louisiana, to speak on behalf of SPLL. Their group has made the signage program possible through their generous grant program.
The event will be held under a blue canopy that will be set up on the vacant corner lot directly across from the Capitol Grocery on Spanish Town Rd (corner of N. 7th St.). We will have a PA system availble. The news media are invited.
The Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation is partnering with the Foundation for Historical Louisiana and the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation to offer a Tax Credit Seminar. The seminar will include sessions on each of the three Rehabilitation Tax Credit programs, a tax credit walking tour, guidance from the Louisiana Department of Revenue, and more! Continuing education units will be available for architects, attorneys, and realtors. See the agenda and registration information below. Seating is limited, so don't delay!
A comprehensive architectural assessment of the Medical Center of New Orleans was released today by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) demonstrating that “Big Charity” can be rehabilitated as a state-of-the art medical facility according to RMJM Hillier, the architectural firm that conducted the assessment.
The FHL was charged by the Legislature in House Concurrent Resolution 89 to “examine and evaluate the entire Big Charity structure to determine the advisability of repairing or restructuring the entire facility.”
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana has unveiled plans for its 10th Annual Old Governor’s Mansion Gala to be held on Thursday evening, October 30, with a theme of "The Famous and Infamous of Louisiana.” FHL Board Chair Lenore Feeney announced that the Gala co-chairs are Bill and Christel Slaughter, community and business leaders who are vitally interested in cultural and historic preservation. "This event provides a large percent of FHL's funding. We are thrilled to be working for the cause of historic preservation and our Louisiana heritage," said the co-chairs.
The entertainment for the event will be provided by the Buck Town All Stars, who will perform in the Mansion's Rose Garden from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The traditional large silent auction will be held in the East Room ballroom. Donations for the silent auction, corporate sponsorships, and ticket sales are getting underway now. Attendees are invited to come in costume as your favorite Louisiana personage, past or present. Of course there is always the possibility of dressing like Huey and Earl and Blaze, but other suggestions have ranged from Marie Laveau, Lafitte the Pirate, the Blue Dog and the Jolie Blonde. As is traditional over the ten years of this great Baton Rouge fundraiser, men black tie and women in dressy dress is certainly an option.
Tickets are $100 per person for FHL members and $125 for non-members. Special gala price for 30 and younger $50! This year, tickets may be purchased online at www.fhl.org and items can be viewed via the website beginning October 1. Call 387-2464 for more information.
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana invites you to a public presentation of the Existing Conditions and Facilities Assessment of Big Charity Hospital on August 20, 2008 at 2:30pm in the auditorium in the Port of New Orleans Headquarters Building at 1350 Port of N.O. Place. The facility is located on the riverfront at the end of Henderson Street behind the New Orleans Convention Center.
As charged in HCR 89 of the 2006 Louisiana Legislature, the Foundation hired the internationally renowned architectural firm, RMJM Hillier, to “…assess the condition of the facility and evaluate its potential uses as a location from which medical services may be offered to the population of the Greater New Orleans area…” and to “…examine and evaluate the entire Big Charity structure to determine the advisability of repairing or restructuring the entire facility…” This assessment will be the first report on the structural integrity and potential reuse of the building.
Please let the Foundation for Historical Louisiana know if you will be attending. RSVP to the Foundation for Historical Louisiana at 225-387-2464 or info@fhl.org Seating is limited. The information will also be available on our website at www.FHL.org beginning August 21st.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Sincerely,
Sandra L. Stokes
In a continuing effort to fulfill its mission of historic preservation, the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) called on communities across the state to nominate and spotlight endangered historic properties or “Treasures in Trouble” and the organization has named the list for 2008. The properties, released at the FHL annual preservation awards banquet held on July 24, are the architecturally and culturally significant Lincoln Theatre on Myrtle Street in Baton Rouge, the LSU Huey Long Pool and Fieldhouse on the LSU campus; the 1900s Colfax Bank Building in the town of Colfax, and the 1830s Rosalie Sugar Mill, near Alexandria.
“We want to draw attention to these unique properties so citizens can learn more about their history and heritage and to encourage and assist individuals and organizations to come together to create a plan of action to bring these neglected properties back to the jewels they once were,” said Lenore Feeney, FHL board chair and member for the FHL Treasures in Trouble Committee. Also serving on the committee are board members Lenore Feeney, William Brockway, AIA, J. Michael Desmond AIA, Sandra Stokes, Brandi Simmons, Lillie Gallagher, Jill Rehn, and FHL Executive Director Carolyn Bennett.
FHL Chair Lenore Feeney says that the organization begins reviewing nominations each May as part of its national preservation month activities. The properties are announced at the FHL annual banquet in July, and the organization will provide technical assistance and advice to those in the community who are advocating to save the properties on the list. It is also hoped that publication of the treasures in trouble will educate others who are unaware of the history surrounding them and reach those who are interested in helping the preservation effort as well.
“Many of the properties on this year’s endangered list are of interest not just to citizens but to visitors,” added FHL Director Carolyn Bennett. “There is tremendous interest in bringing back the Huey Long Pool and Fieldhouse and to restore it for the students and community at large to enjoy once again, she said. Rosalie Sugar Mill and the Lincoln Theater are vital to telling the story of Louisiana’s African Americans.” The Colfax Bank building is a 1900s edifice that was nominated by the Red River Heritage Association who is working to see if saved and reused as a museum that will tell the story of Reconstruction in Louisiana. The bank is near the site of the 1873 Colfax Riot about which books have been written and a documentary was produced.
Long Pool and Fieldhouse and to restore it for the students and community at large to enjoy once again FHL Chair Lenore Feeney says that the organization begins reviewing nominations each May as part of its national preservation month activities. The properties are announced at the FHL annual banquet in July and the organization will provide technical assistance to communities. “There are individuals in each of these communities that are reading this and saying, “Oh, we must do something to make sure that “treasure” is saved,” said Feeney, “and that person may be you.”
Bennett noted that in the FHL’s 45-year history, the organization has advocated on behalf of endangered and threatened properties, including assisting other preservation organizations to publicize endangered properties. The Foundation’s list complements a statewide endangered list published by the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 Most Endangered List for the United States. Charity Hospital and its adjacent historic neighborhoods are currently on the National Trust’s 11 Most Endangered Properties in America.
In addition, the FHL is placing a “watchful eye” on several other properties in need of restoration and being called “Treasures in Transition” Shushan Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, Charity Hospital and the surrounding historic neighborhoods, the Perkins Road Overpass, and the original cypress windows of the Old Governor’s Mansion. The Mansion is the headquarters of FHL and is operated as a historic house museum and special events venue in a cooperative endeavor agreement with the State.
For more information, contact Carolyn Bennett at 225-387-2464 or write to info@fhl.org.
What: Patriotic commemorative ceremony honors 1862 Civil War Battle of Baton Rouge Dedication of a new memorial to victims of 1878 Yellow Fever epidemic
When: Saturday, August 9, 10 a.m. to 11.a.m.
Where: Historic Magnolia Cemetery, 19th Street, Baton Rouge
Who: Patriotic Americans, Families, Children, Civil War Historians, Decedents of the Yellow Fever Epidemic
Free and Open to the Public
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana invites the public to attend a patriotic ceremony at Historic Magnolia Cemetery on Saturday, August 9. The program, which honors the 1862 Battle of Baton Rouge, will include a special dedication to unveil a memorial in honor of the hundreds of individuals who lost their lives to Yellow Fever in 1878 in the Baton Rouge area. Many of these individuals are buried in the cemetery.
The free commemorative event is scheduled from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. on Saturday, August 9, at Historic Magnolia Cemetery, located at Florida Boulevard and 19th Street. The program will feature a color guard, canon firing, wreath laying, taps, a vocalist, and civil war enthusiasts in period dress. There will be a tent, chairs, and water under the Oak trees of the historic cemetery. Children are encouraged to attend. Civil War books and heritage items will be on sale from the Foundation for Historical Louisiana’s museum store. For further information call Foundation headquarters at 225-387-2464.
Magnolia Cemetery was established in 1852. Following the war, due to a poor economy, Magnolia Cemetery fell into disrepair. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Civil War Discovery Train, the cemetery is being restored thanks to FHL, the Magnolia Cemetery trustees, BREC, and others. Ory Poret, a member of the board of FHL and the trustees, serves a chairman of this annual Civil War commemorative event. This sacred and historic site is also the location of the Foundation’s “Magnolia’s Memories” theatre program held annually in March. Professional actors portray the lives of individuals buried in Magnolia Cemetery, giving viewers insight into early life and times of Baton Rouge.
The Battle of Baton Rouge took place on August 5, 1862 on the grounds of Magnolia Cemetery. Louisiana seceded from the Union on January 25, 1861. On May 29, 1862, Union troops led by Brigadier General Thomas Williams began the Federal Occupation of Baton Rouge.
On August 5 at 4 a.m., Major General John C. Breckinridge and his 2,600 troops from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky entered Baton Rouge and began fighting Union forces. The Confederate army forced the Union troops back toward the Mississippi River. But, in order to recapture Baton Rouge, the Confederates needed their iron clad ram, the C.S.S. Arkansas to destroy all the Union ships on the river. The Arkansas, however, suffered engine trouble and was burned and set adrift by its crew four miles upriver from Baton Rouge. Unharmed, the U.S. S. Essex and four other Union gunboats bombarded the Confederate troops until they withdrew and marched out of Baton Rouge that same day. Among the soldiers that fell was Brigadier General Williams and A.G. Todd, half-brother of Mary Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln’s wife.
For further information contact the Foundation for Historical Louisiana at 387-2464.
32nd Preservation Awards Banquet Honoring the 2008 Preservation Awards Recipients:
Bill & Nancy Jensen, Sadie Roberts-Joseph, Veda Norfolk, Peggy Hunt, & Sylvia Duke.
Phoenix Award Winners: The Beale House and Historic McKinley High School
Plus announcement of the Volunteer of the Year Award.
Master of Ceremonies Leo Honeycutt
Thursday Evening, July 24, 2008
The City Club
355 North Boulevard
Valet Parking
Please RSVP by Monday, July 21, by 12 noon by telephone or reservation check.
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (225) 387-2464 ext.10
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) is calling for nominations for historic properties that have potential for restoration and redevelopment or are “endangered.” The multi-parish capital region is the focus of this effort to protect and preserve these unique "treasures," said FHL Executive Director Carolyn Bennett.
The nomination deadline is Monday, June 30. FHL Chair Lenore Feeney and the Board of Directors will announce the 2008 Treasures in Trouble list at the organization's annual preservation awards banquet scheduled for July 24.
"This is the second year that FHL has created its own preservation “endangered” program," said Bennett. In the past, the organization has nominated numerous unique properties to endangered programs sponsored by the statewide Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation and the Louisiana Landmarks Society, which covers New Orleans. Recently the FHL nomination of Charity Hospital made the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 Most Endangered in America list. According to Bennett, FHL will continue to make nominations to these lists, but is seeking greater input from this multi-parish capital area region. FHL contends that with local leadership more properties can be identified and preserved for future generations especially using historic preservation tax credits and other incentives offered by local, state, and federal governments. “The publicity that the Treasures list generates can have very positive results for a property that is threatened and needs help,” stated Feeney. Conversely however, last fall Kansas City Southern Railroad demolished the Union Tank Car Geodesic Dome that was on the 2007 list without any community conversation and to the great shock of preservationists and architects worldwide.
The FHL has assisted with preserving numerous endangered properties, including Magnolia Mound, Historic City Park, the Old Governor's Mansion, the Hotel Heidelberg, Historic Magnolia Cemetery, and others over its 44 year history.
To nominate a property, site, or item, individuals must complete the nomination form available via the internet at www.fhl.org or by calling 225-387-2464 to receive a form. The information needed is the name of property, address or location, nominator's name and contact information, approximate age and description of the property, brief history, why the property is considered a treasure and/or endangered, what actions might be necessary to alleviate the threat, local groups that might support the nomination, and supporting materials. The nominations can be emailed to info@fhl.org or faxed to 225-343-3989.
For More Information: Angela deGravelles 202-5073; Carolyn Bennett 225-387-2464
DATE: Tuesday, July 8th
TIME: The event begins at 6 p.m. and the lecture begins at 6:30 p.m
Location: The Old Governor's Mansion is located at 502 North Boulevard in downtown Baton Rouge
COST: Free (FHL members) $10 (non-members/guests)
Refreshments will be provided by Calandro's Fine Cellars
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) announces its participation in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln with a special lecture on Lincoln at the Old Governor’s Mansion in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, July 8th.
David Madden, LSU Robert Penn Warren Professor of Creative Writing, will lecture on "Lincoln's Unique Louisiana Connection" as part of the bicentennial anniversary, which is being celebrated throughout the nation. Lincoln was born on February 12,1809.
Madden's presentation is part of the popular monthly lecture series sponsored by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana to enhance member’s historical and cultural knowledge, particularly in Louisiana.
The lecture will focus on the little-known, very positive, and very important relationship during the Civil War between President Abraham Lincoln and the state of Louisiana, said Madden, a noted Civil War scholar.
Madden, an award-winning novelist, creative writing teacher and lecturer, has served as the LSU Writer-in-residence from 1968 to 1992, director of the Creative Writing Program 1992-1994, and founding director of the United States Civil War Center 1992-1999. He has also given lectures at many conferences and dramatic readings from his fiction at over 100 colleges and universities.
FHL members may attend free; guests are $10. Memberships are encouraged. Refreshments will be provided by Calandro's Fine Cellars.The event begins at 6 p.m. and the lecture begins at 6:30 p.m.The Old Governor's Mansion is located at 502 North Boulevard in downtown Baton Rouge
DATE: Saturday,June 21
TIME OF DEPARTURE: 8:45 am from the Macy's parking lot at the Mall of LA
RETURN TO Baton Ruge at approximately 3:30 p.m.
COST: $75 (FHL members) $85 (non-members)
We are really excited about this trip. We will have the benefit of having expert guides with us in the persons of Vincent Caire (Shushan expert), Alton Ochsner Davis (lead architect)and Elise Grenier (art preservationist).
This will be the last opportunity to view the Xavier Gonzalez's murals before they are covered as the restoration progresses. They are not expected to be unveiled again for another 2 years. For more information on Gonzalez, google "Xavier Gonzalez. “ Since the airport is under renovation, please be prepared with comfortable shoes and clothing. The elevators are nonfunctional so we will have to climb that beautiful marble staircase to get to the second floor. We'll have plenty of cold bottled water for everyone.
Lunch will be a fine dining experience at Ralph's On the Park . . .located directly across the street from City Park, this wonderful Brennan's restaurant will not disappoint anyone. The cost of the trip includes your lunch. A cash bar will be available for us as well. Don't worry about being under-dressed for Ralph's. We will be in a private dining room so dress comfortably for our warm weather.
After lunch, our motorcoach will take us on a drive-by of "Big Charity" and the adjacent historical neighborhoods that are in jeopardy. I'm sure that you are aware of the National Trust placing Big Charity on its most endangered list of properties for the nation just last month. Our own vice-chair, Sandra Stokes, will be with us to share more information on the neighborhoods. For those who are not aware, Sandra is the lead FHL volunteer workingon "Big Charity.” After viewing these sites, we will all be able to relax and enjoy our ride back to Baton Rouge. Feel free to bring your own refreshments (i.e., wine) for our trip home. After all, we will have our own designated driver.
We are hopeful that you will take advantage of this opportunity. With gasoline prices being what they are today, the cost of this trip is atbreak even; therefore, we need to fill the bus as much as possible so as not to run in the red. If you are interested in seeing Shushan up close with the experts to guide you, please call FHL at 387-2464to register for the trip. Payment may be made by credit card or check. Time is short plus we also need to give the restaurant a number by Friday.
I do hope that I see each and everyone of you on board the bus. Time is short so please pick up the phone as soon as you finish reading this to reserve your spot. 387-2464
Sincerely,
Jill Rehn
FHL Board
VP, Programs
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana is so pleased to have Charity Hospital and the surrounding neighborhood named to the National Trust’s 11 Most Endangered list. To say it is an honor is a paradox. It just means we are in the most danger of losing these important buildings.
Charity Hospital and the adjacent neighborhood, New Orleans, La. – While Charity Hospital sits abandoned, plans call for the demolition of nearly 200 homes in the adjacent Mid-City neighborhood to accommodate construction of two new hospitals. Alternate locations for the new hospitals are available, and Charity Hospital, a National Register-eligible building that closed after Hurricane Katrina, could be rehabilitated to once again serve the community.
To donate to the dedicated fund for the assessment of Charity Hospital, please contact Carolyn Bennett at the The Foundation for Historical Louisiana, 225-387-2464. Donations are fully tax-deductible.
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) has retained the architectural firm of RMJM Hillier of Philadelphia to complete an independent assessment of the Medical Center of New Orleans. “Big Charity,” as it is called locally, was closed by the LSU Health Sciences Center in September 2005 after Katrina.
“Many in the New Orleans community want to know if the hospital can be reopened,” said FHL Board of Directors Vice Chair Sandra Stokes. “The FHL is committed to fulfilling House Concurrent Resolution 89 of the 2006 Louisiana Legislature to provide a thorough independent assessment of the condition of the facility and to determine the viability to provide interim medical services, including emergency services, psychiatric services, and establishment of clinics and subspecialty clinics.”
“The Foundation for Historical Louisiana selection committee chose RMJM Hillier based on their international reputation in both healthcare design and preservation projects. Their innovative ideas, as well as their economical approach to reuse Charity Hospital for medical care, made the firm an excellent selection. They, along with the local partner, Waggonner and Ball Architects of New Orleans, are the ideal counterpart to work with the Foundation for Historical Louisiana to fulfill our charge in HCR 89,” said Stokes.
Walter Gallas of the National Trust for Historic Preservation said, “We are excited to see this assessment reaching this milestone with the naming of a highly-qualified consulting team. The resulting report will be a critical tool not only in determining the future of this monumental historic building, but also in the planning for new LSU and VA medical facilities that will seriously impact the Mid-City National Register neighborhood nearby.”
"This study to re-invigorate Charity Hospital, a healthcare icon in Louisiana, is an important opportunity,” said Steve McDaniel, AIA, Managing Principal with RMJM Hillier. “We are very pleased to be leading a team of experts who bring a wide range of experience and skills. The Charity Hospital is an important historic landmark in New Orleans,” added Dr. George C. Skarmeas, AIA, AICP, Design Principal with RMJM Hillier. “It deserves a careful evaluation to produce a sensible and sustainable plan for its future."
The final report is expected to be complete 12 weeks after full access to the building. “The Foundation anticipates RMJM Hillier being on-site beginning May 19,” added Stokes.
Charged by the legislature in House Concurrent Resolution 89 to assess the building, the Foundation sent out a Request for Qualifications to more than 45 top architectural firms across the country that had experience in both healthcare and historic preservation. Two firms were short-listed for presentations. These firms were allowed a complete walkthrough of the million square foot building, arranged with assistance from the State Office of Facility Planning and LSU.
“The Foundation’s charge in HCR 89 is to “examine and evaluate the entire Big Charity structure to determine the advisability of repairing or restructuring the entire facility,” added Stokes. Also included in the resolution is the charge to determine the viability of the hospital’s use as a medical facility until the proposed new LSU teaching hospital is completed, originally scheduled for 2012.
"It is important that Charity be brought back into the life and commerce of the city in some way. A new life for this historic structure can make a vital contribution to the renewal of Downtown and the Medical District, and serve as a potent symbol for New Orleans and for Louisiana," said Mac Ball, Principal with Waggonner and Ball Architects.
Charity Hospital is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. It was nominated by FHL and later named to the “New Orleans Nine,” a list of endangered historic structures announced by the Louisiana Landmarks Society in the summer of 2007.
“The Foundation has established a dedicated Charity Hospital fund for the assessment of this cultural and architectural landmark,” said FHL Executive Director Carolyn Bennett. No funding was provided by the Legislature when the resolution was passed. “The National Trust for Historic Preservation provided an intervention grant immediately after the storm and the Foundation will continue to make a major push both statewide and national donations to carry out this mandate of the legislature,” said Bennett.
The 1938 Art Deco Charity Hospital structure was designed by the firm of Weiss, Dreyfous, and Seiferth. This same group created the Louisiana State Capitol, the Old Governor’s Mansion, the LSU French House, the Eola Hotel of Natchez, and the Shushan Lakefront Airport in New Orleans.
RMJM Hillier has extensive experience in both hospital design and historic preservation, two key criteria presented in the request for qualifications. Preservation projects include the United States Supreme Court, Virginia Capitol, Lincoln Cottage, Payne-Whitney Gymnasium at Yale University, and the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, one of the largest Art Deco buildings in the country. The firm’s architectural healthcare experience includes renovations, new design, and adaptive reuse projects for some of the nation’s leading healthcare providers including the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey, NYU Medical Center Day Surgery renovation, Gouverneur Healthcare Services’ addition and renovation in New York, and the Good Samaritan Hospital addition and renovation in Pennsylvania.
Citizens in Louisiana will join thousands of individuals around the country as part of a nationwide celebration of 2008 National Preservation Month in May 2008. “This Place Matters" is the theme of the month-long celebration, which is sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Since the National Trust created Preservation Week in 1971 to spotlight grassroots preservation efforts in America, it has grown into an annual celebration observed by small towns and big cities with events ranging from architectural and historic tours and award ceremonies, to fundraising events, educational programs and heritage travel opportunities.
Due to its overwhelming popularity, the National Trust has extended the celebration to the entire month of May and declared it Preservation Month to provide an even longer opportunity to celebrate the diverse and unique heritage of our country’s cities and states and enable more Americans to become involved in the growing preservation movement. This year will mark the first official Preservation Month.
Here in Baton Rouge Preservation Month 2008 will be observed by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana whose mission is the preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of Louisiana. Among the activities will be the announcement of the 2008 Preservation Awards winners.
We invite you to sign up for e-invitations to heritage and historical preservation events above.
For more information about National Preservation Month also visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website at http://www.preservationnation.org/preservationmonth/.
Baton Rouge Uncorked™ is putting on a California White Wine tasting to benefit The Foundation for Historical Louisiana and Project: Save the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse. This event will take place at the Old Governor's Mansion (502 North Blvd, Downtown Baton Rouge) Thursday June 12th at 7-10:00pm.
$30 Minimum donation per person paid in advance 3 Matching bottles of chilled California white wine per team at the door Admission granted to the first 500 pre-registered guests only Pre-register now at www.BatonRougeUncorked.com Complimentary light hors d'oeuvres will be provided
The Rules
We will be tasting California white wines (for example: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, etc…) Please bring your wine pre-chilled.
Guests attend the event in pre-registered “teams,” whereas each “team” consists of one, two or three members. Each “team” is required to bring 3 matching bottles of chilled California white wine, regardless of the number of members on that team. (For example, a “team” of one person is required to bring 3 matching bottles of chilled white wine and a “team” of three individuals is required to bring 3 matching bottled of chilled white wine as well ).
Upon arrival, 2 bottles will be bagged, tagged and submitted to the blind tasting for scoring. The third bottle will go to the “pot” for use in the raffle and a portion gifted to the winning team. You must be present at the end of the event in order to win.
Founders
Pete Bush • Doug Cochran • Doug Allen • Luke Williamson • Patrick Coogan • Edmund Giering • Miles Higgins
Baton Rouge Uncorked encourages you to please drink responsibly.
Please direct questions and comments to: info@batonrougeuncorked.com
Historic Shushan Lakefront Airport in New Orleans will be the topic of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana’s (FHL) Heritage Lecture on Thursday, May 29, at Foundation headquarters.
The lecture features Vincent Caire, a preservationist, writer, and pilot, who will discuss its captivating history and show remarkable vintage photographs, said FHL Executive Director Carolyn Bennett. May is National Preservation Month and Historic Shushan is a Louisiana landmark and eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
The event is scheduled to begin with a 6 p.m. reception hosted by Calandro's Select Cellars; the lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. The lecture will be held at the Old Governor’s Mansion, 502 North Boulevard, in Baton Rouge.
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana along with Friends of Shushan Lakefront Airport have been advocating for the accurate and sensitive restoration of the exterior and interior of the building, along with the murals and architectural features.
Shushan opened on September 9, 1934. It is also the oldest Art Deco airport in the United States in continuous operation since opening. Its construction was commissioned by Governor Huey P. Long.
Owned by the State of Louisiana and operated by the Orleans Levee Board, it served as the commercial airport for New Orleans from 1934 through 1946. Its name was quietly changed to “New Orleans Airport” following Abe Shushan’s conviction on mail fraud and income tax evasion. A second name change to “New Orleans Lakefront Airport” in 1964 accompanied building renovations.
The terminal building featured a unique set of 8 aviation murals painted in 1933 by artist Xavier Gonzales. Seven of the original eight murals still exist. Six remain in their original positions in the terminal building. A seventh is preserved by the Louisiana State Museum in the Cabildo.
The terminal building is accompanied by two original hangers also opened in 1934. On the evening of May 22, 1937, Aviator Amelia Earhart used one of the Shushan Airport hangers as an overnight stopover on her unsuccessful attempt to fly around the world. Her route across the United States included only four cities; Oakland, Tucson, New Orleans, and Miami. Her flight was announced to the public in Miami, Florida. Her mechanic Ruckins “Bo” McNeely was previously employed by the Wedell-Williams Air Service in Patterson and New Orleans.
The event is free to members of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana and $10 for guests. Foundation membership information is available here.
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) will dedicate its monthly educational lecture on "The Green Movement and Historic Preservation" on Thursday, April 10.
The FHL Preservation Salon lecture will be presented by Marvin "Buddy" Ragland, Jr. Architect, AIA, Coleman Partners, LLC.. Ragland managed the recent renovation of the historic Heidelberg Hotel, now the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.
The lecture is free to FHL members and $10 for guests. It is scheduled in the East Room of the Old Governor's Mansion. Refreshments will be served, compliments of Calandro's Select Cellars.
Ragland, a partner in the firm of Coleman Partners Architects, designed and managed the recently opened 293-bed historic Heidelberg Hotel, now on the Historic Hotels of America Register. His other recent projects include master planning of the Baton Rouge Community College and the Bon Carre Business Center. Ragland is an active participant in all levels of the American Institute of Architects.
Ragland's lecture will focus on "What does "Green" design mean? Who are the gate keepers of "Green" design? and What are the existing rating systems? The lecture will also include architectural examples of "green" design and how to integrate historic preservation methods into those designs.
The public is invited to attend. The reception begins at 6 p.m. and the lecture at 6:30 p.m. Individuals are also invited to join the Foundation for Historical Louisiana. Membershipis $50.
The Old Governor's Mansion is located at 502 NorthBoulevard. Free parking is available.
For more information, call 387-2464.
Lagniappe Tours, the travel arm of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana, is now taking reservations for New Orleans French Quarter Festival on Saturday, April 12, 2008. The Festival promotes the Vieux Carre and the City of New Orleans through high quality special events and activities that showcase the culture and heritage of this unique city.
Fifteen stages throughout the French Quarter will feature musical performances by such artists as Charmaine Neville, Dukes of Dixieland, Ronnie Kole, Jimmy LaRocca, Steve Pistorius and many, many others.
More than 50 food vendors from prominent New Orleans restaurants will feature specialty items for purchasing.
Motorcoaches will leave Mall of Louisiana at 8:30 a.m. for a 10:00 arrival in the Quarter near Jackson Square. The buses will depart at 6:00 p.m. for the return to Baton Rouge. Cost for Foundation members is $70 and nonmembers $80. Get your reservations in early, coaches fill up fast. Call Lagniappe Tours at 225-387-2464, ext. 17.
Darius Spieth, Ph.D., professor of Art History at LSU, will make a presentation on March 25 at 6 p.m. on "The Perkins Road Overpass Neighborhood" as part of the 2008 Preservation Salon lecture series sponsored by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL). The event will be held at the Old Governor’s Mansion, 502 North Boulevard.
According to Dr. Spieth, the historical significance of the Perkins Road overpass area has long been underrated in its importance for the urban development of Baton Rouge. The lecture will retrace the changing history of the location, starting with a discussion of the ownership history of Richland Plantation in the 19th century and the arrival of the Louisiana Railway and Navigation Company in 1907. The construction of the 1937 Perkins Road overpass, realized in the context of the New Deal, became a catalyst for the commercial and residential development of the area.
According to Dr. Spieth, most of the structures that can still be found there today were built between 1937 and 1953. In 1949, the area was integrated into the city of Baton Rouge during the City-Parish Consolidation. With the opening of I-10 in 1964, the appearance of the neighborhood changed drastically one more time. The lecture will also look at the counter-culture and music scene that was thriving in the location, and nearby neighborhoods, during the 1960s and 1970s. Photos, maps, and other artifacts of the area will be shown in the lecture.
Darius A. Spieth
Professor of Art History
Louisiana State University
6:00 pm Tuesday, March 25th at the Old Governor's Mansion.
502 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge
Sponsored by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana
The event is free for members and $10 for non-members. FHL offers annual membership for $50.
Historic Cemetery Drama Brings Baton Rouge Ancestors Back to Life
Tickets Now on Sale
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) will bring notable Baton Rougeans back to life by telling their intriguing personal stories in the popular Magnolia 's Memories V. This year’s event is scheduled March 7 and 8 in Historic Magnolia Cemetery in Baton Rouge
The former Baton Rougeans featured this year include one of the first women to serve in the Women’s Army Corps, Ellen Bryan Moore; an African -American physician whose parents were slaves, Dr. Thadeus Walker; silent film screen writer, Vallie Mentz Seitz; Dr. Robert Henry “Harry” Aldrich, a prominent young physician who was allegedly murdered by Judge George Kent Favrot, who went on to a stellar political career in Louisiana after the murder; and pioneer educator in the South, W. H. Nathanial Magruder. Director Robert Wilson will be in character as Charles Rabenhorst, the “gatekeeper.
“Magnolia’s Memories V” is a heritage “edutainment” program sponsored by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana with a portion of the proceeds dedicated to the historic cemetery. “We’re calling back some of Baton Rouge’s most illustrious characters and citizens. Through this drama, we are continually learning about our own history—who we are and how they shaped our great city,” says Baton Rouge filmmaker Randy Walsh, who is the co-producer, along with FHL Board Chairman Lenore Feeney and Walsh's business partner, Sandra Stokes.
It is an entertaining living history initiative which introduces attendees to notable citizens of the community by means of dynamic monologues i and dialogues in the landmark setting. Professional actors and musicians come together to create this special evening.
Performance dates are Friday, March 7, and Saturday, March 8 for “Magnolia’s Memories V.” Rain dates are March 14 and 15. The outdoor drama vignettes are set in candle-lighted Historic Magnolia Cemetery on Florida Boulevard and North 22nd Streets in Baton Rouge. The drama is based on narratives from news archives, descendants, diaries, military records, logs, history books, and local legend.
“Past performances have been sold out,” says FHL Executive Director Carolyn Bennett. Tickets are $25 for members and $35 for non-members and must be reserved by calling FHL headquarters at The Old Governor’s Mansion, 225-387-2464. Seven performances are conducted each evening, giving small groups “front row” seats at each grave site. Theatre goers walk from one gravesite to the next and are seated during each performance.
For more information and tickets, contact Foundation for Historical Louisiana headquarters at 387-2464.
Termites and other wood destroying organisms can cause significant economic loss, injure stately trees, require the broad use of insecticides and interrupt people's lives. In an effort to provide timely and accurate information on termites, particularly Formosan termites, to homeowners, builders, real estate agents, mortgage and insurance firms, and the public, the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) will present an informational seminar on "Integrated Pest Management" as part of a new monthly series of educational programs designed to fulfill its mission “to preserve the cultural and architectural heritage of Louisiana.”
The January program features guest speaker Dennis Ring, Ph.D., LSU professor of Agriculture representative at the Louis Caffey Termite Training Center. The program will be held on Tuesday, January 22, at 6 p.m. at the Old Governor's Mansion, and will focus on information on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of structural and household insects with an emphasis on termites and the Formosan subterranean termite. Dr. Ring will also give an overview of the IPM French Quarter Program, called Operation Full Stop, and provide information on the evaluation of Louisiana's tree treating program for termites, termite contract information and protections, how to assess and evaluate an older structure for termites, and the types of termites.
The meeting is free for FHL members and $10 for non-members. The Old Governor's Mansion at 502 North Boulevard. Refreshments will be provided. Call 387-2464 for information.
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana will offer free admission to the Old Governor's Mansion in recognition of Louisiana's Inauguration Day on Monday, January 14 from 1-4 p.m.
The FHL board of directors, staff, and volunteer tour guides are opening the Mansion on a day when it is normally closed as a salute to the State’s new Governor Bobby Jindal, his administration, and guests to the city.
The public is invited to tour the 20,000 square foot historic house in the afternoon, from 1 to 4 p.m., with assistance of knowledgeable Mansion docents as tour guides. Often called “Louisiana’s White House” the Mansion was home to nine governor's and their families from 1930 to 1963: Huey P. Long, Alvin O. King, O. K. Allen, Richard Leche, James A. Noe, Earl K. Long, Sam Houston Jones, Robert Kennon, and Jimmie Davis.
Visitors will see the first and second floors and will enjoy the White House similarities such as the East Room, Oval Room, and Rose Garden. The Old Governor's Mansion was originally constructed by Governor Huey Long in 1930 (rumored to be inspired by the White House etching on the back of a $20 bill) and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The mansion is located at 502 North Boulevard in downtown Baton Rouge. Free parking is provided immediately in front of the museum on the boulevard. For more information, go to www.oldgovernorsmansion.org or call 225.387.2464.
Can you help FHL take advantage of a golden opportunity?
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana has been given an unprecedented opportunity to enhance its preservation work through a new matching large-grant program. Funds raised by JANUARY 14, 2008 totaling $10,000 or more, will be matched dollar for dollar!
The National Trust for Historic Preservation through an e-mail letter in late November from Senior Vice President Peter Brink has invited FHL to take the next step in the formal application process to receive a "Partners in the Field" grant. This exciting new outreach initiative is made possible by Mr. Robert Wilson of New York who donated $5 million to the Trust to be re-granted to local and statewide partners such as FHL who meet the challenge of the program.
The guidelines require that FHL raise a minimum of $60,000 and up to $150,000 that will in turn be matched dollar for dollar by the Wilson Fund. Individual donations may not be smaller than $10,000 and may be paid over a three year period. These funds will be used to add a preservation field rep or "circuit rider" to FHL's staff. Pledges must be in hand by January 15, 2008.
Obviously this is an unparalleled yet demanding opportunity which will allow FHL to provide greater hands-on assistance and preservation services in Baton Rouge, the capital region, and projects in New Orleans," said FHL Board of Directors Chair Lenore Feeney. "Think of the good we could do with a technical services rep as part of the FHL team," she added. Board members are meeting with past donors and the philanthropic community who are the key to making this grant a reality.
If you can be a part of this gift and challenge, please call Carolyn Bennett, Executive Director, at 225-397-2464, Ext. 16., 225-931-7561 Cell, or Lenore Feeney, Chair, 225-276-4521.Pledges to date:
The Mayor's Office, City of Baton Rouge
