| Old Alexandria Public Library: Houses Louisiana History Museum | |
| Nrhp Type: | nrhp |
| Location: | 503 Washington Alexandria, Louisiana |
| Coordinates: | 31.3086°N -92.4453°W |
| Built: | 1907 |
| Architect: | Crosby & Henkel; Caldwell Bros. |
| Architecture: | Beaux Arts |
| Added: | January 19, 1989 |
| Refnum: | 88003225 |
The Louisiana History Museum is located in the historic downtown portion of Alexandria, Louisiana, USA, near the Red River. It showcases the social evolution of all of Louisiana, but centers on the history of Central Louisiana, Rapides Parish, and Alexandria. Major exhibit areas deal with Native Americans, Louisiana geography, politics, health care, farming, and the impact of war.
The building housing the Museum and Alexandria Genealogical Library started life as the Alexandria Public Library in 1907. The building was constructed solely for the advancement of culture and learning in by Caldwell Brothers (contractors), and Crosby & Henkel of New Orleans (architects). It replaced an earlier library that was burned by General Nathaniel Banks' federal troops on May 13, 1864. Remodeled in 1970, restored as a Bicentennial project in 1976, and again in 2003, it now houses (upstairs) one of the largest genealogical libraries in Louisiana. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.[1]
The Louisiana History Museum was begun in 1971 by Angelique Stafford "Gic" Kraushaar. Her vision was to establish a museum in Alexandria that would not only describe the history of Louisiana but also show the unique beginnings and background of Central Louisiana.
There are more than fifty displays and exhibits, including: