The University is known for its green campus and its Spanish architecture. But the Indian Mounds, Journalism Building and French House are just a few of the campus locations with a history that spans more than half a century.
The Indian Mounds
Located on the northwest corner of campus, the Indian Mounds have long been an interesting and puzzling spot.
The first-known reference to the Mounds was in an article by an anonymous author in Debow’s Review, published in 1851. The article briefly describes the Mounds and their location on McHatton Plantation, according to a dissertation entitled “An Archaeological Investigation at the LSU Campus Mounds” by Jeffrey Homburg.
Contrary to popular belief, the Mounds have no evidence of being used as a burial ground. No artifacts have been found in expeditions to prove that burials occurred there, and there is no evidence to show houses sat on top the Mounds, Southeast Regional Archaeologist Rob Mann said.
The Mounds were built using a “basket-loading technique” in which tribes would build the Mounds in increments of time by carrying baskets of dirt. The Mounds appear to have been a gathering place, and it is hypothesized that when tribes gathered, they would use the opportunity to build up the area, Mann said.
“These Mounds were built so that they could, more or less, overlook the Mississippi River and the Mississippi River Floodplain,” Mann said.
There haven’t been many expeditions on the Mounds, but small digs occurred in 1982, 1985 and 2009. Mann said radiocarbon dating has determined the Mounds are between 5,000 and 6,000 years old.
In 2009, geology professor Brooks Ellwood used remote sensing to see inside both Mounds and discovered they had internal structural issues. The large Mound appeared to have carbon remains that indicate there had been fire there.
An excavation will be conducted in the coming weeks to determine what the fired area is. Ellwood believes it could be fire pits, Mann said.
Deep into the Mounds, core samples turned from soil to liquid, a result of its internal issues. Mann said the Mounds used to be taller and narrower but have slumped down into the shape they are today.
Measures have been taken to ensure more moisture does not seep into the Mounds, which include string trimming instead of mowing and efforts to stop people from sliding down the Mounds, especially on crowded game days.
“These Mounds have been here for 6,000 years, and we would like for them to be around for another 6,000,” Mann said. “But if we don’t protect them, then they won’t be.”
The Journalism Building
The Journalism Building is said to be the oldest building on campus, and, because of the original campus design, it’s the only building facing backwards.
The building was completed in 1904, according to “Building Information Guide of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College.” Its cornerstone was laid on May 31, 1904, and it was paid for by University alumni to commemorate David French Boyd. The original name of the building was Alumni Hall.
But the edifice didn’t always stand where it does today. The Journalism Building was on the University’s old downtown campus, and in 1934 it was moved by the Civil Works Administration at an estimated cost of more than $78,000, according to the guide.
“The CWA restructured it identically in its former design, except for a few modifications to conform with the prevailing University architecture,” The Daily Reveille reported on Dec. 18, 1963.
According to that report, the building has been home to many tenants. It has housed the extension department, tax collectors, the Dean of Women and even a children’s cultural school. At the time of the 1963 article, The Daily Reveille’s editorial offices were in the building.
In 1961, according to the building guide, the Journalism Building was renamed Memorial Hall. Before that, a Sept. 20, 1960, Daily Reveille article said the renovated building was renamed Journalism Building.
The Reveille article describes the renovations: vinyl tile floors, repainted walls, a glassed entrance, fluorescent lights and newly equipped, expanded classrooms. The Daily Reveille’s offices were a part of the renovation, and a new dark room was added for photographers, along with a spacious newsroom.
The French House
The French House, home of the Honors College, was constructed by the Weiss, Dreyfous and Seiferth architectural firm and completed in 1936, according to “Building Information Guide of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College”.
The design is unique compared to many other campus facilities. It is a reproduction of a country home and manor house from a region in Normandy. The building’s architecture is reminiscent of the early French Renaissance, according to the guide.
The French House’s cornerstone was laid on April 5, 1935. The cornerstone contains a piece of wood from Fort de la Boulaye, a Mississippi fort built by the French in 1700, as well as a copy of The Daily Reveille’s diamond jubilee issue.
The French House has been on the National Register of Historic Places since January 13, 1982, according to the guide.
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Contact Shannon Roberts at [email protected]