The old penitentiary at Baton Rouge

Louisiana · United States · Execution site

The state police headquarters occupies the old prison. The execution chambers and the mortuary are offices now.

The Louisiana State Police headquarters and barracks stand in the old state penitentiary at Baton Rouge.

The former execution chambers and the mortuary are offices.

The main two storey building sits over a basement that is always dark and seeps water, because the water table in this city is high and everything below ground here is wet.

That basement is where most of what is reported happens.

An office in an execution chamber is a strange thing to work in and it is more common than people assume. American public buildings are reused rather than replaced, and the rooms where the state killed people are usually the most solidly built parts of the structure.

Louisiana's executions moved out to Angola when the penitentiary closed.

The site is a working police facility and is not open to visitors.

FAQ

Where is The old penitentiary at Baton Rouge located?

The old penitentiary at Baton Rouge is in Louisiana, United States.