Where do Collections Come from?

Records are essential to the proper interpretation of our state's history, and the State Archives is mandated to collect and to maintain this documentary evidence. The State Archives is the official repository for more than thirty thousand cubic feet of archival records. These records are stored in secured stacks on the building's second and third floors. Both stack areas feature climatic and environmental controls to protect the historical integrity of these records.

Acquisitions and Processing

A broad spectrum of public and non-public records are maintained by the Acquisitions Department. These range from recently enacted legislative bills to documents dating back to Louisiana's colonial period. The most important of these records are secured in two fire proof vaults on the building's second floor. Within this steel and concrete structure are housed such historical treasures as the Treaty of New York, the Constitution of the West Florida Republic, the Ordinance of Secession, the original acts of the State Legislature, the Huey Long assassination inquiry, colonial documents from the Opelousas Post, the official records of Louisiana's Confederate government, original constitutions, and various historical artifacts. Access to these vaults as well as to the general stack area is limited.

Documents received by the acquisitions staff are evaluated, inventoried, catalogued, and added to the State Archives archival database prior to their being stored in acid free boxes.

If you have something you would like to donate, please call the Acquisitions Department for the criteria at 225.922.0420 or send us a message.

Routine Accessions

• Administration, Division of
• Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, Department of
• Elementary and Secondary Education, Board of
• Environmental Quality, Louisiana Department of
• Ethics Administration, Louisiana
• Federal Emergency Management Administratio
• Governor, Office of the
• Group Benefits, Office of
• Health and Hospitals, Department of
• House of Representatives, State of Louisiana
• Inspector General, Office of the
• Insurance, Department of
• Justice, Louisiana Department of
• Labor, Department of
• Legislative Research Library
• Legislature, Louisiana State
• Louisiana Lieutenant Governor, Office of
• Louisiana State University Natural Resources, Department of
• Public Safety, Louisiana Department of
• Senate, State of Louisiana
• Social Services, Department of
• Southern University Baton Rouge
• State, Department of
• State Law Institute, Louisiana
• State Register, Office of Louisiana
• Teachers Retirement System
• Treasury, Department of
• Wildlife and Fisheries, Department of

Sample Accessions From Private Donations

• Arbour, Jr. Collection, Sidney V.; Legislative Desk
• Allard Collection, Rebecca; Code of Practice in Civil Cases for the State of Louisiana
• Art League Collection, Baton Rouge; Scrapbooks - 1993 to 1997
• Ballard Collection, George; 1855 Louisiana Occupational License
• Berry Collection, Cathy; Edwin Edwards letter opener (unknown provenance)
• Cain Collection, Beverly; Miscellaneous political memorabilia
• Champagne Collection, Charles; Ephemera concerning the Great Southern Pine Company and Bogalusa, LA
• Chein Collection, Delia; Oil Painting “Chapel by Seaside”
• Clausen Collection, Gale; Miscellaneous files and ephemera of former State Superintendent of Education Tom Clausen
• Combouzou Collection, Mabel; WPA Dolls and doll scrapbooks
• Cook Collection, Horace L.; 1958 LSU National Championship Poster
• Corkern Collection, Sally; Give Me Louisiana sheet music
• Cutrer Collection, Carolyn and Todd; Vivian Alexander 2001 Pelican
• Downing, Bob; Freedom Train Documents
• Duplantier Collection, Salley; Final Report to Honorable John J. McKeithen, Governor and the Legislature of the State of Louisiana by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 31 Committee (Report on Organized Crime in Louisiana)
• Elon University Collection; 1930 map of new U.S. Highway 90 bridge
• Evans Collection, Ben and Misty; Wallpaper Sample Book, circa 1880
• Eyre Collection, Sue Ellen
• Fairchild Collection; Miscellaneous materials on Greenwell Springs, LA: 1853-1950
• Ford Collection, Nina; Scrapbook on the Death of Former New Orleans Mayor Chep Morrison compiled by Shelley Joseph Alonzo
• Gremillion Collection, Ernest; 1857 Avoyelles Sheriff election records
• Herbert Collection, C. W.; Port of Baton Rouge feasibility and economic impact studies
• Howe Collection, Anne G.; Gen. Claire Chennault Letter and Cigarette Case
• Johnson Collection, Elaine Ventress; Booth’s Record of Confederate Soldiers and Commands Books Miscellaneous printed material on Leprosarium at Carville, LA
• Kleinpeter Collection, Stephen; Fonville Winans photograph reprints
• Le Comite’ des Archives de la Louisiane Collection; 113 reels of NARA microfilm; Microfilmed records of the Field Office for the State of Louisiana, Bureau of Refugees, Freedman and Abandoned Lands, 1863-1872; Treasury Department Papers Relating to Financing of the Louisiana Purchase ; Lists of Passengers Departing from New Orleans, Louisiana, 1867-1871
• Louisiana League of Women Voters Collection; Statewide organizational records, various years
• Luke Collection, Margie; January 3, 1870 $1,000 Louisiana Bond
• Modicut Collection, Bronwynne; 1983 Aerial photographs of Baton Rouge
• Newton Collection, Ann; Various periodicals, 1889-1923: Harper's New Monthly, Literary Digest, Vogue, etc. Also includes the LSU yearbook The Gumbo, 1912
• Noble Collection, Joseph Jr.; LSU Picture Book, early 1900's
• Nolan Collection, Michael; Acts of the Legislature books: 1870-1871
• Oncale Collection, Wayne; Civil War Era Letters Public School Periodicals; 1967-1976 “Louisiana Schools” magazine, various dates from 1968 – 1972
• Recouly Collection, Claude; Probate Document
• Rowland Collection, Patricia; Memorabilia concerning Huey P. Long and his death
• Russell Collection, Nadine C.; Louisiana Swamp painting by Wan Ding
• Taft Collection, Rita Bell; O.K. Allen campaign poster; bound copies of “The Young People’s Paper,” various dates
• Turner Collection, Alicia and Jon; LSU Calendars 1914 and 1916
• Van Horn Collection, Emily Prothro; Newspaper clippings on Monument in Lee Circle
• Warren Collection, Sarah; Framed Charter colonial Dames XVII Century
• Winans, Fonville; Photograph of U.S. Senator Russell Long
• Willie Collection, Leroy; Newswpaper articles, books and photos concerning the West Florida Republic, Leroy Willie and Gov. John McKeithen