Abandoned Louisiana - Nicholson Elementary School in Baton Rouge

There are literally hundreds of amazing old abandoned schools that are amazing examples of various types of architectural styles all over the state of Louisiana. Today I drove past the Nicholson Elementary School in Baton Rouge and I was struck by just how amazing a structure it truly is.

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They don't build them like this anymore, in fact this incredible structure dates back to the early 20s and it is one of the only surviving 

Beaux Arts/Neo-Classical style structures left in the city.

Here is some history from the State of Louisiana archives:

The Nicholson School is locally significant in the area of architecture as one of a limited number of major examples illustrating the Beaux Arts/Neo-Classical taste in Baton Rouge. Although the official founding date of the community is recognized as 1719, Baton Rouge has retained only a relatively small number of historic commercial and institutional buildings with their integrity intact. Those which remain are generally found in one of three locations--the Central Business District, the Louisiana State University Campus, and older residential neighborhoods which stand near downtown. The low survival rate is due largely to the fact that the city remained prosperous after the Depression and into the 1950s and 1960s. As a result, the community's older commercial and institutional buildings suffered considerable alteration and demolition. Although there are various buildings in Baton Rouge which display the Beaux Arts and Neo-Classical tastes (chiefly the latter), most examples are low-key, featuring only sparingly applied details such as pilasters used for accent. Less than ten are fully articulated examples of these classical styles. This number is verified by a survey of downtown Baton Rouge and the National Register staff's familiarity with the rest of the city. Nicholson is one of these Beaux Arts/Neo-Classical landmarks. Though not the largest or grandest, it has the most elaborate detailing, featuring a number of classical motifs. This can be seen in the school's finely executed central pavilion, which exhibits engaged colossal columns; reeded pilasters; a full entablature; a stepped parapet; an ornamental fan form composed of elongated leaves and bell flowers; and examples of bead and reel, egg and dart, and Vitruvian scroll molding. These features make Nicholson School an important example of the Beaux Arts/Neo-Classical taste within the City of Baton Rouge.

Historical Note:

Nicholson School is named for Louisiana educator James William Nicholson. Nicholson moved as an infant with his family from Alabama to Claiborne Parish, Louisiana in 1844. Extremely intelligent, he entered college at age fourteen but left two years later to join the Confederate Army. After the war he completed his training and was awarded a Master's degree from Homer College in 1867. Ten years later he was elected chairman of the mathematics department at Louisiana State University, which he also served twice as president (1883-1884 and 1887-1896). After his second term as university president, he resumed chairmanship of the mathematics department. Nicholson died in 1917.

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