Carrollton Courthouse

Curated by Mary Ann Wegmann and Katherine Luck

The Carrollton Court House launched several interesting Louisiana Supreme Court cases that provide insight into Carrollton's history.

Some cases included are: the trial of two defendants convicted of murdering a 10-year-old girl; voter intimidation during the 1858 mayoral election; and a dispute over an enslaved child. In the late 1800s, the courthouse became a public school.

Carrollton Courthouse

The Carrollton Court House, built more than 150 years ago, has a fascinating legal history. Carrollton was incorporated as a city on March 10, 1845. In 1852, the neighboring town of Lafayette, formerly the seat of government for Jefferson Parish,…

Dying Declaration of a Ten-Year-Old Carrollton Girl

Could the dying declaration of a 10-Year-old girl be admitted as evidence in a trial for murder? Yes, held the Louisiana Supreme Court, affirming the Jefferson Parish Second Judicial District Court in Carrollton. In the afternoon of July 25, 1865,…

Election Intimidation in Carrollton 1858

Was an election for Mayor of Carrollton upheld even though voters were threatened and intimidated from voting? Yes, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in 1858, reversing District Judge Victor Burthe. The annual election for Mayor and Councilmen in…

Joseph Tom v. The Slave Ernest

Could an enslaved child be seized and sold to pay for the expenses of raising him? No, the Louisiana Supreme Court (onced housed in Carrollton Courthouse) ruled in 1860, in a case originally decided by District Judge Victor Burthe, Parish of…

McDonogh No. 23

Several years after New Orleans annexed the Town of Carrollton in 1874, the former Carrollton Courthouse began to be used as a public school. The city was able to make the purchase because of the donations of John McDonogh. In 1889, after renovations…

Arbor Day at McDonogh No. 23

From the late 1800s through to the mid-1900s, the old Carrrollton Courthouse served as the site of McDonogh 23 public school. On February 10, 1889, McDonogh 23 became the first school in Louisiana to observe Arbor Day, which they did for many…

Benjamin Franklin Senior High School: Dedication Ceremony

Benjamin Franklin Senior High School was dedicated on November 10, 1957. The dedication was sponsored by the Orleans Parish School Board, and it included the formal presentation of the building by a school board member to William Kutz, President of…

Integrating Ben Franklin High School

In the fall of 1963, Ben Franklin High School became the first New Orleans public high school to integrate. Fourteen African American students, all of whom met Franklin's stringent admissions requirements, helped to break the lingering color…

Benjamin Franklin Senior High School: Student Life

The school opened in September 1957 with 103 students at the Sophomore level. Junior and Senior levels were added in subsequent years. The high school was created to provide college preparatory training for students with exceptional ability in…