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Old
Governor's Mansion
Courtesy: Lousiana Office of Tourism |
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Vibrant culture, countless historic landmarks and strong musical heritage
describe what the city of Baton
Rouge is all about. Not only is Baton Rouge the capital city of
Louisiana, it also
serves as a major cultural hub where Creole, Cajun, Spanish and Caribbean
influences remain strong. Although the city carefully maintains its past,
it is quickly becoming a bustling metropolis, making it one of the largest
cities on the banks of the Mississippi
River. Baton Rouge is home to two universities, Louisiana
State University and Southern
University, both historic landmarks that have educated students
since the 1880s. Today these universities continue to prepare students for
careers in the bustling community. Baton Rouge is a city that offers something
for everyone, whether it's visiting one of the many museums,
boating
on the bayou looking for alligators, exploring an old plantation or
learning about a Baton Rouge landmark, the city proves to be full of entertainment.
ORIENTATION
Situated in southeastern Louisiana, Baton Rouge is 157 mi (253 km) north
of the Gulf of Mexico and just 80 mi (129 km) northwest of New
Orleans. Jackson,
Mississippi,
is a major city that lies 173 mi (279 km) north of Baton Rouge, while
Houston, Texas,
is 270 mi (435 km) to the west.
HISTORY
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Old
State Capitol
Courtesy: Baton Rouge Area Visitor Bureau |
Baton Rouge, French
for red stick, was named in 1699 when a French-Canadian explorer, Pierre
Le Moyne, happened upon a large pole stained with blood. This pole is said
to have marked the hunting territory of two American Indian tribes, the
Bayou Goulas and the Houmas. Henceforth, the region was known as Baton Rouge.
Today, the site of the red stick is located on the Southern University campus.
Shortly after Le Moyne's
arrival in the Baton Rouge area, the first permanent European settlement
was established. Although the arrival of the Europeans is often considered
the beginning of settlement in the Baton Rouge area, evidence dating back
to as early as 8000 B.C. confirms that Baton Rouge's earliest residents
were American Indian tribes. Part of this evidence remains on the Louisiana
State University campus, where two grassy burial mounds remind residents
of the long and varied history of Baton Rouge.
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Baton
Rouge Sunset
Courtesy: Louisiana Office of Tourism |
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Following European
settlement, Baton Rouge experienced the rule of France, England and Spain,
before becoming a part of the United States. Baton Rouge was controlled
by France from the time of Le Moyne's arrival until the treaty of Paris
was signed in 1763, granting England power over the Baton Rouge area.
In 1779, the Spanish who had been given much of the Louisiana territory
by France as a war payment, moved in on England's Baton Rouge. The area
was soon under Spanish influence and remained so until 1810 when local
settlers overthrew the Spanish and declared themselves independent. Louisiana
became the eighteenth state to enter the Union in 1812. Just five years
later Baton Rouge was incorporated as a city, boasting 4,000 permanent
residents. In 1849 the city became Louisiana's capital and has held that
position every since, except for a brief move to New Orleans during the
Civil War.
Since the 1800s, Baton
Rouge has grown into a prosperous city where scientific, technological,
health care and manufacturing fields provide jobs in the area. With continued
growth and careful maintenance of its French, Spanish and British roots,
Baton Rouge proves to be an exciting and diverse city.
CLIMATE
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|
Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
40°F
(4°C) |
60°F
(16°C) |
157 mm |
| Feb |
43°F
(6°C) |
64°F
(18°C) |
130
mm |
| Mar
|
50°F
(10°C) |
71°F
(22°C) |
129
mm |
| Apr |
56°F
(13°C) |
77°F
(25°C) |
141
mm |
| May
|
64°F
(18°C) |
84°F
(29C) |
136
mm |
| Jun
|
70°F
(21°C) |
89°F
(32°C) |
135 mm |
| Jul |
73°F
(23°C) |
91°F
(33°C) |
151
mm |
|
Aug |
72°F
(22°C) |
91°F
(33°C) |
149
mm |
|
Sep |
68F
(20°C) |
87°F
(31°C) |
123
mm |
|
Oct |
56°F
(13°C) |
80°F
(27°C) |
97
mm |
|
Nov |
48°F
(9°C) |
70°F
(21°C) |
121
mm |
|
Dec |
42°F
(6°C) |
63°F
(17°C) |
134
mm |
|
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Climate
data from the
Southern Regional Climate Center |
Baton Rouge is blessed
with a semi-tropical climate, where the weather is neither too cold nor
too hot to enjoy outdoor activities. From May through September, the weather
in Baton Rouge is reliably warm with daytime maximums ranging from 84ºF
to 91ºF (29ºC to 33ºC). The average winter temperatures fluctuate around
58ºF (14ºC), with cool evenings and mild days. Winter in Baton Rouge tends
to be brief and pleasant, necessitating a mere light jacket at most times.
Precipitation in the area is relatively well-distributed throughout the
year, averaging about 1524 mm of rainfall per year.
TRANSPORTATION
Traveling to and
from Baton Rouge is a trouble-free task. The Baton
Rouge Metropolitan Airport connects the area to domestic and international
destinations. American,
Continental,
Delta
and Northwest
Airlines service the airport. Greyhound
Lines provides motorcoach services from Baton Rouge to local and far-away
destinations throughout the United
States and Canada.
Daily bus service to Shreveport
and New Orleans, Houston and Little
Rock, Arkansas,
are offered by Greyhound Lines. Amtrak
Passenger Rail Service also provides regular train service from
Baton Rouge to many national destinations.
When driving to Baton
Rouge, Interstate-10 (I-10) provides a direct link from the city to surrounding
destinations to the east including New Orleans, Mobile,
Alabama,
and Jacksonville,
Florida.
The highway also provides easy access to Houston, Phoenix,
Arizona,
and Los Angeles, California,
in the west. Other major highways, including Interstate-55 (I-55) and
Interstate-59 (I-59) are major routes granting access to various locations
in Alabama, Mississippi and other states north of Louisiana.
Transportation within
the city is simple. Capital
Transportation Corporation provides regular public transit services
throughout the city. Taxi
and limousine
services are also offered by a number of companies in Baton Rouge. Not
surprisingly, rental
cars are available at a variety of locations throughout the city,
including the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport. Renting a car is highly
recommended, as it gives travelers the freedom to visit the unique towns,
cities and plantations that surround Baton Rouge.
ATTRACTIONS
Historic Places
of Interest
Baton Rouge is home
to a number of historic attractions that exemplify its long and diverse
past. As the state capital, Baton Rouge is home to two historic state
capitol buildings. Both government buildings are celebrated for their
unique architecture. Built in 1842, the Old
State Capitol is one of the best examples of Gothic Revival architecture
in the United States. Today, the building serves as a museum and houses
several permanent exhibits that commemorate the history of Louisiana.
The Old State Capitol is conveniently located in historic downtown Baton
Rouge.
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Magnolia
Mound Plantation
Courtesy: Louisiana Office of Tourism |
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The current Louisiana
State Capitol is also architecturally stunning and listed among
Baton Rouge's numerous historic landmark buildings. The new State Capitol
is a 34-story limestone skyscraper that was built in 1932 and is decorated
with sculptures that embody the history of the State. Larger than life
statues of some of Louisiana's governors are also on display in the State
Capitol's main hall.
The Old
Governor's Mansion is also an interesting stop while investigating
the history of Louisiana's government. The mansion was built in 1930 and
is a historic house museum that is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. Furnishings and artefacts from nine Louisiana governor's
are featured, in addition to a grand ballroom, crystal chandeliers and
a large marble staircase.
The Baton Rouge area
was once home to numerous thriving plantations that harvested tobacco,
cotton and sugar cane. One such place was Magnolia
Mound Plantation, which is located in what is now downtown Baton
Rouge. Built in the late 18th century, the plantation once encompassed
900 acres that bordered the Mississippi River. Today the estate spans
only 16 acres, but some of the original buildings are carefully maintained,
giving visitors a taste of the plantation lifestyle. The Historic House
Museum, Overseer's House and Carriage House are just a few of the buildings
that are maintained in period furnishings and help recreate the plantation
atmosphere.
Arts & Entertainment
Baton Rouge is known
for its flourishing art scene and there is no better place to enjoy artwork
than at the Shaw
Center for the Arts. The 15,000 square foot gallery features a collection
of art from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The museum showcases over 3,500
permanent objects, including Newcomb pottery, paintings, Inuit sculpture,
silver from New Orleans prior to the Civil War and rare Chinese jade. In
addition, a number of highend exhibitions visit the Shaw Center for the
Arts throughout the year.
A visit to Baton Rouge
would not be complete without experiencing Casino
Rouge, a riverboat casino docked on the Mississippi River. This
large casino is located near the Old State Capitol and features over 1,000
slot machines, 30 table games and live entertainment on weekends. For
those who are in search of live
music venues, Chelsea's
Cafe is a trendy nightspot near Louisiana State University that
features local talent nightly. Baton Rouge is also host to a number of
blues, jazz, zydeco and cajun music clubs. The city is lively and the
nights are long in Baton Rouge, ensuring an entertaining night of live
music, no matter what genre is desired.
Baton Rouge Events
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Louisiana
State Capitol Courtesy: Baton Rouge Area Visitor Center |
Every spring visitors
flock to Baton Rouge for the Bluegrass
on the Bayou Festival. This two day event is a celebration of
bluegrass music and features internationally acclaimed performers from
around the United States and Canada. Other festival activities include
a silent auction, hot-air balloons, fireworks and music workshops for
both children and adults.
The Baton Rouge area
comes alive every fall during the Greater
Baton Rouge State Fair. This 11-day event is an ideal place for
the entire family, as it offers something for everyone. Festival events
include cheerleading competitions, live musical entertainment, human cannonballs,
animal shows and a midway full of carnival rides and games.
