Named by French explorer Iberville 300 years ago for the "red stick" along a Mississippi River bluff, Baton Rouge has been shaped by a variety of cultural and environmental influences.
Our cuisine is a blend of Creole and Cajun, topped with Italian, German, Spanish, Caribbean and Greek flavorings.
Our architecture reflects African American and Caribbean influences, with large balconies and many doors.
Our language also reflects our international heritage. While visiting Baton Rouge, you will hear locals revert to versions of French in everyday conversation. Cher, a term of endearment, is not exclusive to the French or Cajuns in the area. Many of us will have an "envie," a longing for something, usually food. And of course, there are beignets, cafe au lait, and etouffe. Fais do do, literally meaning, "put to sleep," means a party
Today Baton Rouge's rich cultural tradition can be seen in our unique attractions, heard in our Zydeco, Blues and Cajun music, and tasted in our blend of Creole, African-American, French and Spanish cuisine. Baton Rouge is truly the center of Louisiana's cultural excitement with more than 225 reasons to stick around!
History and Politics
The city of Baton Rouge was named nearly 300 years ago when on March 17, 1699, Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville, led an expedition along the Mississippi River.
The city's earliest written records are found in the diaries of these explorers which tell the tale of a pole stained with blood of fish and animals that served as the dividing line between the Bayougoula and Houmas Indians. It is from this "red stick" that Iberville christened our city "le Baton Rouge."
The Indian mounds on the campus of LSU were built 450 years before the construction of the great Egyptian pyramids.
Baton Rouge was named the state capital in 1846, and the Old State House was completed in 1850. Louisiana seceded from the Union in 1861, and in August 1862, Baton Rouge fell to the Union forces. The federal government of Louisiana was moved to New Orleans. It was 1882 before Baton Rouge again became the capital of the state.
Louisiana State University came to Baton Rouge in 1869. The campus was located downtown prior to its move in 1926 to its present location.
In 1927, Huey P. Long was elected governor and served from 1928-1932, when he became a United States Senator. One of the most famous "populist" politicians, Long provided "free textbooks" for public schools.
During Long's term, the skyscraper new State Capitol was erected. It cost $5 million and took only 14 months to complete. It stands nearly 450 feet tall with 34 stories. It was here that Long was assassinated in 1935. Long is buried on the grounds of the State Capitol.
Almost a century later, Baton Rouge is moving forward to become America's Next Great City.
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