Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Baton Rouge, the state capital of Louisiana, is a booming city on the banks of the Mississippi River, with one of the largest ports in the United States. Because of its strategic location, many different flags have flown over the city, and Britain, Spain, and France have all ruled Baton Rouge at various times. Due to the continued development of its port and metropolitan areas and the city's advantageous location as a production center for oil and other natural resources, Baton Rouge continues to thrive in the early twenty-first century. Tourists particularly enjoy experiencing Baton Rouge's unique and vibrant culture, which reflects the region's diverse history.

Landscape

Baton Rouge's location on the Mississippi River has long influenced the city's development. It is located on the eastern bank of the river in southeastern Louisiana. The city's deep-water port is situated farther inland than any other American port. Because of this advantage, cargo from both trains and boats can be transferred there to ocean-bound ships in the Gulf of Mexico.

The topography of Baton Rouge and the surrounding region is relatively flat and includes swamps where southern and national icons such as alligators and bald eagles, respectively, can be sighted. Trees characteristic of the region include live oak, cypress, and magnolia.

Baton Rouge has a semitropical climate, with mild winters and hot and extremely humid summers characterized by frequent afternoon thunderstorms. The average temperature in January is 51 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average temperature in July is 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The average annual precipitation is just under fifty-eight inches. The hurricane season lasts for six months, from June through November, and the city has periodically suffered damage from tropical storms. However, its inland location often protects the city from the brunt of the storms. For example, Baton Rouge experienced only minor damage and power outages after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the region in 2005.

People

Baton Rouge is the state's second-largest city, with a US Census Bureau estimated 221,453 residents in 2021. The population is largely African American (52.2 percent) and White (35.8 percent), with small Hispanic/Latino (4.4 percent) and Asian (3.8 percent) minorities.

Baton Rouge experienced a surge in population following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The storms, which most notably affected New Orleans and other Gulf Coast cities, largely spared Baton Rouge. As a result, a great number of people, many of them displaced, moved north from New Orleans to settle in the capital. The influx of thousands of new residents has caused several problems in Baton Rouge, including housing shortages, increased crime, and overcrowded schools.

Baton Rouge has a vibrant and unique culture. Cajuns, a group of people living in southern Louisiana who are descendents of French Canadians (specifically Acadians), have had a large impact on the region's culture. People enjoy eating Cajun food, such as gumbo and jambalaya made with local seafood, and listening to Cajun music, which features fiddles, accordions, and the steel guitar. Similarly, Creole culture, a mixture of French, African American, and American Indian traditions, is unique to the region.

One of Baton Rouge's best-known cultural celebrations is Mardi Gras, which takes place annually on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Just as in the famous Mardi Gras celebrations in neighboring New Orleans, the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge are filled with parades, the largest of which takes place in Spanish Town in downtown Baton Rouge.

African American heritage remains strong in Baton Rouge. Each year in June, the city celebrates Juneteenth, a commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. The Baton Rouge Blues Week features dozens of live jazz and blues performances throughout the city as well as art exhibits and special television and radio programs.

Many famous African Americans have come from Baton Rouge, including Buddy Guy, the legendary blues guitarist; Doug Williams, the first African American to win the Super Bowl MVP award; and P. B. S. Pinchback, the nation's first Black governor.

Economy

Baton Rouge's physical features and location have made it an attractive place to start a business. Companies have been enticed by the city's proximity to oil fields in Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma, and to the profusion of natural gas and other resources. Baton Rouge's location on the banks of the Mississippi River has made it one of the leading ports in the United States.

Baton Rouge first became an industrial center in 1909, when Standard Oil Company built a large oil refinery there. More businesses were drawn to the city throughout the early 1900s. This economic growth continued as companies established petrochemical plants there during and after World War II. Today, numerous petrochemical facilities that produce plastics, fertilizers, and chemicals are located in Baton Rouge.

Service industries also make up a large part of Baton Rouge's economy. Many people work for the state government and in jobs connected to the city's role as a distribution center for the surrounding agricultural region. The film industry has expanded in Baton Rouge following the 2002 passage of a law that made film production less expensive in Louisiana.

Baton Rouge is home to several well-respected colleges, including Louisiana State University (LSU). The large university is well known for its research facilities. Sports fans also enjoy LSU's reputation as a top collegiate basketball and football competitor. Another prestigious Baton Rouge institution, Southern University, was founded in 1880 to educate African Americans. The city is also home to several community and technical colleges.

Landmarks

One of Baton Rouge's most notable landmarks is the State Capitol. It was built in 1931 and 1932 during Governor Huey Long's administration. Long was a vivacious politician known for his spirited speeches, powerful style of leadership, and impressive social reforms. The capitol was constructed using marble and other stones from around the world. The thirty-four-story building includes an observation tower and a sunken garden where Long's grave is located.

Baton Rouge residents and visitors can appreciate the arts at several institutions in the city. The Shaw Center for the Arts houses a theater, art galleries, and the Louisiana State University School of Art. The Louisiana Arts and Science Museum boasts a planetarium and exhibits featuring ancient Egyptian art. The Baton Rouge Symphony is the oldest continuously performing orchestra in the state. In addition, the city has several historical museums dedicated to celebrating African American heritage and life in early Louisiana.

Other popular attractions in Baton Rouge include the Baton Rouge Zoo and several grand plantation homes that give a glimpse into life in Louisiana centuries ago.

History

In 1699, Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, a French Canadian explorer, traveled to what is now Baton Rouge. There, he found large red posts marking the boundary between two American Indian tribes. These posts would later become the name of the city, as Baton Rouge is French for "red stick."

The French built a fort in the region in 1719 and named it Baton Rouge. Its purpose was to protect people traveling from New Orleans to northern posts. At the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, the settlement and the surrounding area were given to the British. The city changed hands yet again during the American Revolution. In 1779, the Spanish won a battle against the British at Fort Butte and captured Baton Rouge. The Spanish would control the region for the next twenty years.

In 1810, American settlers in Baton Rouge rebelled and overthrew the Spanish government. Declaring themselves independent, they established the West Florida Republic, which extended from Louisiana east to the Florida panhandle. Three months later, the new republic was taken over by the United States. Baton Rouge was incorporated in 1817 but did not become the state capital until 1849.

Louisiana seceded from the Union at the start of the Civil War. Baton Rouge remained under Union control for most of the war. During this time, the capital was relocated to other parts of Louisiana three times. However, in 1882, Baton Rouge became the capital once again.

Baton Rouge played an important role during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In 1953, a local pastor named Reverend T. J. Jemison led the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, in which African Americans fought for equal rights on city buses. It became a model for the famed Montgomery Bus Boycott led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. two years later.

Bibliography

"Baton Rouge City, Louisiana." United States Census Bureau, www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/batonrougecitylouisiana/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2024.

Dufrene, Dennis J. Civil War Baton Rouge, Port Hudson and Bayou Sara: Capturing the Mississippi. Charleston: History, 2012. Print.

Krousel, Hilda S. Landmarks and Monuments of Baton Rouge. Charleston: History, 2012. Print.

"About Baton Rouge." City of Baton Rouge, www.brla.gov/837/About-Baton-Rouge. www.brla.gov/837/About-Baton-Rouge

Rodrigue, Sylvia Frank, and Faye Phillips. Baton Rouge. Charleston: Arcadia, 2008. Print.