The "Red Stick" (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Region - Baton Rouge LA Off the Beaten Path

Preview: According to legend, Baton Rouge’s name came from a notation on a map used by French explorer Pierre le Moyne, sieur d’Iberville, and his brother, Jean Baptiste le Moyne, sieur de Bienville, who led an expedition up the Mississippi River in 1699. Iberville spotted a tall cypress pole smeared with animals’ blood, which apparently marked the dividing line between the hunting grounds of the Bayou Goula and Houmas Native American tribes who shared this area. When Iberville jotted “le bâton rouge” (French for “red stick”) on his map, little did he know that he had named what would become Louisiana’s capital city. Baton Rouge offers many attractions, but most of them hardly qualify as off the beaten path, particularly the State Capitol or a major college campus like Louisiana State University. You’ll miss some unique places, however, if you bypass them. Many of the city’s historic sites are clustered close to the State Capitol, which stands on the north side of the downtown area. You can’t miss it—it’s thirty-four stories high, the tallest state capitol in the United States. The observation tower on the twenty-seventh floor affords a panoramic view of the city. A special project of Governor Huey P. Long, the Capitol was completed in 1932. (Ironically, Long was later shot on the first floor of this building.) The above description is an excerpt from "Louisiana: Off the Beaten Path." Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different, this chapter from the Off the Beaten Path series will help you take the "road less traveled" and discover hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales that most tourists miss.
© Copyright Gay N. Martin published by Insiders' Guide all rights reserved.


This travel guide comes from:
Louisiana Off the Beaten Path Guide Book