Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Baton Rouge is the capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 227,470, making it Louisiana's second-most populous city. It is also the center of Greater Baton Rouge, which had 870,569 residents in 2020.

Located on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, Baton Rouge sits on the Istrouma Bluff, the first natural bluff upriver from the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. This important location allowed the city to develop safely from seasonal flooding and build protective levee systems.

The city has a rich cultural history, influenced by European immigrants and African peoples. Over time, it has been ruled by several nations, including the French, Spanish, British, the Republic of West Florida, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. Today, Baton Rouge is a major center for industry, education, and technology in the Southern United States. It is home to Louisiana State University, the state's largest institution of higher education, and the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, one of the busiest ports in the United States.

History

Main article: History of Baton Rouge, Louisiana

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Baton Rouge, Louisiana

People have lived in the Baton Rouge area for thousands of years. Evidence shows that people were there between 12,000 and 6,500 BC, along the Mississippi, Comite, and Amite rivers. They built large dirt mounds for special purposes.

French explorers arrived in 1698 and saw a red pole that marked the boundary between two Native American groups. They named the spot “Baton Rouge,” which means “red stick” in French. The city began as a small French trading post in 1721.

Baton Rouge has been ruled by many different groups over time, including France, Britain, Spain, and the United States. It became the capital of Louisiana in 1846. The city grew quickly in the 1950s and 1960s because of the oil and chemical industries.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Baton Rouge grew very fast, especially in technology. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, many people from New Orleans moved there. The city continues to change and grow today.

Geography

The city of Baton Rouge is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana. It is about 79 miles from New Orleans, 126 miles from Alexandria, and 56 miles from Lafayette. The city sits at an elevation of 56 to just over 62 feet above sea level.

Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana and serves as the center of the Greater Baton Rouge area. The city has a humid subtropical climate, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. It receives a lot of rain each year and occasionally experiences strong winds and tornadoes. The city is also close to the Gulf of Mexico and can be affected by hurricanes. In 2008, Hurricane Gustav caused significant damage, knocking down trees and powerlines and shutting down the city for several days.

Demographics

Before European settlers arrived, Native American tribes lived in the area now known as Baton Rouge. Over time, people from Europe and Africa moved in, and by 1860, the population had grown to 5,428. The city's population changed over the years, reaching 227,470 people by the 2020 United States census.

Baton Rouge has seen many changes in its racial and ethnic makeup. In the past, it had more non-Hispanic white residents, but today, Black or African Americans make up the largest group at 53.55%. Other groups include non-Hispanic white people, Asian residents, and Hispanic and Latino Americans. Many people in the area also identify as Cajun or Louisiana Creole.

Baton Rouge is mostly a Christian city, with many people belonging to Catholic or Protestant churches. There are also communities that practice Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and other faiths. Some people in the area describe themselves as spiritual but not tied to a specific religion.

Economy

Baton Rouge has a strong economy and has been recognized as a great place for young adults and for starting new businesses. Many well-known companies have offices or headquarters in the city, including Lamar Advertising Company, BBQGuys, Marucci Sports, Piccadilly Restaurants, and Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers. Big companies like Amazon and Microsoft also have a presence in the area.

The city is important for industry, especially in making and moving goods like oil and chemicals. It is also a key location for transportation along the Mississippi River. Baton Rouge is home to many jobs in medicine and research, with several hospitals and research centers. The city is also becoming a place for film production, bringing in money and jobs through movies made in the area.

Culture and arts

Baton Rouge is a special place where different cultures come together. It has traditions from Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, as well as from the Florida Parishes and South Mississippi. Many students live there because of schools like Louisiana State University and Southern University.

The city has many places for art and performances. You can find theatres, an orchestra, a ballet group, and even a special theatre just for children. There are also art museums and galleries where you can see many interesting things. Some of these places were built in recent years to help make the city a better place for the arts.

Baton Rouge also has some fun events, like beauty pageants and fairs. The city has many old and new buildings, including a very tall state capitol and some beautiful old homes. There are also many museums where you can learn about the history and culture of the area.

Sports

College sports are very important in Baton Rouge. The LSU Tigers and the Southern University Jaguars are two big college teams that play many sports, including football, baseball, basketball, and gymnastics.

Baton Rouge also has teams in other sports, such as minor-league baseball, soccer, indoor football, basketball, and hockey. In 2023, a new hockey team called the Baton Rouge Zydeco started playing at the River Center.

The city has teams in less common sports too. There is an Australian rules football team called the Baton Rouge Tigers, a rugby team called the Baton Rouge Rugby Football Club, and a roller derby league called Red Stick Roller Derby. There is also a summer baseball team called the Baton Rouge Rougarou that plays at Pete Goldsby Field.

Parks and recreation

Baton Rouge has many parks managed by the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC). The biggest park is City Park, close to the Louisiana State University campus. Another famous park is Highland Road Community Park, which covers more than 144 acres. The Baton Rouge Zoo is also run by BREC and has over 1,800 different kinds of animals.

National protected areas

The city has 7 special national areas and at least 15 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, Baton Rouge National Cemetery, Independence Park Botanic Gardens, Laurens Henry Cohn Sr. Memorial Plant Arboretum, LSU Hilltop Arboretum, Magnolia Cemetery, and Port Hudson National Cemetery.

The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area stretches along the Atchafalaya Basin from near Ferriday to past Morgan City. It helps protect and show the area's history and nature. The Cohn Arboretum was once a family home before it became a garden in 1980. LSU’s arboretum started in 1929 and was given to the university in 1981.

Government

The city of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish have been managed by a combined government since 1947. This means that the city and the parish work together, so people living outside the city can use city services.

Baton Rouge has a special leader called the "mayor-president," who combines the roles of mayor and parish president. The mayor-president helps plan government activities and oversees daily operations, but the main decisions about policies are made by the Metropolitan Council.

The Metropolitan Council is the group that makes laws and decisions for the government. It has 12 members who are elected to represent different areas. They choose one of their members to be the mayor-president's helper, who steps in if the mayor-president can't serve. The council also decides on important policies and approves the city's budget.

Currently, the mayor-president of Baton Rouge is Sid Edwards.

Education

Baton Rouge is a place with many schools and universities. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, often called LSU, is the biggest university in Louisiana with over 30,000 students. Southern University and A&M College, known as Southern University, is important because it is the biggest historically black university in the state.

There are also smaller schools like Virginia College and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. These schools offer training in different areas such as beauty care, business, and health.

The city has many primary and secondary schools run by East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools. There are also 27 special schools called charter schools, including the Mentorship Academy, which helps students learn through internships and technology.

The State Library of Louisiana and the East Baton Rouge Parish Library System provide many books and resources for people to use. There are also libraries at LSU and Southern University.

Media

See also: List of newspapers in Louisiana, List of radio stations in Louisiana, and List of television stations in Louisiana

The main newspaper for the Baton Rouge area is The Advocate, which has been publishing since 1925. Other magazines and papers in the area include: Baton Rouge Parents Magazine, Pink & Blue Magazine, The Daily Reveille, The Southern Review, 225 magazine, DIG, Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, inRegister magazine, 10/12 magazine, Country Roads magazine, 225Alive, Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge, Southern University Digest, and The South Baton Rouge Journal.

The Baton Rouge area has many TV and radio stations. Some of the main TV stations include:

• 2 WBRZ-TV (ABC)
• 9 WAFB (CBS)
• 20 KZUP-CD (Independent)
• 21 WBRL-CD (The CW)
• 27 WLPB (PBS/LPB)
• 30 WLFT-CD (Independent)
• 33 WVLA (NBC)
• 36 KBTR-CD (This TV)
• 39 WBXH-CD (My Network TV)
• 44 WGMB (Fox)

Baton Rouge also has special channels for local government on Cox Cable channel 21.

Infrastructure

Baton Rouge has several hospitals and clinics, including Baton Rouge General Medical Center – Mid-City Campus, Baton Rouge General Medical Center – Bluebonnet Campus, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Ochsner Medical Center, and Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital.

The area’s high-speed internet and communication services are mainly provided by companies such as REV (formerly EATEL), AT&T Inc., Charter Communications, and Cox Communications. In 2006, Cox connected its networks in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans using advanced fiber-optic technology, which has stayed reliable even during hurricanes when other services fail.

Military installations

Baton Rouge is the home station for the Louisiana Army National Guard 769th Engineer Battalion. Some of its units have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Near LSU, there is an armory with several smaller units.

The 769th Engineer Battalion is part of the larger 225th Engineer Brigade, based in Pineville, Louisiana.

Baton Rouge is also where the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment is located. This group, made up of about 800 members, was first created during World War II and took part in important battles. It was reactivated in the 1960s as a reserve unit. The main office is in Saint Louis, Missouri, with members spread across the Midwestern United States. The battalion is part of the 23rd Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.

Transportation

Highways and roads

Interstates

Baton Rouge has three main highways: I-10, I-12 (Republic of West Florida Parkway), and I-110 (Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway).

Interstate 10 enters the city from the Horace Wilkinson Bridge over the Mississippi River. It crosses LSU lakes and Garden District before reaching Interstate 12. It continues toward New Orleans, passing near the Medical District and the Mall of Louisiana.

Interstate 12 (The Republic of West Florida Parkway) starts at the split with I-10 and heads east, crossing several roads before leaving the city.

Interstate 110 (The Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway) runs north–south for 8 miles from the Horace Wilkinson Bridge to Scenic Highway in Scotlandville. It goes through downtown, North Baton Rouge, and Baton Rouge Metro Airport before ending.

U.S. highways and major roads

Baton Rouge has two U.S. highways: Airline Highway (US 61) and Florida Boulevard.

U.S. 190 enters from the Huey P. Long Bridge, joining U.S. 61 near Scotlandville. It follows Airline Highway until Florida Blvd, where it turns east through Northeast Baton Rouge.

U.S. 61 enters as Scenic Highway, joining U.S. 190 until Florida Blvd. It continues south, passing through Goodwood and Broadmoor before leaving the city.

Important roads include Greenwell Springs Road, Plank Road, Burbank Drive, Nicholson Drive, Jefferson Highway, Scotlandville Highway, Essen Lane, Bluebonnet Blvd, Siegen Lane, and Perkins Road.

Traffic issues and highway upgrades

Baton Rouge has busy traffic, ranking 33rd in congestion among U.S. cities. Improvements have been made to widen roads like I-12 and I-10 to help reduce traffic jams. City leaders are working on plans to upgrade roads and possibly build a new loop highway to help with traffic.

Commuting

People in Baton Rouge spend about 26.5 minutes commuting to work, a bit less than the national average. Most people drive alone, but some use carpooling, public transport, or walking.

Buses and other mass transit

The Capital Area Transit System (CATS) runs buses around Baton Rouge, including to schools like Southern University, Baton Rouge Community College, and Louisiana State University. There is also a terminal for Greyhound buses.

Shipping

The Port of Baton Rouge is one of the busiest ports in the U.S., handling large ships on the Mississippi River.

Airport

The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport is located in Scotlandville, north of downtown. It offers flights to major cities like Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and Charlotte with airlines like American Eagle, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.

Rail

Big railroads like Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Union Pacific, and Canadian National bring freight to Baton Rouge. There are plans to bring back passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Sister cities

Baton Rouge has many friends in other countries. These are called sister cities. Some of these friends are:

• Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt (since 1951)
• Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France (since 1963)
• Taichung, Taiwan (since 1976)
• Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico (since 1977)
• Port-au-Prince, Ouest, Haiti (since 1978)
• Liège, Liège Province, Belgium (since 1985)
• Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (since 1987)
• Córdoba, Veracruz, Mexico (since 2002)
• Heze, Shandong, China (since 2008)
• Malatya, Malatya Province, Turkey (since 2009)
• Guiyang, Guizhou, China (since 2010)

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Baton Rouge has been home to many famous people throughout history. These individuals have come from all walks of life and have made their marks in various fields such as entertainment, sports, politics, and more. The city continues to be a place where many inspiring stories begin.