Baton Rouge Things to Do Tips by keeweechic

The Mansion was built by Huey Long in 1930 as Louisiana's answer to the White House. It has been restored to its original Georgian-style splendour and there are guided tours which tell the story of the governors who lived there. The mansion has the original crystal chandeliers and hand-printed French wallpaper.

Open Tues - Fri 10 – 4pm and closed major holidays.
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Address: 502 North Blvd. Baton Rouge
Website: www.oldgovernorsmansion.com

The old State Capital is now the centre for Political and Governmental History. The Gothic styled building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975. You can see a multimedia presentation, interactive exhibits, political research library, political memorabilia and film and videotapes of state leaders.

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"Sir Walter Scott is probably responsible for the Capitol building; for it is not inconceivable that this little sham castle would ever have been built if he had not run the people mad, a couple of generations ago, with his medieval romances."

-Mark Twain - expressing his dislike of the Old State Capitol, in his 1883 book, "Life on the Mississippi."
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Address: 100 North Boulevard

The Pentagon Barracks were designed by Captain James Gadsden and were built in 1819-1823 as a major expansion of the Baton Rouge military post. Four brick buildings in a pentagon shape make up the barracks. Two were for quartering troops and two were to provide quarters for officers. There is a visitors centre and small museum there.

Open Fri & Sat 10.00 – 10.00pm
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Address: 959 Third Street

The galleries on the outsides of the structures were added about 10 years after the buildings were completed. There were complaints from the soldiers living there that it was too hot and so the verandas were added.

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Address: Pentagon Barracks

The Old Bogan Fire station was built in 1924 as the Central Fire Station and renamed for Robert A Bogan who was the first paid fire chief (1918-1959). Today it is the home of the Fireman’s Museum with exhibits of historic fire fighting equipment and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. An art display is located on the 2nd floor.
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Address: 427 Laurel St.

The USS Kidd is a restored WWII Fletcher class destroyer and a national historic landmark. She was awarded 12 battle stars in the Pacific during WWII and the Korean conflict. It is berthed on the Mississippi River in a unique cradle that supports it when the river is low but allows it to float when the river rises. The submarine is part of the Nautical Museum.
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Address: 305 S. River Rd.
Website: http://www.usskidd.com/

Next to the Nautical Centre is the Veterans Memorial Plaza which displays a A7E Corsair jet aircraft.
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Address: River Road

This is the tallest capitol in the nation at a height of 450 ft with 34 floors. Designed in an Art Deco-style, the building was completed in 1932. The Observation deck is on the 27th floor (closes at 4pm) and you can get panoramic views of the city and the Mississippi. Senator Huey Long's was assassinated here in 1935. Twenty-five hundred rail cars were needed to bring in the limestone that was used on the exterior. The marble for the interior came from distant places, including Vermont and Italy. The cost to complete the building was only $5 million. Louisiana's state symbol, the pelican, decorates the side of the steps and is used extensively elsewhere in the building.

Daily 8am-4:30pm. No Admission
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Address: State Capitol Drive

The grand staircase up the front of the building has one step for each of the 48 states which are listed in order of their admittance to the Union. Hawaii and Alaska were added to the top step when they were both made states.
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Large statues border the stairs. On the east side are the “The Patriots” - an armored soldier and the mourners of a warrior slain in battle. On the west side are “The Pioneers” – these were men and women of courage who shaped Louisiana out of the wilderness.

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Address: State Capital Building