Baton Rouge, Louisiana

December 20, 2017

The Old Capitol

Baton Rouge means red stick and takes its name from the red cypress pole that marked the boundary between two native nations.  The capital of Louisiana was moved  there from New Orleans in 1846.

The building was completed in 1852 and is decorated with cast iron which was both cheaper and more durable than other buildings materials in use at the time.

The building now houses a museum which, unfortunately, was closed for annual refurbishing.

The Louisiana Capitol

When Huey P. Long was governor of Louisiana, he wanted to improve the state’s infrastructure and convinced the legislature to authorize the construction of a new capitol in the Modern style.  In spite of difficulties presented by the Great Depression, the building was completed in 1932, after just 14 months of construction.

Two sculptures flank the entrance to the Capitol.

           The Patriots, in memory of those who died in defense of Louisiana

The Pioneers: Native Americans, French, Spanish and Americans who settled Louisiana.

During construction, Long had been elected to the Senate.  He refused to take the oath for that office so that he would be Governor when the new capitol was dedicated.

Inside, Memorial Hall uses 24 different-colored stones, 2-ton light fixtures, and grand murals depicting “The Abundance of the Earth” and “The Goddess of Knowledge and Time”.

Abundance of the Earth

Goddess of Knowledge and Time

                Christmas trees decorate Memorial Hall for the season

We noticed that the Governor’s elevator was a little more ornate than the one that took us to the observation deck on the 27th floor.

Other elevator doors off Memorial Hall featured bronze images of Louisiana’s governors through Huey Long.

                Long’s image is upper right.

The doors to the House of Representatives also feature bronze reliefs.

Inside, both the decorations and architecture are beautiful. 

Ceilings in both the House and Senate chambers are made from a by-product of sugar cane grinding.

The Senate doors feature more bronze reliefs.

The Senate uses more marble than the House.

Senate ceiling detail

The Louisiana capitol is the tallest in the United States at 450 feet.  We took pictures of Baton Rouge from the 27th floor observation deck.

Downtown

Refineries

Refineries with the Mississippi River in the foreground

The Mississippi River.  The flare in the distance is a refinery burning off gases.

Louisiana Capitol Garden.  Huey Long is buried underneath the statue (his) in the center.

Long was killed in the capitol.

Another Louisiana governor, Jimmie Davis, served from 19440-48 and 1960-64.  You may know his song “You Are My Sunshine”.

Louisiana was admitted to the Union in 1812 as the 18th state.  At that time, the official U.S. flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes.  If residents of a state wanted their flag to reflect their admission to the Union, they created an unofficial flag like the one below.