Baton Rouge, << BAT uhn ROOZH >> (pop. 227,470; met. area pop. 870,569), is the capital of Louisiana and a chief port of the United States. The city also ranks as a major Southern center of the chemical and petroleum industries. Baton Rouge lies on bluffs on the east bank of the Mississippi River, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans.
French soldiers established Baton Rouge in 1719 as a military post to protect white travelers from attack by American Indians. Baton Rouge, which means red stick in French, originally referred to a red-stained pole located on the site. The pole separated the territory of two Indian nations.
Baton Rouge has been ruled by seven governments. Britain, France, and Spain governed Baton Rouge during the 1700’s. Then the Republic of West Florida, the United States, the Republic of Louisiana, the Confederate States of America, and again the United States ruled the city.
Description.
Baton Rouge, the parish (county) seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, covers 89 square miles (229 square kilometers). The metropolitan area covers 4,573 square miles (11,844 square kilometers).
The 34-story State Capitol, Baton Rouge’s tallest building, stands on the north edge of the downtown area. Senator Huey P. Long, a former governor and one of the most powerful figures in Louisiana history, was assassinated in the Capitol in 1935. He is buried on the Capitol grounds.
Cultural attractions in Baton Rouge include a symphony orchestra, art galleries, museums, a planetarium, theaters, and a nearby zoo. The main campuses of Louisiana State University and Southern University are in the city.
Baton Rouge has dozens of manufacturing plants. The manufacture of petrochemicals (chemicals made from petroleum and natural gas) ranks as the city’s leading industry. One of the largest petroleum refineries in North America, operated by Exxon Mobil Corporation, is in Baton Rouge.
Other products made in Baton Rouge include fabricated metals, food products, lumber and wood products, printed materials, and synthetic rubber. State government offices provide another important source of employment.
Baton Rouge, about 230 miles (370 kilometers) from the mouth of the Mississippi River, is one of the busiest inland ports in the world. The city handles large amounts of freight annually for river and ocean shipment. In addition, Baton Rouge is a distribution and transportation center for farm products.
Government and history.
Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish have a joint mayor-council form of government. The voters elect a mayor and 12 council members, all to four-year terms. The city receives most of its income from sales taxes.
Bayou Goula and Houma Indians lived in what is now the Baton Rouge area when Europeans first arrived there. French soldiers founded Baton Rouge in 1719. In 1817, when Baton Rouge was incorporated as a town, it had a population of about 2,000.
Baton Rouge replaced New Orleans as the capital of Louisiana in 1849. In 1862, during the American Civil War, state leaders moved the capital to Opelousas after Union forces invaded Louisiana. That same year, a Union naval squadron under Captain David G. Farragut captured Baton Rouge. The city remained under federal control until 1877 and became the capital again in 1882. Commerce and trade gradually resumed during the late 1800’s, and Baton Rouge began a period of new growth. By 1900, 11,269 people lived there.
During the early 1900’s, the discovery of oil and natural gas in areas around Baton Rouge attracted chemical companies to the city. Baton Rouge became an important center of the petrochemical industry during World War II (1939-1945). Jobs created by additional industrial expansion helped the city’s population more than triple during the 1940’s. The population rose from 34,719 in 1940 to 125,629 in 1950. Baton Rouge continued to grow as an industrial center throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s. The oil boom of the 1970’s spurred the local economy. The city’s population grew by nearly 30 percent from 1970 to 1980.
In 1979, Baton Rouge completed a $100-million construction program. This program included an arena and exhibition building, a theater for the performing arts, and a riverfront civic center. In 1983, Baton Rouge hosted the International Special Olympics. In 1985, the National Sports Festival was held there.
After Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, thousands of people fled the New Orleans area and came to Baton Rouge. In 2007, city officials estimated Baton Rouge’s population was about 50,000 to 100,000 higher than it had been before the storm. The city had to deal with heavy traffic, crowded classrooms, and a shortage of affordable housing.
