The Blue Whale and Other Travel Tales: Number Seventeen

State Capitol Drive

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

225-219-1200

Monday-Sunday 8am-4pm

Louisiana Travel.com

Now, that I have my new set up, I need to back track on my life. In March I had the opportunity to go to Louisiana for Grand Chapter. I drove by myself as Steve chose once again to stay home. Overall, it was quite an adventure and will probably cover several postings.

But, since my travels always try to incorporate my pilgrimage of visiting a state capitol of two, I was able to stop at Number 17—Baton Rouge. The day was overcast and dismal. My time was limited, however, causing me to miss many of the sites that I would like to have seen, such as Zachary Taylor’s homesite, the state museum (admission fee: $6.00 adults, military/senior disc, under 12 -free), the Governor’s mansion (shown by appointment Tuesday through Thursday…225-342-5855), the old arsenal and pentagon barracks (I did see these briefly from the car).

It was fairly easy to find. Traffic was not a difficult challenge. It rests on the east side near the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. The legislature was not yet in session. Although when I returned to the area a few days later, the legislature was, indeed, in session. Lots of one way streets. Free parking on the grounds was available before the session; paid parking garage, once it started.

Senate: 39

House: 105

Architect: Dreyfuss and Seiferth Weiss

Building Completed: 1932

Style: Art Deco

The Dome/Rotunda: The capitol does not have a true rotunda, but the governor’s mansion does. Instead is the Grand Memorial Hall with a large relief hall encircled by the names of the 64 parishes (Louisiana’s French Catholic heritage gives to this concession of calling them parishes rather than counties as do the other states).

Liberty Bell—Each state has been gifted at least one replica of the liberty bell. Louisiana’s (#39) is in front of the old Arsenal Museum on the Capitol grounds.

Cornerstone—did not locate

Tour: Self Guided. Groups by previous appointment

Book and Stamp: Stamp can be obtained at one of the desks in the main hall. The gift shop does not sell the book.

What’s Unique:

• Exterior granite entrance stair case in two levels. The lower level contains thirteen steps with the original thirteen states carved—one state in each stair--in alphabetical order. The next level contains thirty six stairs for the other of the forty-eight states listed and carved with each state with its date of entry to the Union. These stairs are in order of their entry. The capitol was built before Alaska and Hawaii became states, so the very top stair is theirs jointly.

the bullet grazed pillar

• Former Governor and Senator Huey Long was assassinated in one of its corridors. A bullet grazed a pillar. The hole is still there. This is probably the only capitol which has a section dedicated to an assassination.

• This building was built primarily through the efforts of the aforementioned Huey Long. He is buried on the grounds facing the capitol building

What’s sort of unique:

• This is not a domed capitol, but instead a tower. It is one of only a handful of buildings built in a tower, although many of the older capitols have had to add space for offices, etc. and have built towers to house these. Louisiana brags that it is the tallest state capitol in the US. Nebraska also holds onto their claim of the same. But Louisiana sent architectural engineers to Lincoln. Yep, Baton Rouge holds onto the honor. By a handful of feet. However, Lincoln is higher above sea level than Baton Rouge making them winners in that scale.

• Most of the art is in bronze—from the elevator doors with famous folks from Louisiana embossed therein. Bronze doors lead to the House and Senate Chambers (only the House was open to the public when I was there). These doors, although each weighing a ton, are so balanced/weighted that a single person can open each one. And twice life-size busts and statues of former governors.

• Louisiana flags ruling were many—Spanish, French, USA, Confederate States of America. These are flown from a balcony over Memorial Hall.

Only the House chambers were open to the public.

In the Hall is a bank of elevators. Hop into any one of them. It will take you to the 24th floor where you have to get out and transfer to another elevator that will take you to the 27th floor to the Observation Deck with a panoramic view at 350 feet The view includes the Mississippi River, Capitol rose gardens , Louisiana’s “chemical corridor” and various and sundry other scenes. As the song says, “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.” The vistas consume many miles.

The gift shop is on this floor, lots of LSU and other local treasures for sale. They do not sell the stamp book, however. I think they should as many people who saw me getting my book stamped were inquiring as to where they could get one.