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Baton Rouge Attractions & ActivitiesHistoric Sites
Ready to look into the past and learn about the heritage of this fascinating city? We list historic homes, plantations, battlegrounds, and churches that are rich in history and provide for an educational travel diversion.
Louisiana State Capitol Building
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: State Capitol Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Looking more like a skyscraper than a state capitol, this striking Art Deco structure was built in 1931 at the behest of then-governor Huey Long. Rising 450 feet and 34 stories, the Capitol is filled with sculptures, murals, and rich materials. Surrounding it are also fifty acres of gardens, and from the observation deck on the 27th floor, amazing...
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 1146 Pleasant Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
This picturesque, 2000-acre campus is home to 31,000 students, largely from Louisiana but from throughout the country and the world too. The university was founded in 1860 and is a state-funded institution. On campus, visitors will find history, science, and art museums, along with lovely architecture. Home to the Fighting Tigers, the university...
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 2161 Nicholson Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Nestled in a grove of gracefully arching trees, Magnolia Mound began as a small, late 18th-century home and was expanded into a plantation home. Its French Creole styling is relatively simple, and the home, elevated on piers, features a generous porch. One of Louisiana's oldest wooden structures, it also features a coved ceiling and French and...
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 3645 Hwy 18 (Great River Rd), Vacherie, LA 70090
As stately as the plantation home of imagination, this Greek Revival structure features an oak allee leading to the entrance and is a magnificent presence amid the grounds. Dating from 1839, Oak Alley was built after the planting of the oaks and was situated to maximize the approach to the home. Costumed guides offer tours, and on the grounds are...
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 502 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Constructed in 1930, this stately mansion bears a strong resemblance to the White House and is believed to have been built in its image. The home was erected for Governor Huey Long and was lavishly adorned with sumptuous appointments and furnishings. When a new mansion was built in 1962, this one was given other uses until it was restored and...
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 100 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Although Mark Twain had no fondness for this Gothic Revival structure, describing it as a "monstrosity," the Old Capitol boasts unmistakable presence. Situated to overlook the Mississippi, it was in use from 1850 to 1932 and even served as a prison. Today, the restored building houses a museum and acts to archive film, video, and other...
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 2646 Hwy 44, Garyville, LA 70051
Strikingly ornate, this home is distinctively Louisianan but is quite a departure from standard plantation architecture. Some have even deemed it "Steamboat Gothic" for its stylistic affinity to river paddleboats. Set along the Mississippi, the home was built in 1856 by Edmond Bozonier Marmillion and was quite an expensive venture, even for the...
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: Harding Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70813
Overlooking the Mississippi River, this predominantly-black public university was founded in 1880 and has a student population of 9000. It also has branches in Shreveport and New Orleans. On its 500-plus-acre campus are buildings in a range of architectural styles from traditional to modern; a university-held farm sits north of campus....
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 208 N 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801
This picturesque, Gothic Revival church was built in 1895 of red brick. Arched portals, a steeply pitched roof, and a square belltower are distinguishing features of the sanctuary, which still has an active parish. History affirms that one of the founders of the church was Margaret Taylor, President Zachary Taylor's wife.
Category: Historic Sites - Baton Rouge Attractions & Activities
Address: 412 North St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Reputed to be Baton Rouge's oldest church, this elegant cathedral actually sits on the site of two previous sanctuaries. The first was a Spanish church dating to the 1790s. The present building was constructed in the mid-19th century, although its steeple was added some forty years later. The detailed, symmetrical exterior is completely...
