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Baton Rouge, Louisiana

"Red Stick"
Louisiana's capital where Southern politics, LSU football, and petrochemical industry collide on the Mississippi bluffs.
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Founded 1699 | Population 218,223 | Peak 229,553 (2010) | County East Baton Rouge Parish

Top 10 Most Important Events for Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1
1935 Huey Long Assassinated: Shot in the 450-foot capitol he built. Died two days later at 42.
2
2016 Thousand-Year Flood: 110,000 homes damaged, 13 killed — worst U.S. disaster since Sandy, with little media coverage.
3
1860 Permanent Capital: Legislature moved from New Orleans to Baton Rouge.
4
1958 LSU Wins National Title: First of multiple national championships.
5
1699 French Name Site: Iberville named the bluffs after a red cypress boundary pole.
6
1953 Petrochemical Corridor: ExxonMobil operates one of the Western Hemisphere's largest refineries.
7
1953 Bus Boycott: Predated Montgomery boycott by two years.
8
2016 Alton Sterling Shooting: Police shooting and officer ambush traumatized the city.
9
2019 LSU Third Title: Joe Burrow led one of the greatest seasons in college football.
10
1932 Capitol Built: Huey Long's 34-story Art Deco monument to his power.
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Population Over Time

0 57,373 114,747 172,120 229,493 1870 1900 1920 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

Latest News in Baton Rouge

Mar 7, 2026
22-Year-Old Arrested for Raping 94-Year-Old in Baton Rouge
In the heart of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a community has been left reeling from the arrest of 22-year-old Jeremiah Taylor, accused …
Feb 19, 2016
Trump Cruz Using Nazi Tactics Win Delegates
Washington, DC – Back in February 2016, the Republican presidential primaries turned ugly as rivals Donald Trump and Ted Cruz tr…
Jan 16, 2016
Louisiana Dad Found not Guilty Decapitating Disabled 7 Year Old Son
Baton Rouge, LA — In a shocking turn of events that left many reeling, a Louisiana father was acquitted last week in a case that…
Dec 16, 2015
Jindal 2016 Race Gop Establishment Done
Washington, D.C. – Bobby Jindal, the Louisiana governor known for his sharp conservative views, quietly bowed out of the 201…
Jul 28, 2015
Real Estate Heir Robert Durst Expected Plead Guilty Gun Charge
New Orleans, LA – On July 28, 2015, real estate heir Robert Durst was set to plead guilty to a weapons charge, marking another t…
Apr 20, 2015
Alabama City Proposes Saggy Pants Ban God Would not Go Around Pants Down
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (April 20, 2015) — In a move that stirred up plenty of chatter across the state, a small Alabama city took aim …

Complete Historical Timeline

1699 Government
French name site
1817 Government
Incorporated
1860 Government
Permanent capital
1932 Architecture
Huey Long builds capitol
1935 Politics
Long assassinated
1953 Civil Rights
Bus boycott predates Montgomery
1958 Sports
LSU first championship
2005 Disaster
Katrina evacuees arrive
2016 Disaster
Thousand-year flood
2019 Sports
LSU third title

Did You Know?

1
Baton Rouge's 1953 bus boycott predated Montgomery by two years.
2
The Capitol at 450 feet is the tallest state capitol — where Huey Long was assassinated.
3
The 2016 flood damaged 110,000 homes yet received little national coverage.

Famous People from Baton Rouge, Louisiana

SD
Stormy Daniels
Screenwriter, Author · Born Mar 17, 1979 · Age 46
BJ
Bobby Jindal
Writer, Politician · Born Jun 10, 1971 · Age 54
BP
Bob Pettit
Basketball Player, Basketball Coach · Born Dec 12, 1932 · Age 93
SW
Shane West
Actor, Composer · Born Jun 10, 1978 · Age 47
TJ
Ted DiBiase Jr.
Actor, Film Actor · Born Nov 8, 1982 · Age 43

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NO
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S
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L
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LC
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BC
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K
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