Inside the Capital
by grandmaR
We went down to the lobby from the tower, and looked around and took photos of the various statues (Henry Watkins Allen - civil war governor, Jean Baptiste Lemoyne-first colonial governor (photo 3), William Charles Coles Claiborne -first American Governor 1804-1812, Nicholls, first modern post-Reconstruction governor; and P.B.S. Pinchback, the first black governor of the state).
In the center of Memorial Hall is a large bronze relief map of state's products and industries according to each parish (Louisiana refers to its counties as "parishes," a remnant from the state's Catholic roots). Beyond the bronze map are three bronze elevator doors. I noticed that the elevator doors were covered with portraits. They turned out to be all the governors of Louisiana from Claiborne to Long. According to Louisiana Travel Tips: "Here, one can see the touch of Governor Long's participation in the design. Legend has it that if the portraits had been arranged in a logical pattern, his portrait would have ended up on the lower right corner of the door. To offset that embarrassing placement, Long had the portraits arranged in an illogical pattern so that his countenance would grace the upper right corner. (photo 4 shows Long's portrait)
The walls had decorative paintings (the women in the paintings were topless, but there was one person in a George Washington type wig who was full frontal nude but had no obvious breasts or other sexual characteristics - photo of this is in my travelogue). We also walked to each side and took photos of the Louisiana Senate and House of Representatives chambers (photo 2).
Flanking the elevator doors are fabulous 1954 French Porcelain lamps, a gift from France to Louisiana worth $15,000 apiece at that time. The coffered ceiling in the House Chambers is Celotex, a material made from bagasse, a byproduct of sugar production. Bagasse is what remains of the sugarcane once its juice has been extracted (photo 5)
There was a Dixie Correctional Institute employee cleaning the tall windows.
Plaquamine Locks
by grandmaR
Louisiana State Historic Site.
Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Guided tours are offered daily.
Entrance Fees: $2 per person; free for seniors (62 and over) and for children age 12 and under
Bob didn't know that seniors were free, and when the ranger gave us a receipt to show that we had checked in (the site is pretty open), Bob asked how much it was, and the ranger said he had just assumed that we were seniors.
We had a very interesting talk from the ranger. He told us that the lock was designed by Colonel George W. Goethals (1858-1928), the assistant to the chief engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Goethals later gained distinction as chairman and chief engineer of the Isthmian Canal Commission for the design and construction of the Panama Canal. However, there were significant engineering challenges to its construction because the designers did not take Louisiana geology into account. When completed in 1909, the lock was significant for having the highest fresh water lift of any lock in the world -- 51 feet -- and a unique engineering design that utilized a gravity flow principle.
After we saw the little movie (on the TV/VCR) the ranger led us around the musum in the lockhouse and showed us the exhibits. (photo 3 and 4) Among other things, he told us that the Gary James Hebert Memorial Lockhouse, which serves as a museum and visitors center was faced with white ceramic bricks (photo 2) so it could be seen at a distance. They switched away from coal heat because the coal soot dimmed the luster of the bricks. Gary Hebert worked to keep the lockhouse from being destroyed by the Corps of Engineers, and to have it preserved as a historic site-that's why it is named for him.
Afterwards I went outside and took some more photos (photo 5). There is still water in one end of the lock, but the other end is grass lawn.
very disappointing
by nicholasgasper about J. Alexander's
I thought that the food was over priced and under impressive. The fish that I got had way too much butter on it. The pasta my wife got was bland. The restaurant seems to be a poor attempt by a chain restaurant to compete with the much better food that Louisiana offers. The food may would have been good if I lived in a place where no one knew how to cook. Good luck
old state capitol
by doug48
the old state capitol is a very interesting building to visit in downtown baton rouge. in 1847 the louisiana state capitol was moved from new orleans to baton rouge. the new state capital was built on the site of the "red pole" (baton rouge) which was once a native american settlement. this "castellated gothic" building was designed by james harrison dalkin. in 1862 union admiral david farragut captured new orleans and returned the capital to that city. during the union occupation of baton rouge the old capitol was used as a prison and barracks for coloured troops. later the capitol building was gutted by fire. in 1882 the capital of louisiana was returned to baton rouge and architect william a freret completely remodeled the interior of the building. this building served as louisiana's capitol until 1932. this interesting building is listed on the national register of historic places and is open to the public. see the attached web site for times.
Louisiana State Capitol
by keeweechic
This is the tallest capitol in the nation at a height of 450 ft with 34 floors. Designed in an Art Deco-style, the building was completed in 1932. The Observation deck is on the 27th floor (closes at 4pm) and you can get panoramic views of the city and the Mississippi. Senator Huey Long's was assassinated here in 1935. Twenty-five hundred rail cars were needed to bring in the limestone that was used on the exterior. The marble for the interior came from distant places, including Vermont and Italy. The cost to complete the building was only $5 million. Louisiana's state symbol, the pelican, decorates the side of the steps and is used extensively elsewhere in the building.
Daily 8am-4:30pm. No Admission
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louisiana arts & science museum
Building across from the musuem and capital
One of the broken tombstones
Huey Long's grave
