What Is the Capital of Louisiana?
What Is the Capital of Louisiana?
Located in the southern part of the United States of America, Louisiana State is the 31st largest state in the US in terms of land area. Furthermore, it is ranked the 25th most populated states in America. The state is bordered by the state of Arkansas to the north, Texas to the west, Mississippi to the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to its south. Louisiana is the only state in which the political system is broken up into parishes, rather than counties. According to size, Plaquemines Parish is the largest, whereas East Baton Rogue Parish is the most populated. Most Louisiana residents speak English, but Vietnamese, French and Spanish languages are also spoken. The current governor is John Bel Edwards and the lieutenant governor is Billy Nungesser. The capital of Louisiana State is Baton Rouge.
Description of Baton Rogue
The name “Baton Rogue” is a French word referring to a “red stick.” Baton Rogue is the parish seat of East Baton Rogue Parish. It is the second largest city in Louisiana, after New Orleans. In 2015, it had a population of 228,590 people. As the capital city, Baton Rogue is the political hub of the state of Louisiana. In addition, it has numerous neighborhoods in and out of the city, including Oak Hills, Old Jefferson, and North Gate.
History of Baton Rogue
Human habitation in Baton Rogue can be traced to 12,000-6,500 BC. The early Muskogean people were the first inhabitants to settle in Baton Rogue. They are believed to have been the bearers of the Mississippi culture. The ancient societies practised hunting and gathering, as evidenced by earth mounds found by archaeologists. In 1699, French explorers were on an expedition along the Mississippi River and came across Baton Rogue. They saw a red pole that separated hunting grounds for the two ethnic groups, namely the Houma and Bayogoula. This was the background upon which Baton Rogue received its name.
Europeans settled Baton Rogue in 1721. The first European settlers were French colonists. During those early days, Baton Rogue grew economically and in size due to the steamboat trade and transportation. In 1817, Baton Rogue was incorporated and 29 years later Baton Rogue replaced New Orleans as the state capital of Louisiana. The construction of the capital building of Louisiana began in 1847. It was designed by James Dakin using Neo-Gothic architecture.
Economy of Baton Rogue
Baton Rogue is a city characterized by a robust economy. This is largely attributed to the petroleum and manufacturing industries. For instance, the Baton Rogue Refinery is the 4th largest refinery in the United States. Baton Rogue is also famous for its ever growing film industry. In 2013, the film industry generated $90 million in revenue for the economy of Louisiana. The strength of the economy helps to explain CNN’s ranking of Baton Rogue as the city best suited to start a business in the United States in 2009. Baton Rogue is a city full of diversity due to the different cultures and rich history that unifies its citizens.
