Baton Rouge: A city of Huey and LSU

December 16, 2007|By Cathy Frisinger, McClatchy Newspapers

BATON ROUGE, La. — You walk into a darkened room of the old state Capitol. A spotlight comes on, and there stands a life-sized bronze figure. It's animatronic Huey Long. He begins speaking, a loquacious politician speaking the language that marked him as a man of the people, about poll taxes, paved roads, pot liquor and his beloved Louisiana State University football team.

It's a kitschy moment, but one that speaks truth about Baton Rouge. A colorful political figure and a plantation past give it a varied and fascinating history; state government and a proud university give it class; and a Mississippi River location, alligator swamps and Cajun cuisine give it a character-filled present.

Baton Rouge now is the largest city in Louisiana. It has a population of about 228,000 (up slightly since Hurricane Katrina -- while New Orleans is way down), but it feels larger because it is home to the state's government and LSU, the state's largest university. It is a city with a downtown that is mostly empty on weeknights, but one that has charming old neighborhoods -- such as Spanish Town, where pink flamingos stand in every yard -- thriving on the edge of downtown.

Mark Twain famously poked fun at Louisiana's old state Capitol, which was the statehouse till 1931 and is now referred to as "the Capitol on the river." He called it "pathetic" and "a whitewashed castle, with turrets and things."

But don't believe him. It's a beauty, a marriage of Gothic and Victorian architecture, with a stained-glass domed ceiling over a cast-iron winding staircase, and, yes, turrets and things.

There's a free museum inside the old state Capitol that houses, among other artifacts, the animatronic Huey Long and the gun that killed him.

But Huey Long, whose imprint is everywhere in Louisiana's collection of state government buildings, didn't stand for a state Capitol that anyone might poke fun at. Under his administration, a new one was built, standing 450 feet high with 34 stories, the tallest state Capitol in the country.

It's also where Long was assassinated on Sept. 8, 1935. It's said that 100,000 people flocked to Baton Rouge to attend the funeral of The Kingfish.

There's an observation deck on the 27th floor that affords a 360-degree view of the city and the Mississippi River. You can look down on the gardens and see a statue of Long looking back at you from his grave.

Another government building to take in is the old governor's mansion, built when Long was governor. Gov. Jimmie Davis' gold record for his song "You Are My Sunshine" is on display, as are a pair of green pajamas worn by Long.

The Louisiana State University Tigers are a pretty good football team (they're playing Ohio State in a little bowl game down in New Orleans on Jan. 7), and there's lots of purple pride among Baton Rouge residents.

LSU's 31,000 students are justly proud of their pretty campus, situated around several small lakes.

If you enjoy outdoor activities, take a stroll or a bike ride around University Lake, the largest. Or rent a kayak and check out the view of campus from the water.

For a taste of campus social life, try breakfast at Louie's, the kind of place you'd be afraid to take your mother, but despite that -- or maybe, because of that -- is hugely popular with students. The Chimes, just around the corner from Louie's, has a terrific Sunday brunch, and it's OK to take Mom there.

You know that "later, gator" saying? Well, better now than later. Alligator Bayou, about 15 minutes from downtown, offers an eco-conscious swamp tour. The two guys who own it are preservationists who've bought up the land to keep it from being developed, and they're delighted to share the experience with visitors.

Spring and October are the best times for taking the swamp tour (the summer months are hot), but Alligator Bayou guarantees you'll get to see a gator no matter what time of year you visit.

You can't visit Louisiana without filling up on good Cajun cooking and music.

Boutin's is known for both its Cajun food and dancing. You'll find dishes like "bar-b-que" shrimp, catfish Boutin, crawfish tasso Alfredo, grilled alligator (not the one you saw that afternoon) and bread pudding.

But the food's only half the draw at Boutin's. The restaurant offers live zydeco music and dancing Monday through Saturday, and dance the couples do.

Juban's, another family-owned place, is known for its fine Cajun/creole dining. Its best-known dish is the Hallelujah Crab. Order it and you'll know how it got its name.

After dinner, the best way to finish the evening is to take a stroll along the Mississippi at the edge of downtown. The bridge is lighted at night, and there are always people on the walkway. It's the kind of stroll where you'll walk past a street musician, then walk past a couple smooching, then walk past a couple of teenagers skateboarding, then -- surprise! -- you're at the riverboat casino, in an area called Catfish Town.

Riverboat gambling? Would Huey Long approve? Bet he would. He was a man of the people. If you're not sure, why don't you stop by animatronic Huey Long and ask him?