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Home/Regions/Capital Region

Capital Region

Marked by the tallest state capitol in the U.S. that is still watched over by the powerful Louisiana politician Huey Long, Baton Rouge features a vibrant riverfront and downtown museums. The capital city is also the gateway to the Great River Road and the forested rolling hills of the Feliciana’s that were once the home of the short-lived Republic of West Florida.

swamp scene with cypress and tupelo trees and brown water

Tickfaw State Park

Dave McNamara
April 1, 2025

Tickfaw State Park, located near the town of Springfield in southeastern Louisiana, is a quiet retreat for those seeking to immerse themselves in the scenery and wildlife of a Louisiana…

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pavilion with sign Baton Rouge Junction

Addis Train Museum

Dave McNamara
January 23, 2025

The Addis Train Museum in West Baton Rouge Parish tells the story of how this small Louisiana town, once known as Baton Rouge Junction, grew from a vital transportation hub…

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Official seal of Louisiana with white pelican and motto Union Justice Confidence on blue background

Louisiana State Motto

Dave McNamara
November 20, 2024

The Louisiana state motto is written on the state flag, it’s part of the official state seal, and the words hang above government buildings. Despite all of the public displays,…

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trays full of colorful tropical bird specimens

LSU Museum of Natural Science

Dave McNamara
August 6, 2024

Although the LSU Museum of Natural Sciences has been around for decades, it remains a hidden gem at the state’s largest university. The museum is tucked away in Foster Hall,…

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sidewalk linke with columns at Carville

The Disease at Carville

Dave McNamara
December 26, 2023

For much of the 20th century, people diagnosed with disease of leprosy were sent to Carville, Louisiana, a federal treatment center along the Mississippi River south of Baton Rouge. Anne…

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cypress trees reflecting in still water of Atchafalaya Swamp

Atchafalaya Swamp

Dave McNamara
May 6, 2023

The Atchafalaya Swamp, an expansive and intricate wilderness nestled in the heart of Louisiana, is a critical floodway for the Mississippi River, and has seen impacts from the timber and…

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woman's hands adding wax and seal to a folded letter

Handwritten Letters

Dave McNamara
March 28, 2023

Handwritten letters, the ones crafted with a pen and bottle of ink, may be a dying art. However, for those who appreciate history and a more personal way of communication,…

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white pickup truck on highway that has a low spot

Louisiana Meteor Crater

Dave McNamara
February 22, 2023

Scientists working for the Louisiana Geological Survey believe they may have discovered a large crater caused by the impact of a meteor more than 10,000 years ago. The crater, more…

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natural wood gazebo reflects in water of pond in forest

Louisiana Nature Trail

Dave McNamara
November 10, 2022

This Louisiana nature trail offers a beautiful walk in the woods in the gentle hills near St. Francisville. The area was once home to artist and naturalist John James Audubon.…

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musicians playing acoustic instruments to small audience at west baton rouge museum

West Baton Rouge Museum

Dave McNamara
September 13, 2022

jamming to old time music Once a month the West Baton Rouge Museum hosts a gathering of musicians and those who enjoy listening to a jam session featuring “old time…

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fresh river shrimp on ice in bucket

Mississippi River Shrimp

Dave McNamara
July 26, 2022

In a state known for its bountiful saltwater seafood, there is a lesser-known freshwater shrimp that generations of River Parish residents catch in the mighty Mississippi River.  And a few…

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Louisiana state capitol building in Baton Rouge

The Capitol Huey Long Built

Dave McNamara
June 20, 2022

In the 1930’s, this Louisiana skyscraper reflected the style of America’s tallest buildings.  The State Capitol opened in 1932, a year after the Empire State Building in New York.  This…

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yellow iris in garden

Botanic Garden in Baton Rouge

Dave McNamara
June 6, 2022

For more than 40 years, this downtown location was the first airport in Baton Rouge. The airfield relocated to another site north of the city in the 1970’s. And the…

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Red Japanese torri gate in garden in St. Francisville Louisiana

Saint Francisville and its Japanese-American Garden

Dave McNamara
January 20, 2022

Most of the plants and flowers in this garden in Saint Francisville, Louisiana, are common in the South. But the style of trimming, the stone ornaments and traditional Japanese gates…

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Mountain biker crosses wooden bridge biking the beast trail at St. Francisville Louisiana

Biking the Beast

Dave McNamara
January 28, 2021

You probably don’t expect to find a challenging mountain bike trail in Louisiana, a state known for its flat land and swamps. But biking “The Beast” in St. Francisville will…

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backlit cypress trees reflect in still water of Atchafalaya Basin Swamp in Louisiana

Atchafalaya Basin Keeper

Dave McNamara
January 21, 2021

Venture deep into the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp, the largest river swamp in the United States. The Atchafalaya stretches 140 miles from central Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico. A funny…

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row of slave cabins in the Evergreen Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana

Shine a Light on a Dark Past

Dave McNamara
September 3, 2020

For the past 25 years, the River Road African American Museum in Donaldsonville has been collecting artifacts and digging into the history of the rural area that was the center…

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USS Kidd Destroyer ship in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

USS Kidd

Dave McNamara
June 22, 2020

This World War Two destroyer survived a direct hit by a Kamikaze airplane in the Battle of Okinawa.  Today the Navy ship is a dockside museum in Baton Rouge. If…

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