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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.

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.…

Continue Reading Louisiana Nature Trail

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…

Continue Reading The Capitol Huey Long Built

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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suspention bridge in forest over river in Tickfaw State Park

Tickfaw State Park

Dave McNamara
March 15, 2021

All boardwalks temporarily closed due to Hurricane Ida damage. Tickfaw State Park at Springfield is the perfect place for nature lovers to explore several Louisiana habitats. You can walk through…

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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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