Baton Rouge

[Eden_Monet]

Hey guys,

I'll be visiting Baton Rouge early next week and looking for some advice. I've heard that Baton Rouge is a wonderful place to visit and there are beautiful places to stay.

-Any recommendations on a safe incalls.
(I love to swim so indoor pools would be nice and breakfast in the morning--room service is a must)
-Any recommendations on restaurants?
(steak & italian cuisine)

Thanks in advance!!

<3 Eden

[DallasRain]

College drive area has some nice hotels and is convenient for most clients....There is a great Olive Garden by mall...also a great bbq place TJ RIBS off acadia thruway...great mall{LOVE CULTURE is a great ladies clothing store}

have fun...those redstick boys rock!!!

[Eden_Monet]

That's another question of mine ... "redstick" .. ???

[bodilly]

Bato Rouge means Red Stick in french.
Same as Grosse Tete means Big Head

[DallasRain]

the term "red stick' generally referred to "warlike" Indian settlements during the Creek Nation period in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. These "red stick" communities were hostile toward white European settlers encroaching on Indian hunting grounds along the East Coast and into the Mississippi River region. Peaceful settlements were known as "white stick" communities and no aggression was allowed in the limits of these communities. Only the most rogue "red stick" settlements launched hostile actions against "white stick" settlements, but these actions did occur during tribal wars. This term, though not directly linked to Baton Rouge's name, certainly influenced the name since it was widely used by Native American tribes in the 17th century and the early 18th century to describe those hostile Native American settlements

[Eden_Monet]

Thank you for the History lesson! I never knew that. Definitely makes me want to take a visit to the library and read up on Louisiana history!

[DallasRain]

lol--I am not a "local" so I am always learning new cool stuff about La!!!!

have fun in BR!!!

[bodilly]

Beginnings
Baton Rouge dates from 1699, when French explorer Sieur d'Iberville leading an exploration party up the Mississippi River saw a reddish cypress pole festooned with bloody animals and fish that marked the boundary between Houma and Bayou Goula tribal hunting grounds. They called the pole and its location "le bâton rouge", or red stick. The local Native American name for the site had been "Istrouma". From evidence found along the Mississippi, Comite, and Amite rivers, and in three Native American mounds remaining in the city, archaeologists have been able to date habitation of the Baton Rouge area to 8000 BC.[2]

[I B Hankering]

@ Eden and Dallas—this is what I was taught at LSU.

Dallas you are right about factious Muscogee (AKA Creek) being called “Red Sticks”, but they lived primarily in Georgia and Alabama before being relocated to Oklahoma. Only those Muscogee who joined Tecumseh's Native American confederacy, which allied with the British during the War of 1812, were called Red Sticks. Stories of the origin of the Red Stick name vary, but one is that they were named for the Muscogee tradition of carrying a bundle of sticks that mark the days until an event occurs. The red-painted sticks symbolized war. General Andrew Jackson destroyed (massacred) the "Red Stick" Creek resistance at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Alabama, 27 March 1814. His next big battle was in New Orleans, 8 January 1815, against the invading British army led by Major General Pakenham.

In 1682, Rene'-Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle sailed down the Mississippi, past Baton Rouge, to the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed the river and the land for France.

“The name Baton Rouge dates from 1699, when French explorer Sieur d'Iberville leading an exploration party up the Mississippi River saw a reddish cypress pole festooned with bloody animals and fish that marked the boundary between Houma and Bayou Goula tribal hunting grounds. They called the pole and its location "le bâton rouge", or red stick. D'Iberville and his party then returned to the coast by two separate routes. It would be almost twenty years before the French returned to and tried to settle in the Baton Rouge area.

“The local Native American name for the site had been "Istrouma". From evidence found along the Mississippi, Comite, and Amite rivers, and in three Native American mounds remaining in the city, archaeologists have been able to date habitation of the Baton Rouge area to 8000 BC.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baton_Rouge

“In 1717, France awarded a concession, or land grant, to Bernard Diron Dartaguette. The settlement, which had been given the name Baton Rouge by Iberville in 1699, was abandoned within 10 years. All attempts by the French to settle Baton Rouge ended.

“In 1763, the British established a military outpost at Baton Rouge near the banks of the Mississippi River following the Treaty of Paris, which ended the French and Indian War. Baton Rouge, which was insignificant to the French, became important to the British because it was near the international border between the British colony of West Florida and Spanish Louisiana.” http://www.2theadvocate.com/features/98074434.html

My all time favorite place name in Louisiana is Maringouin, pronounced mah-ring-gwin, which also finds its origin in French. The Cajuns [from Acadia—now Nova Scotia, Canada— were called Acadians, pronounced "A-CA-djons"; this eventually corrupted to Cajuns] named Maringouin for the Louisiana state bird: maringouin means "mosquito" in French. Lol

[DallasRain]

I love Louisiana!

[LilRed]

Baton Rouge has several nice hotels. The Holiday Inn and the Crowne Plaza off Constitution have good room service as well as the Belle downtown. As far as indoor pools, I never pay attention. We have lots of good restaurants in the area. Don's Seafood, Island Moaranda and Ralph and Kacoo's are among my favorites. We also have most of the chain restaurants off the College/Corporate exit, or Near the Mall off Bluebonnet, and Seigan Lane exits as well. Will be glad to help if I can. Hope you have a wonderful visit and don't forget to go see Mike the tiger while you are here!!

[Nina Rae]

As for hotels, the Marriott and the Hilton downtown are my two favorites. Indoor pools are scarce I think, but they both have room service that's worth the call. Enjoy your stay doll. Shoot me a message if you need anything while you're here.

[Jacquie]

Pinetta's is a hidden gem all the way down Perkins.

[Wiley64]

For Italian I recommend Gino's right off College or Pinetta's either one is great although I tend to lean towards Gino's due to the bread. mmmm
Unfortunately, the only way to get a good steak in BR is to go to Maxwell's market choose your fav cut then grill it at home. I'm a fan of the NY Strip and I will usually call ahead and ask them to throw a couple in Pirate's Gold marinade for me to pickup later.

[DallasRain]

mmmmmmmm Wiley..I will be overafter while..what time is dinner{lol}!!

Holiday Inn has an awesome sports grill...LilRed said they have a tasty salmon!!!