Baton Rouge has the homespun hospitality and charm of a small town, as well as the energy and vitality expected in a flourishing city on the upswing. Baton Rouge can provide a peaceful, quiet lifestyle, or all the bustling, metropolitan activity you could ask for.

Baton Rouge received its name nearly 300 years ago when Iberville named the area for the red stick he saw on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. This capital city is an exciting blend of all that is Louisiana -- from its dynamic and diverse musical heritage, to its Cajun, Creole and Old South cuisine. It is a city of significant landmarks and museums, swamps, plantations and legendary hospitality.

Baton Rouge is the 5th largest port city in the nation. More than 600,000 people live in the metropolitan area. Baton Rouge is home to both Louisiana State University, the state's flagship university, and Southern University, the largest historically African American university in the nation. Pennington Biomedical Research Center is a part of the LSU system. C.B. Doc Pennington donated over $125 million to actualize his dream of achieving wellness through nutrition science.

In recent years, a number of new attractions, museums and restaurants have opened much to the delight of visitors from around the world. In the fall of 1999, Louisiana's Old Governors Mansion joined the Old State Capitol, riverboat casinos, the Mall of Louisiana, Bluebonnet Swamp, Alligator Bayou Swamp Tours and numerous others in providing visitors with a variety of things to see and do in the Baton Rouge area.

Today Baton Rouge's rich cultural tradition can be seen in their unique attractions, heard in its Zydeco, Blues and Cajun music, and tasted in its blend of Creole, African-American, French and Spanish cuisine. Baton Rouge is truly the center of Louisiana's excitement. It is "authentic Louisiana at every turn."

Visit http://brgov.com/ for a business directory, visitors guide, entertainment information and local community-related information. For information from the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, visit www.brchamber.org. For a look at current city and local events, including hotels, movies, restaurants, nightspots and other local resources, visit www.batonrouge.citysearch.com.