Timeline of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Prior to 19th century
- 1721 – Fort established by French.[1]
- 1763 – Period of British West Florida begins.
- 1779 – September: Battle of Baton Rouge at Fort New Richmond, during the Gulf Coast campaign of the American Revolutionary War.
- 1783 – Period of Spanish West Florida officially begins; Baton Rouge fort has been renamed Fort San Carlos.
19th century
- 1805 – Spanish Town, first residential area, is established.
- 1806 – Beauregard Town, second neighborhood, is established.
- 1810 – Baton Rouge becomes part of the Republic of West Florida in September,[2] but by December the republic is annexed by the U.S. into the Territory of Orleans, which in 1812 becomes the state of Louisiana.
- 1812-1815 – War of 1812, including the Creek War and the Battle of New Orleans
- 1817 – Town incorporated.[3]
- 1819 – Baton-Rouge Gazette newspaper begins publication.[4]
- 1833 – State Library of Louisiana headquartered in Baton Rouge.[5]
- 1835 – Louisiana State Penitentiary in operation.[6]
- 1842 – Democratic Advocate newspaper begins publication.[4]
- 1849 – Baton Rouge becomes capital of Louisiana.[3]
- 1850 – First Capitol building constructed.[7]
- 1852 – Louisiana Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and Blind[8] and Magnolia Cemetery established.
- 1860 – Andrew Lytle photography studio in business.[9][10]
- 1861 – January 23: Louisiana secession convention held.[7]
- 1862
- May 12: City occupied by U.S. federal troops.[7]
- August 5: Battle of Baton Rouge (1862).[11]
- 1867 – Baton Rouge National Cemetery established.
- 1868 – St. Joseph's Academy founded.[12]
- 1869 – Seminary of Learning of the State of Louisiana relocated to Baton Rouge.[13]
- 1870 – Seminary renamed "Louisiana State University".[13]
- 1877 – Synagogue dedicated.[14]
- 1882 – State capital returns to Baton Rouge,[1] following the Reconstruction Era.
- 1897 – Audubon Sugar School of Louisiana State University founded.[12]
20th century
- 1905 – Daily State newspaper in publication.[4]
- 1909 – Baton Rouge Refinery commissioned.
- 1914 – Southern University relocates to Scotlandville, along Scott's Bluff facing the Mississippi River in North Baton Rouge.
- 1916 – Historical Society of East and West Baton Rouge established.[15]
- 1923 – Baton Rouge General Hospital active.[16]
- 1924 – Community Coffee in business.
- 1926
- New Louisiana State University campus dedicated.[13]
- Baton Rouge High School and Arcade Theatre[17] built.
- Louisiana Municipal Association headquartered in Baton Rouge.[citation needed]
- 1928
- City Park Golf Course opens.
- Louisiana State University's College of Commerce established.
- 1929 – State Theater built.[17]
- 1932 – Current Louisiana State Capitol inaugurated.[8]
- 1934 - WJBO radio begins broadcasting.[18]
- 1935 – Huey P. Long assassinated.[8]
- 1939 – East Baton Rouge Parish Library established.
- 1940
- 1944 – Piccadilly Restaurant in business.
- 1947
- City and Parish of East Baton Rouge consolidated.
- Baton Rouge Civic Symphony Orchestra active.[11]
- H. J. Wilson Co. in business.
- 1950 – Population: 125,629.[20]
- 1953
- June 20–28: Baton Rouge bus boycott held during Civil Rights Movement.[7][11]
- WAFB-TV (television) begins broadcasting.[21]
- 1955 – WBRZ-TV begins broadcasting.[21]
- 1960
- Baton Rouge sit-ins, marches, and demonstrations by Southern University students during the Civil Rights Movement.[22]
- Broadmoor High School founded.
- Population: 152,419.[20]
- 1961 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge established.[23]
- 1962
- 1963 – Foundation for Historical Louisiana headquartered in Baton Rouge.[26]
- 1964 – Baton Rouge Chapter of the Links established.[22]
- 1970
- Baton Rouge Zoo established near city.[27]
- Population: 165,963.[20]
- 1974 – One American Place (hi-rise) built.
- 1976 – Cortana Mall Cinema in business.[28]
- 1978 – Comité des Archives de la Louisiane founded.[29]
- 1979 – Louisiana Association of Museums headquartered in city.[29]
- 1980 - Population: 219,419.[20]
- 1981 – LSU Hilltop Arboretum established.[30]
- 1982 – City and Parish of East Baton Rouge governments merged.
- 1986 – Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge established near city.
- 1987 - Richard Baker becomes U.S. representative for Louisiana's 6th congressional district.[31][relevant?]
- 1990 – Population: 219,531.[20]
- 1997
- Mall of Louisiana in business.
- Datta Temple & Hall of Trinity consecrated.[32][33]
- 1998 – City website online.[34][35]
21st century
- 2001: Bobby Simpson becomes mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish.[relevant?]
- 2005
- August 29: Hurricane Katrina.
- First African-American, Kip Holden, becomes mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish.
- Shaw Center for the Arts opens.
- 2007: Cinemark 16 Perkins Rowe (cinema) in business.[28]
- 2010: Population: 229,493 city;[36] 440,171 parish.
- 2011: Cedric Richmond becomes U.S. representative for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district.[37][relevant?]
- 2012
- April: Exxon Baton Rouge Refinery pipeline oil spill.
- June 14: Exxon Baton Rouge Refinery benzene leak.
- 2016
- July 5: Alton Sterling was fatally shot by a police officer, which led to protests in Baton Rouge.
- July 9: Protest against police violence.[38]
- July 17: 2016 shooting of Baton Rouge police officers
- August: 2016 Louisiana floods submerge thousands of homes throughout the parish
