Adjacent to the Mississippi River, the area was inhabited by native Americans for thousands of years. "Baton Rouge" relates to "Red Stick" which is said to have marked the boundary of local tribes.

French traders arrived upriver from New Orleans in 1699 and by 1719 a fort was built on the east bank of the river. In 1763 France was defeated by Britain and the area east of the Mississippi River was given to Britain (and the areas to the west of the river were given to Spain), During the American Revolution, Spain declared war on Britain and the British were driven out of the area.

East Baton Rouge parish is the home of the capital of Louisiana. The capital was moved from New Orleans in 1845, the building resembled a castle. In 1932, a new capital was built.

East Baton Rouge parish is home to major petrochemical industries, again, because of it's proximity to the navigable Mississippi River. The area was subject to flooding of the river until the Corps of Engineers built a levee system.

East Baton Rouge parish is home to the main campus of Louisiana State University (LSU).
On the west side of the Mississippi River is West Baton Rouge Parish. Unlike East Baton Rouge, it is not as densly populated. But it is also part of the petrochemical corridor.

For more information about the Baton Rouge area, see http://www.visitbatonrouge.com/