March 23, 2022
BATON ROUGE MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARK
299 River Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Not sure you will find this in any travel brochure. I only discovered it because I was parked in a lot across the street when I went to the Old Capitol Building. I was attracted by this large mirrored sculpture and then discovered a nice walking/biking trail along the top of the levee. The sculpture, called “Sing The River,” was given to the city-parish by the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge. Taking the trail to the south you find USS Kidd Veterans Museum. I decided not to tour the deactivated destroyer due to time constraints, but know that is a possibility. On shore next to the entrance to the USS Kidd is the Louisiana Vietnam War Memorial featuring an A-7E Corsair II jet. Finally, and what I found most interesting, was the Red Stick sculpture, which pays homage to the city’s namesake (Baton Rouge) and original boundary markers used by the Native Americans in the Louisiana area. Water from the sculpture then cascades down through a series of levels and pools, winding much like the Mississippi River used to do.
"Sing The River" sculpture
The Mississippi River, looking north from the sculpture. The red letters spell out Baton Rouge along the bank.
Looking south along the river.
USS Kidd
Part of the Louisiana Vietnam War Memorial.
"Red Stick" sculpture.
The "Red Stick" sculpture and the first of the pools.
"Ancient Courses of the Mississippi"
