Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 10)

This entry is part 10 of 30 in the series Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah

April 10, 2024

Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 10)

By Simon J. Lau

This morning, we visited the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge. Notable for its towering height, it stands as the tallest capitol building in the United States. The structure’s striking design features an Art Deco style, highlighted by a distinctive 27-story tower crowned with a lantern and cupola.

Soon after, we visited Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, a historic Gothic Revival-style building that functioned as the state’s capitol from 1849 to 1932. Adorned with a distinctive cast-iron dome and ornate stained glass windows, it witnessed pivotal moments in Louisiana’s history, such as debates over secession and the Civil War. Compared to the current Capitol building, this historic structure is much more modest and inviting. I’m surprised by the stark contrast.

Last night, southeastern Louisiana was hit by massive thunderstorms and strong winds, prompting a tornado warning. While I’ve never encountered a tornado before, I took precautions and waited until the winds subsided. Reports later confirmed that a tornado tore through Slidell, a town that we had passed by on my way to Mobile. Thankfully, aside from several downed trees and flooded roads, there wasn’t much for us to be alarmed by.

To stay safe during the inclement weather, I took it easy on this drive. This included many pit stops, including one to McDonald’s for some McCafe and a Double Cheeseburger for myself (not shown), and some McNuggets for Bruno (featured).

Finally, our route by Lafayette to Mobile (255 miles or 410 km).