It’s nice to be surprised. Such was the case in Baton Rouge last week. I had a few hours of free time after lunch and wandered throughout downtown. Just for the fun of it, my travel partner and I decided to wander into the Capitol Building. We were glad we did. Today’s post features a photo tour of the history we discovered…

Our first stop was the Senate Chamber. With the doors wide open we were able to take a peak inside.

The Sargent at Arms even showed us an explosive piece of history, literally.

Apparently several decades ago there was some controversial legislation that resulted in a group of people bombing the Senate Chamber. To this day fragments of the wood are embedded up in the ceiling tile (tough to see in this photo). But what’s not tough to see are the bullet holes from the capitol building’s most famous incident.

It was in this hallway that U.S. Senator for Louisiana, Huey P. Long was shot, dying a few days later. He was a transformational and well-respected (except for his assassin) leader.

Just a few steps away are the photos of Louisiana’s Governors.

I thought I’d try to mimic Gov. Bobby Jindal’s pose. Surprisingly his office is only on the 4th floor of the building. I would have thought he’d have a room with a view. I suppose that view was saved for average citizens like you and I. You can take an elevator (strangely covered in plywood and cardboard), to the observation deck.

The viewing deck gives you a great view of the City of Baton Rouge.

And of course there’s a gift shop with Louisiana souvenirs.

On your way down, check out the old-timey mail depository!

Who knew all that was there? I never would have known unless I would have walked inside. The best part, it was all free!

What’s the coolest piece of history about your State Capitol Building? Share by commenting.

You can see more photos of my afternoon at the Louisiana State Capitol Building on my Facebook Fan Page.

Today’s Lesson: I always thought Capitol Buildings were merely used for creating and signing bills into law. But obviously there was a lot more to discover. Next time you’re in your state capitol, why not check out your capitol building? You may be surprised at what it offers and the history that is brought to life.

I’ll see you out there…! Just watch where you point that pistol.

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• Friends and Family – Adventures aren’t fun by yourself. It’s time to catch-up with everyone.
• Reading the Newspaper – Sitting at the breakfast table on Sunday morning cutting coupons seems simple, but it’s a relaxing way to get the day started.
• Pizza – it’s just not the same in South Africa.
• Mexican Food - tough to find on the other side of the planet.
• Purchasing my plane tickets to Australia – all those airline miles add up and it’s time to move on to the next adventure.
• Reading in the Bathroom – don’t get grossed out, but yes. You don’t always have reading material at your fingertips on the road.
• Driving – I haven’t been behind the wheel in over a month. It will be nice to not have to ask for permission to go somewhere. I’ll be able to just get up and go.
• Going to the Grocery Store – I need to eat simple, healthy meals again. It’s not easy on the road.
• Wearing Shorts – It was cold when I left Florida and it’s cold in South Africa. Bring on the warm weather.
• The Beach - It’s time to go swimming and work on the tan.
• Eating Cereal – I can’t bring myself to drink milk when out of the United States. Everytime I try, I have bad results. I’ll leave it at that.

After being away from home for a long time, what do you miss the most? Let me know by commenting.

While I may be home, my adventures continue on my Facebook Fan Page. Connect here. I’ll see you out there…!