Beauregard Town is a neighborhood located somewhere between the Garden District and downtown 1. Laid out in 1806, this is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Baton Rouge. It is in good condition today; many of the structures have been restored and almost all of them (it seems!) are currently the offices of lawyers.
A 1977 study of Beuregard Town2 has this to say about the experience of walking around in it:
"In Beauregard Town the walk experience is enriched by the retaining walls that have been built to modify the original grade slope from lot to street level. This experience is quite different from the "leveled" subdivisions that prevail today. The street/walk scale in Beuregard Town is one connected with the luxuries of open-public space of a bygone era and is oriented to the scale of people. The streets are among the most narrow in Baton Rouge and do not appear so dominant. Sidewalks exist along every street in Beauregard Town making for a very social-walking community. there is a liberal abundance of crape myrtles. With the green space and the trees, the street becomes subordinated and a visually attractive walkway. An average of 10-15' of open lawn space between the walk and the houses makes a more intimate enclosed space. Thus, the sidewalk becomes the major pedestrian path through a narrow space."
Notes and References
- Beauregard Town on LA National Register of Historic Places -
- Beauregard Town on LivingPlaces.com - expansion and discussion of the National Register listing information.
Comments
Footnotes
1. See Map Graphic)
2. "Special in-depth study of Beauregard Town," by William Jensen Lee. (La 711.4 J54b @ the main library)
