If you’re at Brightside Bar & Grill and somebody who’s new in town asks you for directions to The Pelican House, you’re likely to end up having to explain more than just point A to B.
“I stay on this road the whole way?” this poor soul may ask. “But I’m starting on Brightside, and then I’m turning right from College onto Corporate? How’s that possible?”
It’s one of Baton Rouge’s truly unique quirks: the fact that many of our major streets change names at least once.
In the early days of Baton Rouge, back in 1806 when plantation owner Elie Beauregard named the first North, South and East boulevards in what would eventually become downtown, planners never imagined the future size of the city. Brightside, Lee and College drives were built separately years ago and then connected later at major intersections. Thus: the Perkins Road intersection, where College becomes Lee, and the Nicholson Drive intersection, where Lee becomes Brightside.
It’s a little tricky, but we’ve got a cheat sheet.
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This article was originally published in the May 2017 issue of 225 Magazine.
