Tucked between a fire hydrant and a historical marker, you could easily pass by without noticing this roadside oddity. This historic cannon has been here since 1861. The Fort Sumter Saloon cannon and historical marker are located on the corner of 3rd and Laurel Streets in downtown Baton Rouge.
Why is a historic cannon embedded in the sidewalk in Baton Rouge?
On April 12,1861, Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter, South Carolina, thus beginning the Civil War. Charles Wieck, a Baton Rouge saloon owner, decided to commemorate the event by renaming his newly purchased pub the Fort Sumter Saloon. He got this cannon from a local garrison and placed it outside his business. It’s most likely a Spanish cannon since they occupied Baton Rouge from 1779 to 1810. (Fort San Carlos historical marker is just down the road on 3rd street.)
The Fort Sumter Saloon remained popular until Prohibition closed its doors. The saloon is long gone, but the cannon remains.
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