The Turkish Baths of Baton Rouge

On the first day the bf and I came to Baton Rouge back in July to look at rentals, a most intriguing old building caught my eye. It was an abandoned Turkish Baths/ old-time health spa. It was to become my ABR white whale. I couldn't find it for months after moving here. Not having a vehicle certainly didn't help matters. But recently, I finally found it again, and I believe the area is called Beauregardtown.

This was in an area of town that let's just say, I felt a bit conspicuous. No matter. That wouldn't keep me from the find. I believe the top of this wall says SLENDERIZING SAUNA. I'm thinking about those boxes people hung out in in those early moving pictures, where just their heads stuck out, and they'd come out all small.

So like I said...a part of town I'm not in too much.

Some guy in a pickup stopped and spoke to me in such a thick accent I honestly had no idea what he was saying. Finally I offered up my "I'm an art student" excuse for the second time, and it worked again. Satisfied, he drove off.

It says something about HEALTH over this front door. But when I saw this black cat hanging out, it was time to scram.

Comments

[Brad]

Here's a link to a great article in 225 Magazine about the history (and possible future) of that location.

http://www.225batonrouge.com/news/2007/feb/26/bath-time/

[cokane]

AAaaah! You have no idea how excited I was to see the inside! Turns out it just looks like some rehearsal space in Brooklyn, though. Except for the Viking Sauna.

[Randy]

That neighborhood is actually called "The Bottom". It's mostly a lower-class black neighborhood, but it's also low-level and therefore prone to flooding. It's one of those things that I think was intended to be derogatory, but the inhabitants have since embraced (they have a yearly party there called "Bottom Bash" which is only made funnier by the fact that Splash, the city's biggest gay bar resides in that neighborhood).
Beauregard Town is a little further up the road, closer to downtown. It's actually a cool (though increasingly more expensive) neighborhood.

[Joshua]

Yeah, came here to say what Randy said. Locals call it the Bottom. Others call it Old South Baton Rouge. Beauregard Town is say, north of Government.

And you were in my neighborhood, I live on Nicholson a coupla blocks from there.

[Big Daddy]

So why is a Viking sauna in a Turkish bath?

[Actually that sounds like a set up for a bad joke.]

[cokane]

I love how they reclaimed the Bottom! I think we almost moved to B-town, for super cheap, but the guy never called and we wouldn't have had a good yard if we had.

Big Daddy, or a porno!

[Jules]

ha! pretty cool.

[Laurie]

Just got this notice through the culture candy listserv www.CultureCandy.org.
Our organization has secured the right to renovate the exterior of the Turkish Baths building located at 233 Oklahoma Street. Culture Candy has composed a team of artists that will facilitate the project. The House Project will begin December 12, 2007 and will be completed in early 2008. Culture Candy will provide an up-to-date online photo gallery of the progress through out December and January.

Should be a neat project to follow.

[jew]

ooh this is neat! I love that commenters provide the history and more research :) Good work on this one, scout! (officialy my nickname for you on this blog).

[T]

That is a cool-ass old building! Great find.

[donny]

very cool blog. especially dig this batch.

[Estella]

YALL ALL SOME STUPID WHITE FOLKS, YALL DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ART, OR ATLEAST WHY THE DRAWINGS WERE ON THE BUILDING. ITS JUST AN ABANDONED BUILDING, AND WHEN IT IS AN ABANDONED BUILDING, PEOPLE LIKE TO DO STUPID THINGS. YOU PEOPLE SOUNDING LIKE CNN. YALL ARE SO STUPID, PLEASE, WHO EVER TYPED AND PUT THIS ARTICLE UP-GO BACK TO YOUR DAY JOB!

[Estella]

YALL ALL SOME STUPID WHITE FOLKS, YALL DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ART, OR ATLEAST WHY THE DRAWINGS WERE ON THE BUILDING. ITS JUST AN ABANDONED BUILDING, AND WHEN IT IS AN ABANDONED BUILDING, PEOPLE LIKE TO DO STUPID THINGS. YOU PEOPLE SOUNDING LIKE CNN. YALL ARE SO STUPID, PLEASE, WHO EVER TYPED AND PUT THIS ARTICLE UP-GO BACK TO YOUR DAY JOB!

[Cokie Stockwell]

This was the first health club in BR. It was the Alvin Roy Health Club. 1950-1960.

Beauregard Town was laid out to be the original Baton Rouge. Itis bounded by North Blvd., East Blvd., South Blvd. and St. Ferdinand St. It was laid out like the spokes of a wheel (like Wash. DC) and the seat of government was planned to be in the center of what is now Government St.

From St. Ferdinand St. to ghe River was called Catfish Town.

Spanish Town is the second oldest (close to the new Capitol)

[Astrid Roy Clements]

Colleen, Alvin Roy was my father. Give me a call at 907-4262 if you want to know more about the building and the health and fitness revolution that start in that building. My father was a very special person.

[gibby]

had to go back to this, but some friends of mine were a day away from renting this space out to be a venue/practice space for some of the diy bands in the area.

yep... fascinated by your blog. if you ever want to go out in the country for some not-so-urban-exploring, email me as that's my expertise.