Standard Oil built its Baton Rouge refinery in 1909 on the north bank of the Mississippi, and it became one of the largest refineries in the world. The plant is still operating — now as ExxonMobil — covering 2,400 acres along the river with a visible stack of towers, pipes, and flares that glow at night. The petrochemical corridor it anchored made Louisiana an industrial state and created the 'Cancer Alley' debate that defines the city's environmental politics today.
Quick facts
- ·Standard Oil built its Baton Rouge refinery in 1909 on the north bank of the Mississippi.
- ·Now operated as ExxonMobil, the facility covers 2,400 acres with visible towers, pipes, and flares that glow at night.
- ·One of the largest refineries in the world; the anchor of Louisiana's petrochemical corridor.
- ·Created the 'Cancer Alley' debate that defines the city's environmental politics today.
- ·Visible from I-110 and the River Road; an active industrial facility, not a visitor site.
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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.