History
Shreveport is located 320 miles northwest of New Orleans and 192 miles east of Dallas in northwest Louisiana. It is the commercial and cultural focal point of the Ark-La-Tex, the geographic region formed by the junction of three states.
Shreveport is served by airlines [Delta, American, Northwest, Continental and Allegiant Air] with good connections to all parts of the country. Along with Bossier City, just across the Red River, the Shreveport metropolitan area has a population of more than 300,000. Shreveport is within driving distance of exceptional recreation areas such as the Ouachita Mountains of southern Arkansas, the forests and bayous of northern Louisiana, and Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Sabine River bordering Texas and Louisiana. It is a growing center of education, business, industry and the arts.
Shreveport is named for Captain Henry Miller Shreve, a steamboat captain, who in the 1830's cleared the great log jam ("Great Raft") that stretched 165 miles along the Red River. This accomplishment opened the area to commerce, marking the beginning of growth and leading to the incorporation of the city of Shreveport in 1839 on property obtained from the Caddo Indians. Agriculture and the lumber industry were the mainstays of the economy until the 1900's when the oil boom served as the impetus for industrial and commercial expansion.
Bossier City, Shreveport's sister city across the Red River, was incorporated in 1907. The establishment of Barksdale Air Force Base in 1933 triggered expansion, and since that time Bossier City has been one of the fastest growing cities in the region. Today, Shreveport-Bossier serves as the trade and culture center of the 200 mile radius extending into Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas known as the Ark-La-Tex. These two cities offer a large variety of attractions, cultural activities, festivals, and cuisine.
Tourism is a growing industry for Shreveport/Bossier City because of the many attractions from professional sports (baseball, basketball, and football) to riverboat casinos to thoroughbred racing at Louisiana Downs. The metropolitan area of Shreveport/Bossier City offers more than 30 mall and shopping centers, a large selection of specialty shops and factory outlet stores, and numerous night clubs that feature a variety of music and live entertainment. Because of the growing tourist industry, Shreveport/Bossier City has a surprisingly large number and variety of restaurants that feature delectable cuisines such as Cajun/Creole, French, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Polynesian, etc. Many restaurants feature a variety of Louisiana foods such as crawfish, shrimp, oysters, Atchafalaya catfish, seafoods and fish from the Gulf, and of course, Cajun dishes of all types.
The mild climate of Shreveport/Bossier City offers ample opportunity for its citizens to take advantage of the large number of excellent facilities for outdoor recreation. Area lakes, bayous, parks, and campsites offer outstanding fishing, swimming, and boating facilities. Tennis, softball, and golf are played year-round. In addition, the geographic location of Shreveport/Bossier in the Ark-La-Tex allows day-trips or weekend excursions to regional attractions, such as Louisiana Cajun country, scenic antebellum homes in Natchitoches, the Ozarks mountains and rivers of Arkansas, the Civil War battlefield park at Vicksburg, and the cities of Jackson, Little Rock, Houston, Dallas and New Orleans.
Area Attractions
American Rose Center:
North America's largest rose garden of 118 acres that is the headquarters for the American Rose Society.
Bossier Civic Center:
The civic center offers meeting space, a banquet hall, open exhibit space, and in-house decorating for trade shows. The center is near casinos, horse racing, art galleries, museums, and restaurants.
Caddo Lake:
This large lake, which extends into Texas, typifies Louisiana with its scenic Cypress trees, alligators, varied wildlife, and excellent bass fishing.
CenturyTel Center:
Located on the banks of the Red River, CenturyTel Center is called "home" by both the Mudbugs CHL hockey team and The Bossier City Battle Wings, an af2 team, and host a variety of other sporting events. This venue also features concerts, family shows, ice-skating shows, motor sports, rodeos, conventions, religious and community events, as well as other special events.
Cross Lake:
This large lake offers excellent fishing, boating, water skiing, party barges, and sailing and is the location of the Shreveport Yacht Club.
Expo Hall:
Conventions, trade shows, concerts, and special events.
Football:
Shreveport is the site for the annual Independence Bowl. The city's arena football team is the Battle Wings.
Hockey:
Shreveport has a professional hockey team, the Mudbugs.
Louisiana Downs:
One of the nation's top thoroughbred racetracks features glass enclosed grandstand, restaurants, and elegant dining during the racing season of April to November. In addition, gaming is a new attraction at Louisiana Downs.
Louisiana Riverwalk:
The riverwalk offers visitors and citizens a mixture of options including traditional retail, outlet/value-oriented retail, live performance theaters, restaurants, hotels, and other recreational outdoor entertainment.
Riverboat Casinos:
Five riverboat casinos docked on the Red River offer riverboat gaming facilities including restaurants, specialty shops, and lounges. Each riverboat offers a luxurious hotel with many attractions and entertainment provided by national celebrities.
Sci Port Discovery Center:
This 67,000 square-foot facility features more than 200 hands-on exhibits and programs for all ages. It also includes eight interactive discovery areas, an IMAX Dome Theater, daily shows, demonstrations, a gift shop and café.
Shreveport Convention Center:
The Shreveport Convention Center is a 350,000 square foot facility that serves as a Convention and Trade Show venue in the city and the Northwest Louisiana Region. The convention center is the single largest public facility in the city and is the center of community activity and a primary point of civic pride for the citizens of Shreveport . As an anchor for the north end of downtown, the convention center is an essential part of downtown development.
Shreveport Swamp Dragons:
Professional double A baseball is featured during the April to August baseball season at Shreveport 's baseball facility, Fairgrounds Field.
SPAR Planetarium:
Exciting multimedia star shows, story telling, public shows, private parties, and educational entertainment for all ages.
Galleries & Museums
Shreveport-Bossier City:
A cultural center featuring dance, ballet, symphony, theater, and other performing arts. Some of the many attractions are listed below:
Ark-La-Tex Antique & Classic Vehicle Museum:
The museum offers more than 40 models of automotive history in both classic and antique vehicles. Exhibits are rotated every six months.
Barnwell Garden & Art Center:
A combined art and domed botanical garden conservatory dominated by tropical plants and featuring an ever-changing exhibit of works of art.
East Bank Gallery:
This gallery features works by regional artists as rotating exhibits.
Eighth Air Force Museum:
This museum offers an historical journey from World War I to the present and features military artifacts from uniforms to aircraft.
Kuumba Fine Art & Gift Gallery:
The gallery offers paintings and fine woodcarvings depicting African American life.
Louisiana State Exhibit Museum:
This museum is renowned for its large murals, frescoes, and amazing dioramas that depict the history and culture of Louisiana and its Indian populations.
Louisiana State Oil & Gas Museum:
This museum displays the importance of the oil industry and its 1900 boom town is detailed as well as early Caddo Indian relics.
Mardi Gras in the Ark-La-Tex Museum:
This museum offers a fascinating display of the history of Mardi Gras in Shreveport-Bossier. The exhibits include floats, Mardi Gras royalty costumes, and all the trapping of Mardi Gras festivities.
Meadows Museum of Art:
The museum's permanent collection features works of French academic artist Jean Despujols documenting the peoples of Indochina. It prevents the highest level of aesthetic achievements of individuals and cultures.
Pioneer Heritage Center:
Authentic 1830s-1860s buildings from the pioneer days in Northwest Louisiana.
R.W. Norton Art Gallery:
This gallery is located on a beautiful 40-acre park and features the southwest's largest collection of American Western paintings and sculptures of Frederick Remington and Charles Russell. In addition, rotating collections of works of art are displayed on a frequent basis.
Spring Street Historical Museum:
This museum contains original vault and the only remaining example of a Victorian cast-iron grillwork gallery. It also features maps, videos, Civil War artifacts, uniforms and equipment from both World Wars and much more.
Touchstone Wildlife and Art Museum:
Natural habitats of more than 1,000 mounted animals of wildlife from around the world are displayed.
Performing Arts
Numerous groups and organizations provide a variety of musical, dance and theatrical performance. Samplings of these are listed below:
Ark-La-Tex Roundup:
Country to Gospel music.
East Bank Theater:
A variety of community theater is offered.
Fair Park Cultural Series:
Professional productions featuring minority artists.
Gas Light Players:
Summer theater at the Fairgrounds.
Gilbert and Sullivan Society:
Operetta at its finest.
Hurley School of Music:
Musical selections offered as a series.
Intercity Row Modern Dance Company:
Modern dance offering African, classical, ballet and jazz themes.
La JAZDANZ:
Louisiana's only professional Jazz dance company that presents exhilarating dance programs.
Louisiana Dance Foundation:
Summer dance festival.
Marjorie Lyons Playhouse:
Theatre at Centenary College.
Performing Arts Center:
Theatre and music offered at First United Methodist Church.
Peter Pan Players:
Children's theatre.
Port Players:
Theatre of various types.
Shreveport Little Theatre:
Theatre of various types.
Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet:
Three-full length performances of classical ballet.
Shreveport Metropolitan Concert Band:
Free concerts throughout the year.
Shreveport Opera:
Opera music, and theatre featuring local and touring national performers.
Shreveport Symphony:
A truly outstanding professional symphonic orchestra that offers concerts throughout the year, often featuring national and international artists.
Strand Theater:
This ornate theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers year-round theater, including touring groups from Broadway.
Theater of Performing Arts:
African-American theatre.
The Laugh Shoppe Comedy Troupe:
Local group of comics who perform at various venues.
Annual Events & Festival
Shreveport/Bossier City offers a large selection of events and festivals for all ages and interests. Festivals usually feature touring artists, craftsmen, and musicians and offer ethnic foods of all types. A sampling of these events is listed:
JANUARY/FEBRUARY:
Mardi Gras offers parades, balls, parties, and special events; African American Parade.
MARCH:
Louisiana Redbud Festival offers parades, 5k run, crafts, food booths, and entertainment.
APRIL:
Dogwood Festival; Holiday in Dixie ; Hal Sutton & David Toms Christus Schumpert Charity Classic (two-day golf event).
MAY:
Poke Salad Festival (carnival & parade); Mudbug Madness (crawfish and Cajun food are the highlights); Jazz & Gumbo Festival; Cinco de Mayo Fiesta (Hispanic festival); and ARTBREAK – dance, music, theater, food, fun, and a 5K road race.
JUNE:
Annual Sunflower Trail & Festival; Black Eyed Pea Festival; Cross Lake Floatilla; and Let the Good Times Roll Festival - celebrates African-American culture, music, art, and food.
JULY:
Red River Western Festival – western events; Riverblast – Fourth of July celebration with fireworks, food, music and fun.
SEPTEMBER:
Super Derby Festival; Pioneer Days – arts, crafts, games, parade, and contests; Pumpkin Shine on Line – entertainment, jack-o-lanterns, and concessions.
OCTOBER:
Boomtown Days; Monterey Days Heritage Festival; Red River Revel Arts Festival; Mooringsport Fall Festival; State Fair of Louisiana.
NOVEMBER:
Christmas in Roseland; Holiday Trail of Lights; Rockets Over the Red.
DECEMBER:
Festival of Trees; Christmas on Caddo; Christmas On The Red; Country Christmas Festival; December On The Red; Independence Bowl – post-season college football bowl game featuring teams from the Big 12 and Southeaster Conferences. A number of ancillary events surround the game.
JANUARY TO DECEMBER:
Around the clock food, entertainment, and gaming on the Riverboats on the Red River. Scores of special events all year.
APRIL to AUGUST:
The Shreveport Sports baseball season.
APRIL to NOVEMBER:
Thoroughbred racing at Louisiana Downs.
SEPTEMBER TO MAY:
Shreveport Symphony Orchestra.
OCTOBER to MARCH:
Professional hockey. Shreveport 's Mudbugs take to the ice.
