If you plan on moving to the Shreveport–Bossier area, you should understand that we are not like the rest of the state of Louisiana, which on the whole is ranked 49th in terms of education, health care, and quality of life (thank heavens for Mississippi). We are known as “Louisiana’s Other Side” for a good reason: quality schools, excellent health care, and a way of living that rivals that of larger, more sophisticated cities of the South. Of course, these positives do not stop folks from complaining, but you have to admire people who aim for perfection; it only makes Shreveport–Bossier a better place to live. The one thing everybody complains about and cannot seem to fix, however, is the heat, with the temperature reaching the triple digits in Aug and Sept, sometimes for up to 25 days in a row, with no rain. It is only the introduction of air-conditioning that allowed the South in general, and Shreveport–Bossier in particular, to prosper. But many of the old Victorian homes, with 10- to 12-foot ceilings and large windows and large porches, recall how earlier residents dealt with the heat and become enviable spots when the electricity goes out during the summer months (fortunately a rare occurrence).
The population of the Twin Cities represents a diversity unique to our region. Barksdale Air Force Base, with its new Global Strike Command designed to reinvigorate the “nuclear enterprise,” and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center have brought people from around the globe to town. The generous state tax incentive for the film industry also has attracted new residents by generating new jobs. International students who come to study often return to make this area their new home. African American families have been here for generations along with folks whose great grandparents lived a comfortable existence. The recent discovery of the Haynesville Shale, one of the largest inland natural gas reserves in the world, made paupers into millionaires overnight, especially in DeSoto Parish. The result has been a new industry in the region, new wealth and more jobs, with more land men descending on us than ants on a sugar cube. Finally, Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans on August 29, 2005, brought several hundreds of people northward, with some choosing to start their lives over here rather than returning to the Big Easy. Rather than a melting pot, Shreveport and Bossier represent more of a tossed salad: rich in diversity and reasons to call this place home.
Sports-oriented people also move to town because of the great offerings. Spectator sports, hunting, fishing, bird-watching, and hiking serve as quite the lure to people who enjoy the outdoors. The reasonable cost of living actually allows many people to have weekend cabins from which they catch bass or shoot deer, when in-season. If you love hunting, fishing, and going to church on Sunday, welcome home. But the more artistic-minded will find a welcoming community as well, while the serious shoppers and foodies will also be pleasantly surprised. And should you need to experience a big city, Dallas is only 2½ hours away by car (38 minutes by plane).
The earliest neighborhood was what is currently known as downtown Shreveport. While mostly commercial today, there has been a recent resurgence of residential life with the development of condos and apartments; the hope of revitalizing the downtown district lives on. To the west of downtown are the neighborhoods of Ledbetter Heights and Allendale. These neighborhoods once housed some of the most famous families of the area and still have some great homes of note, especially the Logan Mansion at 725 Austin Place. The street names provide a roll call of early settlers, innovators, and politicians, as do the tombstones of Oakland Cemetery. Caddo, Fannin, Sprague, and Milam streets all dead-end into Pete Harris Drive, named after one of the co-owners and operators of the Freedom and Harris Café, which later became known as just Pete Harris Café. Once having the acclaim of being the oldest continuously operated African American restaurant in the United States, this great established shut its doors at the end of 2006; many locals are still grieving. Many of the homes in Allendale were built in the early part of the 20th century, along with the Queensborough, Lakeside, and West End neighborhoods, developed at approximately the same time. This area of town is predominately African American in culture and cuisine. Farther west, past the Shreveport Regional Airport, lies the area uniquely known as West Shreveport or Pines Road, which continues to expand and will probably, within the next decade, bump against the town of Greenwood, which rests on the border with Texas.
South of downtown, the historic Highland district, takes its name from its elevation. Perhaps one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Shreveport and Bossier in both population and architecture, Highland has experienced a re-gentrification on some its more popular streets. While its official borders are sometimes debated, it is considered by most locals to be defined by I-20 on the north, Kings Highway on the south, Line Avenue on the west, and Youree Drive on the east. This was the first area for apartment complexes and served as a neighborhood for many immigrant families. Some of the great Victorian homes still can be found in Highland, although many have been lost to fire and demolition. This eclectic part of town also hosts the Krewe of Highland Parade the last Sun afternoon before Mardi Gras at which point thousands of people come to enjoy the fun and spectacle of this event.
Farther south, past Kings Highway, Caddo Heights and South Highlands offer some of the grandest homes in the area, many dating back to the 1920s. Live oaks border many of the streets, creating a natural canopy that pleases residents but drives the local power company mad (since fallen limbs tend to be the major cause of power outages in this part of town). With the average home price hovering around $220,000, it is one of the most expensive places in Shreveport to live, with the notable exception of Spring Lake and the gated communities off Ellerbe Road, both neighborhoods farther south. The swanky area known as Pierremont rests directly south of South Highlands, with many homes sitting on more than an acre of land. Another neighborhood, University Terrace, is also located in South Shreveport, as are many quaint subdivisions south on Youree Drive in the LSUS area.
The neighborhoods of Broadmoor, Anderson, and Shreve Island are located on the eastern side of town. Many charming two- to four-bedroom homes, most built between 1930 and 1970, provide a diversity of styles and neighbors interested in keeping the area safe for children. Homes in these areas are reasonably priced and tend not to stay on the market long.
Neighborhoods in south Shreveport include Sunset Acres, Garden Valley, Morningside, Hyde Park, Brookwood, and Southern Hills. These areas are well-established subdivisions with one- and two-story brick homes with nice-sized yards, perfect for families. The main thoroughfare, Mansfield Road, has several restaurants, grocery stores, and shops that cater to persons living in this part of town. The average cost of a home in these neighborhoods is approximately $140,000, with many fine homes available for less.
Bossier is a conglomerate of neighborhoods, one easily flowing into the next. For this reason, it is generally better to discuss areas by zip codes. The downtown area of Bossier (71111) has a variety of homes, with the median cost resting just at $75,000. This section would include the areas of Texas and Traffic streets. As one heads north on Benton Road, subdivisions begin to appear and housing costs increase significantly, to the average of $155,000 the closer one comes to 71006. As a rule of thumb: the farther north from downtown Bossier, the higher the price and the newer the homes. But if you are looking for a relatively new home in an established subdivision with great neighbors, you should certainly look in this part of town. As you head into South Bossier on Barksdale Boulevard (US 71), neighborhoods off of Robert E. Lee Boulevard, Sunflower Road, and Golden Meadows Drive will be less expensive, but, for the most part, not new. But the area around Bayou Drive possesses a solid sense of neighborhood with homes retaining their value. Drive out Curtis Sligo Road (LA 612) to find nice-sized homes located on significantly sized lots, blending good living with a sense of being in the country.
It might seem initially odd for a professor of Religious Studies and the current holder of the Arthur and Emily Webb Chair in International Studies at Centenary College of Louisiana to write the first book-length travel guide for Shreveport and Bossier City. One might think my day job should be my sole focus (I assure you, being a professor at a small, liberal arts college entails more than such a term suggests) or that I am simply not the one who should be composing such a text. But I consistently attempt to model for students the nature of inquiry and how curiosity can take our research into unexpected directions. In many ways, the writing of this book provides just another example.
And as an avid traveler who has explored all the continents except Antarctica (it remains on my to-do list) and a professor who demonstrates to his students the value of engaging other cultures, I realized that nothing would prohibit me from taking the same skills I use to develop “thick descriptions” of religious cultures around the world and applying them to the history, lives, and affairs of Shreveport and Bossier City. The result of my attempt to “go native” is represented within these pages.
What I discovered is a medium-sized metropolitan area full of hidden treasures, a Twin City (more fraternal than identical) linked by history, cultures, and the slow-moving, muddy waters of the Red River. Who knew the stories that could be uncovered by looking closely at architecture or that lives of our cities’ forefathers and mothers could be remembered by walking through a cemetery? And, as you will surely discover, the locals love to talk, providing a sense of a collective consciousness that has kept many tales alive through oral tradition. I hope I have done them justice in sharing some of these stories in written form.
You will find a place rich in African American culture, awash in Southern charm, and somewhat rustic on the exterior but compassionate on the interior and poised for greatness. Of course, part of a New Orleans feel pervades the area, especially when the Saints score or Mardi Gras season starts, with parades rolling through the streets and the taste of King Cake found on the lips of just about everybody.
Shreveport–Bossier has activities for all ages, from petting zoos and a water park to five casinos and a nationally acclaimed racetrack. But I have attempted to share many of the less obvious, local insiders’ secrets in these pages; sights, activities, and opportunities you might otherwise have missed. Launch forth with a sense of adventure and an openness to new experiences and anticipate being pleasantly surprised.
Come and discover how Elvis Presley’s career was launched from Shreveport, how the Saenger and Ehrlich Brothers built one of the grandest theaters of its time, and how the Louisiana Boardwalk has become one of the top tourist destinations in the region. Enjoy our numerous parks and other outdoor recreational activities; come experience why you will see us playing the back nine on the golf course, or grilling in the park, or sitting on our front porch, even on the hottest dog days of summer. Being outdoors seems to be in our blood, a pleasant fever we have no intention of shaking but every desire to spread. Sample our museums while you plan your next great meal. Tour the neighborhoods to admire the different architectural styles and sense of “lived space” to be found. And give yourself permission to slow down and enjoy; allow the River Cities to be an ongoing set of adventures rather than a static destination. With such an attitude, you will begin to understand why we enjoy life here.
Finally, learn about how we are destined to become the next great metropolitan area in the South. Listen to the stories of persons who became millionaires overnight because of the Haynesville Shale, find out how Hollywood has come to town, and why Barksdale Air Force Base has been given a new, tremendous responsibility to keep our nation safe. Come and learn about our past, enjoy the present, and consider hopping on board and riding into our great future.
The military importance of Shreveport–Bossier can be traced back to the Civil War, while farther south Natchitoches had Fort St. Jean Baptiste, established in 1714 to protect the area (that was owned by the French) from Spanish invasion. Given the logjam of the Red River, the northwest corner of the state held little strategic relevance until the Great Raft was cleared through the efforts of Henry Shreve and others. Since then, the military has been part of our history and economic significance. Today, with Global Strike Command located at Barksdale Air Force Base and the emergence of the Cyber Innovation Center, we are ready to compose another great chapter about how northwest Louisiana helps protect and uphold the principles of democracy and freedom.