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107-549: Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium is a historic performance and meeting venue at 705 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Shreveport, Louisiana . It is an Art Deco building constructed between 1926 and 1929 during the administration of Mayor Lee Emmett Thomas as a memorial to the servicemen of World War I . In 1991, the auditorium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on October 6, 2008, it

214-876: A General Motors plant that permanently closed in August 2012. The plant produced the Chevrolet Colorado , GMC Canyon , Hummer H3 series, and the Isuzu i-Series . In January 2013, the plant was leased from Caddo Parish by Elio Motors . However, Elio Motors never went into production at the Shreveport plant. In addition to GM, other notable large companies that have had or still have Shreveport manufacturing/assembly or production facilities or operations include: General Electric (electric transformer production), Western Electric (payphone manufacturing, approximately 7,500 employees at its peak, changed ownership through

321-505: A Weather Forecast Office in Shreveport, which provides local weather forecasts and warnings, watches and advisories for hazardous weather conditions for 39 counties and parishes within the greater Ark-La-Tex region. List of cities with over 3,500 people (in 2020): The culture of the Ark-La-Tex region, and especially its music, shows a mixture of influences from the related, but distinct, cultures of its surrounding states. The music of

428-747: A research university under the leadership of President F. Jay Taylor, the university officially adopted its current name in 1970. Louisiana Tech also operates a satellite campus in Shreveport as well as classes at the Academic Success Center and Barksdale Air Force Base Instructional Site in Bossier City, and at the CenturyLink corporate headquarters in Monroe . Ruston is also home to a branch campus of Monroe-based Louisiana Delta Community College . The Shreveport–Bossier City area

535-404: A yellow fever epidemic, with over 400 additional victims eventually succumbing. The total death toll from August through November was approximately 1,200. Five Roman Catholic priests in the city and two religious sisters died while caring for yellow fever victims in the city. Greenwood Cemetery was established in 1893. A number of local African American musicians became nationally famous. By

642-526: A 21 percent increase in forcible rapes and more than 130 percent increases in both business armed robberies and business burglaries. In 2018 the local government and police authorities reported a crime drop in most categories; it was part of an overall reduction in crime since the late 20th century. As Shreveport continued its economic resurgence, the Adrian Perkins administration saw the coming of Advanced Aero Services, Tomakk Glass Partners, and

749-584: A bombing range. The efforts to procure the government's commitment to build the facility in the Greater Shreveport metropolitan area were spearheaded by a committee co-chaired by local civic leaders Andrew Querbes and John D. Ewing , beginning in 1927. It took a great deal of correspondence between the interested parties and the original proposal was rejected. However, in February 1928, a young crop duster, an Air Corps captain named Harold Ross Harris,

856-825: A branch of the Texarkana Independent School District and separated into an independent institution via a public vote in 1941). Arkadelphia is home to two liberal arts institutions: Henderson State University (founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College), which is the only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges based in Arkansas and announced plans to join the Arkansas State University System in October 2019, and Ouachita Baptist University ,

963-657: A city-owned public use facility located 3.4 miles (5.5 km) northeast of Texarkana, Arkansas's central business district , mainly provides general aviation travel but is also served by American Eagle. Exclusively general aviation service is provided by Angelina County Airport (IATA: LFK ; ICAO: KLFK ), located 8.05 miles (12.96 km) southwest of downtown Lufkin; A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional Airport (IATA: OCH ; ICAO: KOCH ), located one mile (1.6 km) outside Loop 224 northwest of TX State Highway 7; and Natchitoches Regional Airport (ICAO: KIER ), located 2.3 miles (3.7 km) south of downtown Natchitoches. The Ark-La-Tex

1070-498: A large manufacturing employer in Shreveport. By 2017, manufacturing and other goods-producing (e.g. petrochemical refining) jobs accounted for just 5% of Shreveport occupations, compared to 8% for the nationwide percentage of the workforce involved in manufacturing. Shreveport has since largely transitioned to a service economy. In particular, there has been rapid growth in the gaming industry. The city hosts various riverboat gambling casinos , and, before Hurricane Katrina in 2005,

1177-611: A loss that later made it difficult for many to gain Confederate pensions from state governments. The Red River, opened by Shreve in the 1830s, remained navigable throughout the Civil War. But seasonal water levels got so low at one point that Union Admiral David Dixon Porter was trapped with his gunboats north of Alexandria . His engineers quickly constructed a temporary dam to raise the water level and free his fleet. In 1873, Shreveport lost 759 citizens in an 80-day period to

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1284-545: A low elevation overlooking the Red River. Western and northern portions of Shreveport have an elevation over 253 feet (77 m) above sea level. Pine forests, cotton fields , wetlands , and waterways mark the outskirts of the city. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 123.396 square miles (319.59 km ), of which, 107.798 square miles (279.20 km )

1391-418: A mean income of $ 82,854; married-couple families $ 84,282 with a mean of $ 112,363; and non-family households $ 26,628 with a mean of $ 41,090. According to census estimates, 25% of its population earned from $ 50,000 to $ 100,000 annually; 13% $ 100,000 to $ 200,000; and 5% over $ 200,000. Approximately 24.9% of Shreveport lived at or below the poverty line, down from 2014 to 2018's census estimates of 25.4%. In 2019,

1498-464: A merger. In the 1980s, the oil and gas industry suffered a large economic downturn. This severely affected the regional economy, and many companies cut back jobs or went out of business, including a large retail shopping mall (South Park Mall) which closed in the late 1990s. Shreveport's economy entered a major economic recession, and many residents left the area. At one time, Shreveport was home to numerous manufacturers, including Shreveport Operations ,

1605-590: A permit for a march to the Little Union Baptist Church in Shreveport, where mourners gathered to honor and commemorate four black girls killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing on September 15 in Birmingham, Alabama . D'Artois and other officers entered the church on horseback and took out the pastor, Dr. Harry Blake, beating him severely. Also in 1963, headlines across the country reported that African American musician Sam Cooke

1712-664: A population of 393,406. Shreveport was founded in 1836 by the Shreve Town Company, a corporation established to develop a town at the juncture of the newly navigable Red River and the Texas Trail , an overland route into the newly independent Republic of Texas . It grew throughout the 20th century and, after the discovery of oil in Louisiana, became a national center for the oil industry. Standard Oil of Louisiana and United Gas Corporation were headquartered in

1819-497: A population of 81,683 people in 2020, is the second-largest city as well as a principal city of the Tyler–Longview metropolitan conurbation and Greater Longview metropolitan area . The twin cities of Texarkana, Texas , and Texarkana, Arkansas , are the fourth- and sixth-largest cities, respectively, but collectively make up the region's third-largest metropolitan area (with a combined population exceeding 140,000 residents) as

1926-678: A pre‑K through 12th grade private school. The church has produced a biblical musical, Songs of the Season , during the Christmas holidays for over 20 years. The Eastern Orthodox Church has maintained a presence in Shreveport since the early 1900s. The oldest Orthodox church in the city is St. George Greek Orthodox Church of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America , followed by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church ( Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America ), and

2033-692: A private, Baptist college affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (opened in 1886). The area also houses several historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). The largest of these, Grambling State University , located in the namesake Lincoln Parish town of Grambling (four miles [6.4 km] west of the Louisiana Tech University campus), was founded in 1901 as the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School. The university

2140-459: A private, four-year Christian university founded by R.G. LeTourneau in 1946, originally as LeTourneau Technical Institute. Inclusively, Tyler, Texas is also home to satellite higher education campuses through the University of Texas System by way of the University of Texas at Tyler (opened in 1971 as Tyler State College) and the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler (opened in 1947 as

2247-515: A public research university in Ruston, which are the largest public institutions of higher education in the Ark-La-Tex. Named after Stephen F. Austin , who led the second and most successful colonization of the region that would become the state of Texas through the migration of 300 families from other parts of the United States in 1825, the former of the two major universities was founded as

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2354-601: A teachers' college in 1923 as a result of legislation authored by State Senator Wilfred Roy Cousins, Sr. Louisiana Tech opened in 1894 (as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana) to provide educational subjects pertaining to the arts and sciences for the development of an industrial economy in Louisiana post- Reconstruction . In the 1960s the school (then named Louisiana Polytechnic Institute) became desegregated, and allowed integrated classes with white and black students; after it achieved criteria of

2461-413: A year under Dodd. Other historic large Baptist churches include Antioch Baptist , Galilee Missionary Baptist, Calvary Baptist, Broadmoor Baptist, Summer Grove Baptist, and Mount Canaan Missionary Baptist Church. Summer Grove Baptist Church was previously pastored by Wayne L. DuBose, a Baptist denominational officer. Mount Canaan was previously pastored by civil rights era icon Dr. Harry Blake, and Galilee

2568-498: Is St. Mark's Cathedral , an Episcopal Church congregation dating its establishment to the first religious service held in Shreveport in 1839. It became the see of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana in 1990. In Shreveport's interdenominational and Pentecostal population, Shreveport Community Church (an evangelical church affiliated with Assemblies of God USA ) owns and operates Evangel Christian Academy ,

2675-605: Is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana . It is the third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge . The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish , of which it is the parish seat. It extends along the west bank of the Red River into neighboring Bossier Parish . The 2020 census tabulation for the city's population was 201,573, while the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area had

2782-541: Is also part of the I-20 Cyber Corridor linking the tech-centered Dallas–Fort Worth , Shreveport–Bossier , Greater Monroe , and Greater Atlanta metropolitan areas together. The city of Shreveport is 188 miles (303 km) from Dallas , 98 miles (158 km) from Tyler , and 41 miles (66 km) from Marshall , Texas; 215 miles (346 km) from Little Rock and 73 miles (117 km) from Texarkana , Arkansas; and 250 miles (400 km) from

2889-605: Is an integral point on the United States Interstate Network , with three major interstate highways— Interstate 20 , Interstate 30 , and Interstate 49 —servicing the region, connecting five of the region's largest cities, Tyler, Longview, Marshall, Shreveport and Bossier City. Interstates 20 and 49—the latter of which has its northern terminus at the intersection of the former of the two Interstates—bisect Shreveport, intersecting with I-220 and LA Highway 3132 (which both serve as bypass routes connecting

2996-480: Is home to a branch of the National Weather Service which provides forecasts and warnings for the greater Ark-La-Tex region. Shreveport's population was initially 1,728 at the 1850 U.S. census , and has experienced growth to a historic high of 206,989 at the 1980 census . According to the 2020 United States census , there were 187,593 people, 73,114 households, and 42,775 families residing in

3103-569: Is home to several colleges; among them, the Methodist -affiliated Centenary College of Louisiana (originally founded in the East Feliciana Parish town of Jackson in 1825, eventually relocating to Shreveport in 1908), Louisiana Baptist University and Theological Seminary (founded in 1973), Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport (opened in 1969 as the only medical school in northern Louisiana) and one of

3210-449: Is land and 15.548 square miles (40.27 km ) is water. Shreveport—since the mid-1990s—has been a major gambling center with a modest downtown skyline. The "Streetscape" project, inspired by the coming of riverboat gaming, gave Shreveport's downtown traditional brick sidewalks, statues, sculptures, and mosaics. The O.K. Allen Bridge (Texas Street bridge) was lit with neon lights. Since then, Downtown Shreveport has seen minor changes until

3317-450: Is most often attributed by high precipitation supercell thunderstorms —within which tornadoes are often partially or fully wrapped in curtains of heavy rain, impairing them from being seen by storm spotters and chasers , law enforcement, and the public—due to an increase of moisture from proximity to the nearby Gulf of Mexico . Some areas of the region, such as Bossier City, average a slightly above normal rate of tornadoes when compared to

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3424-627: Is named for J. S. Noel Jr. The church was begun as a mission in 1906. In 2023, First United Methodist voted to leave the United Methodist Church. The large Holy Trinity Catholic Church , located downtown, was founded in 1858; it served Irish and German immigrants as well as native-born residents. Five priests died of yellow fever in the 1873 epidemic. The current sanctuary in Romanesque revival style architecture dates to 1896. Particularly striking in size and architecture

3531-1101: Is one of the oldest predominantly black colleges west of the Mississippi River). Shreveport Regional Airport ( IATA : SHV ; ICAO : KSHV ), located off Hollywood Avenue in southwestern Shreveport, is the region's primary commercial airport. Established in 1952, Shreveport Regional is served by Allegiant Air (with flights to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and Orlando Sanford International Airport ), American Airlines (to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport ), Delta Air Lines (to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport ), GLO Airlines (to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport ), and United Airlines (as United Express, to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Denver International Airport ). Shreveport Downtown Airport (IATA: DTN ; ICAO: KDTN ), built in 1931 and located north of downtown Shreveport along

3638-607: Is part of the Choctaw Country tourist region) and mainly encompass the Tyler–Longview–Lufkin–Nacogdoches television market area, while the counties and parishes in the eastern half of the region are included in the Shreveport–Texarkana television market. However, some Arkansas counties—under certain, looser definitions of the Ark-La-Tex region—in northwesternmost areas of the southwestern section of

3745-531: Is today a traditional Jewish synagogue. Shreveport, historically, has had a large and civic-minded Jewish community and has elected three Jewish mayors. The Islamic community in Shreveport-Bossier constituted approximately 14% of Louisiana's total Muslim population in 2018. The majority of Shreveporter Muslims are Sunni , followed by the Nation of Islam and non-denominational Islam . Shreveport

3852-821: The Ark-La-Tex Jubilee , followed a month later by the long-running and influential Louisiana Hayride program. Hayride director Horace Logan and regular performer Webb Pierce started a music publishing company called Ark-La-Tex Music. Drummer Brian Blade , a Shreveport native, included a song entitled "Ark.La.Tex." on his 2014 album Landmarks , exploring the mixture of musical influences in his home region. The region contains Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, one of four public universities unaffiliated with any of Texas's six university systems , and Louisiana Tech University ,

3959-553: The Heliopolis , to remove the log jam. The company and the village of Shreve Town were named in Shreve's honor. Shreve Town was originally contained within the boundaries of a piece of land sold to the company in 1835 by the indigenous Caddo Indians . In 1838 Caddo Parish was created from the large Natchitoches Parish , and Shreve Town became its parish seat. On March 20, 1839, the town was incorporated as Shreveport. Originally,

4066-486: The I-20 Cyber Corridor linking Shreveport to Dallas and Atlanta . Companies with significant operations or headquarters in Shreveport are Amazon , Regions Financial Corporation , JPMorgan Chase , Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall , AT&T Mobility , United Parcel Service , Walmart , SWEPCO , General Electric , UOP LLC , Calumet Specialty Products Partners , and APS Payroll . Shreveport

4173-855: The Louisiana Maneuvers . The field exercise's mission was accomplished largely due to General George S. Patton , who commanded the mock "Blue" army's 2nd Armored Division. Shreveport was home to the Louisiana Hayride radio program, broadcast weekly from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium . During its heyday from 1948 to 1960, this program stimulated the careers of some of the greatest figures in American music. The Hayride featured musicians including Hank Williams and Elvis Presley , who made his broadcasting debut at this venue. In

4280-488: The Red River . Three of the four National Forests located within the Piney Woods of East Texas are wholly or partially within the Ark-La-Tex boundaries: Angelina National Forest (spanning Angelina , Nacogdoches , San Augustine and Jasper counties), Sabine National Forest (near Hemphill ) and Davy Crockett National Forest (between Lufkin and Crockett ). The Red River is the principal mainstem waterway in

4387-642: The Southern Baptist Convention , National Baptist Convention (USA) , National Baptist Convention of America , and Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship are the largest Baptist denominations in the city. The Progressive National Baptist Convention is the largest Progressive Baptist group in the area. Methodists are mainly affiliates of the African Methodist Episcopal Church or Christian Methodist Episcopal Church , though some also claimed affiliation to

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4494-573: The Texas Street bridge , was lit with neon lights . Residents predictably had a variety of reactions to these changes. Shreveport was named an All-American City in 1953, 1979, and 1999. In the 1990s, Shreveport became known for its rap music scene, and acquired its famous aka name, Ratchet City . The term was first used by the group Lava House in its 1999 single "Ratchet". During the September 11, 2001 attacks , President George W. Bush

4601-549: The United States Army Corps of Engineers restored navigability by completion of a series of federally funded lock-and-dam structures and a navigation channel. As early as 1924, the citizens of Shreveport became interested in hosting a military flying field. In 1926, Shreveport citizens learned that the 3rd Attack Wing stationed at Fort Crockett , Texas, would be enlarged by 500 percent and would require at least 20,000 acres (81 km ) to support aerial gunnery and

4708-478: The civil rights movement to correct injustices under Jim Crow and disenfranchisement of blacks. While activism gradually increased, 1963 was a particularly violent year in Shreveport because of white resistance. The Shreveport home of Dr. C. O. Simpkins was bombed in retaliation for his work with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In September 1963 George W. D'Artois , Public Service Commissioner, refused

4815-515: The 1910s, Huddie William Ledbetter —also known as "Lead Belly", a blues singer and guitarist—was performing for Shreveport audiences in St. Paul's Bottoms, the notable red-light district of Shreveport that operated legally from 1903 to 1917. Ledbetter began to develop his own style of music after exposure to a variety of musical influences on Fannin Street, a row of saloons, brothels , and dance halls in

4922-514: The 2010s; the whole of Shreveport has been improving roads since the mid-2010s, with continued road projects in 2018. In 2018, buildings in Shreveport's downtown and nearby districts were revitalized due to re-investment in the area. In 2020, plans were unveiled for the I-49 Connector and further redevelopment of the city. Shreveport encompasses many areas, neighborhoods, and districts. The busiest thoroughfares and areas of Shreveport are

5029-679: The Ark-La-Tex; Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (IATA: TYR ; ICAO: KTYR ), a city-owned public use airport in Tyler; offers service to and from Dallas/Fort Worth International and, on a seasonal basis, Denver International, respectively, via American Eagle and Frontier Airlines . East Texas Regional Airport (IATA: GGG ; ICAO: KGGG ), located nine miles (14 km) south of Longview, is used for general aviation and military training but also provides connector service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport via American Airlines and American Eagle. Texarkana Regional Airport (IATA: TXK ; ICAO: KTXK ),

5136-477: The Bottoms. Bluesmen Jesse Thomas , Dave Alexander , and Kenny Wayne Shepherd , and the early jazz and ragtime composers Bill Wray and Willian Christopher O'Hare were all from Shreveport. Lead Belly achieved international fame. By 1914, neglect and lack of use, due to diversion of freight traffic to railroad lines, resulted in the Red River becoming unnavigable. In projects accomplished over decades, in 1994,

5243-682: The East Texas Tuberculosis Sanitarium and chartered into The University of Texas System in 1977 by the system's Board of Regents) as well as one of two independent institutions, Tyler Junior College (opened in 1926). The Texarkana metropolitan area is home to Texas A&M University–Texarkana , a four-year satellite branch of the Texas A&;M University System (founded as an upper-level extension college of East Texas State University in 1971), and Texarkana College (a public community college formed in 1927 as

5350-695: The Holy Nativity of the Lord Church of the Orthodox Church in America . The Jewish community of Shreveport dates to the organization of Congregation Har El in 1859, made up primarily of German Jewish immigrants in its early years. It developed as B'nai Zion Temple , today the city's Reform congregation, which built the city's largest synagogue. Agudath Achim, founded in 1905 as an Orthodox congregation of immigrants from Eastern Europe,

5457-748: The Interstate ( I-369 ) presently runs north on U.S. 59 within Texas from Tenaha to Texarkana, where the span will eventually connect to Interstates 30 and 49. In response to widespread opposition from environmental groups and property rights activists, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced in June 2008 that it would complete I-69 through upgrades to the existing spans of U.S. 59, U.S. 77 and U.S. 281 to Interstate standards through rural areas, with bypasses around urban centers along

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5564-485: The Red River, is the city's general aviation airport and also serves as a reliever airport for Shreveport Regional Airport, itself built to replace the Downtown Airport as Shreveport's main commercial airport due to the limited growth that could be made to that facility due to its close proximity of the Red River. General and limited commercial aviation is additionally available at several smaller airfields in

5671-506: The Red River. The Ark-La-Tex covers over 14,000 square miles (36,000 km ) across the four-state area; if the Ark-La-Tex were a U.S. state, it would be larger than Maryland . Most of the Ark-La-Tex is located in the Piney Woods , an ecoregion of dense forests of mixed deciduous and conifer flora. The forests are periodically punctuated by sloughs and bayous that are linked to larger bodies of water such as Caddo Lake or

5778-402: The Red River. Freezing rain and ice storms occasionally occur during the winter months. Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail , damaging winds and tornadoes occur in the area during the spring and summer months, although severe weather can also occur during the winter months. The region is in the western section of the " Dixie Alley " tornado climatology region, where tornadogenesis

5885-656: The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1949. Other HBCUs in the region include Texas College in Tyler (opened in 1894), Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins (a Christian -based HBCU founded in 1912), and Wiley College in Marshall (a private liberal arts college founded in 1873 by Methodist Episcopal Church Bishop Isaac Wiley and certified in 1882 by the Freedman's Aid Society , which

5992-459: The Stage of Stars Museum, and a 3,200-seat auditorium, which is used for concerts , family shows, Broadway plays, boxing , and other special events. It is nationally significant, and was designated a National Historic Landmark, for hosting the Louisiana Hayride radio program, hosted by Frank Page (1925-2013). During its heyday, from 1948 to 1960 , the program spawned the careers of some of

6099-588: The Trans-Mississippi was the last Confederate command to surrender, on May 26, 1865. "The period May 13–21, 1865, was filled with great uncertainly after soldiers learned of the surrenders of Lee and Johnston, the Good Friday assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the rapid departure of their own generals." In the confusion there was a breakdown of military discipline and rioting by soldiers. They destroyed buildings containing service records,

6206-880: The Youree Drive area (named for Peter Youree ), the Shreveport Downtown Riverfront, and Highland neighborhood. All of the busiest areas are located in Eastern Shreveport, nearby or along the Red River. Below is a list of areas in the Shreveport area of Caddo Parish: Shreveport has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ). Rainfall is abundant, with the normal annual precipitation averaging over 51 inches (1,300 mm), with monthly averages ranging from less than 3 inches (76 mm) in August to more than 5 inches (130 mm) in June. Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail , damaging winds and tornadoes occur in

6313-402: The advantages of the proposed site to the War Department . Following the return of this delegation, a special army board visited Shreveport and reported the location met all requirements of the Air Corps. The site was selected December 5, 1928, as the location of the airfield. The land in Bossier Parish on which the airfield was built was unincorporated land near Bossier City that was annexed by

6420-554: The area during the spring and summer months. The winter months are normally mild, with an average of 35 days of freezing or below-freezing temperatures per year, with ice and sleet storms possible. Summer months are hot and humid, with maximum temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on an average of 91 days per year, with high to very high relative average humidity. The extreme temperatures range from −5 °F (−21 °C) on February 12, 1899 , to 110 °F (43 °C) on August 18, 1909, and August 25 and 26, 2023. Shreveport

6527-416: The area is marked by country and blues sounds typical of the music of the Southern United States , the Western music of Texas , and the well-documented music of New Orleans and Acadiana in Louisiana . The area had a significant role in the development of country and rock-and-roll music, beginning in the 1940s. On March 1, 1948, Shreveport radio station KWKH launched a country music variety show called

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6634-411: The center of the Texarkana metropolitan area encompassing Miller County, Arkansas , and Bowie County, Texas . Other cities in the Ark-La-Tex with 20,000 or more residents include Bossier City, Louisiana ; Nacogdoches, Texas ; Marshall, Texas ; and Ruston, Louisiana . The counties in the area's western section are largely part of the East Texas region (except for McCurtain County, Oklahoma, which

6741-400: The city of Shreveport once the site had been selected among 80 candidates. The real estate was purchased from over 800 property owners via a $ 1,500,000 municipal bond issue approved by Shreveport voters in 1929 in fulfillment of the pledge that the citizens of Shreveport made to the U.S. government. The last of these bonds matured on December 31, 1959. After acquisition, Shreveport then donated

6848-426: The city until the 1960s and 1980s, respectively. After the loss of jobs in the oil industry, the closure of General Motors ' Shreveport Operations , and other economic problems, it struggled with a declining population, poverty, drugs, and violent crime. However, the city continues in its efforts to revitalize its infrastructure, revive the economy through diversification, and lower crime. Despite these efforts,

6955-493: The city witnessed the largest number of homicides in its recorded history in 2021, eclipsing the previous record set in 1993. Shreveport is the educational, commercial and cultural center of the Ark-La-Tex region, where Arkansas , Louisiana, and Texas meet. It is the location of Centenary College of Louisiana , Louisiana State University Shreveport , Louisiana Tech University Shreveport , Southern University at Shreveport , and Louisiana Baptist University . It forms part of

7062-440: The city, there were 89,523 housing units, with a 85% occupancy rate; among them, 54% were owner-occupied. Among its units, 73% were single-unit detached homes and 31% of its population moved into those homes from 2015 to 2016. The median value of its owner-occupied housing units were $ 151,700, and 30% of its units were estimated to be under $ 100,000; 38% of its units were estimated to cost from $ 100,000 to $ 200,000. From 2014 to 2018,

7169-413: The city; the 2020 American Community Survey determined an estimated 189,890 people resided in the city, purporting a slight population rebound. The 2020 census estimates showed Shreveport had 75,680 households with an average of 2.4 people per household. Of the households, 39% were married-couple households, though 44% of its male population and 40% of its female population have never married. Throughout

7276-426: The coming of riverboat gambling to Shreveport attracted numerous new patrons to the downtown and spurred a revitalization of the adjacent riverfront areas. Many downtown streets were given a facelift through the "Streetscape" project. Traditional brick sidewalks and crosswalks were built, and statues, sculptures, and mosaics were added to create a better pedestrian environment. The O.K. Allen Bridge, commonly known as

7383-404: The counties encompassing the El Dorado, Arkansas micropolitan area, or exclude McCurtain County, Oklahoma. McCurtain County is usually included in the region's areal definition, primarily for media distribution purposes, even though the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation formally defines it as being part of its Choctaw Country tourism region. Another alternate definition is solely

7490-544: The greatest names in American Country and Rockabilly music. The Hayride regularly featured performers, such as Hank Williams , Slim Whitman , Jim Reeves , Johnny Cash , Johnny Horton , and Elvis Presley , who got his start at this venue. The auditorium underwent renovations from 1994 through 2004. Recent improvements to the auditorium have included air conditioning, renovated restrooms, installation of ramps and an elevator. Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( / ˈ ʃ r iː v p ɔːr t / SHREEV -port )

7597-570: The head of navigation on the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway (4 miles [6.4 km] south of Shreveport on LA Highway 1), and the 700-acre (1.1 sq mi) Natchitoches Parish Port, located on Louisiana Highways 6 and 486 (U.S. 71/U.S. 84) in Campti, Louisiana on the only slack water port on the Red River. The Port of Caddo-Bossier began loading its first cargo in 1995, and has (as of 2019 ) received more than nine million tons of barge freight and over eight million tons of rail freight. The port—which houses more than 17 freight and shipping companies—links

7704-487: The land to the federal government per their agreement, while the federal government assumed all the costs of building construction and equipment installation. Shreveport had originally proposed a site adjacent to Cross Lake , but the United States Department of War deemed this location inappropriate due to the lack of suitable terrain for the facility's future expansion. Subsequent to the establishment of

7811-507: The largest nursing schools in northern Louisiana, the Northwestern State University College of Nursing (opened in 1949) as well as satellite campuses of Louisiana State University (opened as a two-year institution in 1967, and expanded into a four-year college in 1976), Southern University (opened in 1967 with a two-year associate's degree program). Longview, Texas, is home to LeTourneau University ,

7918-552: The mainline United Methodist Church . The Roman Catholic community is primarily served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport . Of note among its predominantly Baptist population, the First Baptist Church of Shreveport was once pastored by Monroe E. Dodd, founder of the former Dodd College for Girls . Former Governor Jimmie Davis , also a Shreveport city commissioner, taught history for

8025-490: The median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $ 144,800. The median monthly cost with a mortgage was $ 1,178 and the median monthly cost without a mortgage was $ 364; the city of Shreveport had a median gross rent of $ 810. The median income from 2014 to 2018 was $ 36,338, and the mean income was $ 55,582. The per capita income was $ 25,022. By the 2020 American Community Survey, its median household income increased to $ 40,809. The median income for families grew to $ 54,023 with

8132-557: The mid-1950s, KWKH was the first major radio station to feature the music of Presley on its long-running Louisiana Hayride program at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. Horace Logan, long-term KWKH program manager and originator of the Hayride , and Frank Page introduced Presley on the Hayride . African American veterans of World War II were among activists in Shreveport through the 1960s who worked in

8239-428: The military installation, Bossier City grew and expanded southward and eastward, eventually enveloping the area surrounding the base. Technically, Barksdale AFB is neither in Bossier City nor Shreveport but, like all military bases, is an autonomous community with its own infrastructure. In September, 1941, the capture of the city of Shreveport was the objective of a U.S. Army war game, or military exercise , known as

8346-585: The national average. The winter months are normally mild; Shreveport, in particular, averages 35 days of freezing or below-freezing temperatures per year. Ice and sleet storms occasionally occur during this timeframe. The summer months are hot and humid, with high to very high relative average humidity, often as a result of moisture being advected from the Gulf of Mexico; in Shreveport, maximum temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 91 days per year. The National Weather Service (NWS) operates

8453-415: The northern and southern parts of Shreveport) on the city's west side, with U.S. 171 in downtown Shreveport, and with I-220 in central Bossier Parish (north of Barksdale Air Force Base , at which point it begins sharing an overlap with U.S. 71 as it traverses eastward towards Monroe ). The region is a point within the planned extension of the otherwise presently disjointed Interstate 69 . A branch of

8560-535: The people in the Tri-state area of South Arkansas, North Louisiana and East Texas are practically identical in matters pertaining to agriculture, industry, commerce and trade, and education." The region is alternatively, although seldom in most media and promotional parlance, referred to as " Arklatexoma ", which more inclusively encompasses McCurtain County and other parts of extreme Southeastern Oklahoma that lie along

8667-589: The population was Hispanic or Latino American of any race. Reflecting the decline in North Louisiana's population, the city of Shreveport's racial and ethnic makeup among Hispanic and Latino Americans declined from 2010 yet rebounded from 2019's census estimates. At the 2020 census, Shreveport remained a predominantly Black and African American city, with 55.77% of the population identifying as such; non-Hispanic whites slightly declined to 35.26% and multiracial or Americans of another race increased to 3.45% of

8774-690: The population. Data from the 2020 United States census reflected growing trends of Hispanic and Latino, and Asian American population growth nationwide. Christianity is the city and metropolitan area's dominant religion, being part of the Bible Belt . Its residents were predominantly Protestant through the nineteenth century, and today, Baptists form the majority of Christians in Shreveport, followed by Methodists and Roman Catholics . Many Baptist and Methodist churches are affiliated with evangelical Protestant denominations, though several are also affiliated with mainline Protestantism ; among Baptists,

8881-565: The racial and ethnic makeup of Shreveport was 56.9% Black and African American , 36.8% non-Hispanic white , 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native , 1.7% Asian , 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander , 0.1% some other race, 1.5% two or more races , and 2.6% Hispanic and Latino American of any race. At the 2010 U.S. census, the racial and ethnic composition of the population was 54.70% Black or African American, 41.16% White, 1.0% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 1.2% from some other race and 1.5% from two or more races. In 2010, about 6.5% of

8988-484: The region as encompassing 40 parishes and counties, and most weather radars suggest a 40-county or -parish area. Alternate definitions can include eight additional Texas counties ( Lamar , Delta , Hopkins , Franklin , Wood , Smith , Cherokee , and Angelina ), include the Monroe, Louisiana metropolitan area and Ouachita Parish, Louisiana (which is considered part of the Ark-La-Miss region), exclude

9095-629: The region receive more rainfall, 35 to 60 inches (890 to 1,520 mm), than the rest of the state. Due to the flat topography of some areas and the prominence of smaller waterways that are prone to backwater flooding from the Red River , communities occasionally experience severe flooding events. A notable occurrence of severe flooding occurred in March 2016, after torrential rains caused a rapid rise of many local waterways, displacing upwards of 3,500 people from their homes across Caddo and Bossier parishes and adjacent areas of Northwest Louisiana that lie along

9202-543: The region, exiting from the eastern end of Lake Texoma and running generally east along the Oklahoma–Texas border towards Southwestern Arkansas (entering it near the state line between Little River County, Arkansas , and Bowie County, Texas ) before turning southward northwest of Texarkana (in so doing, forming the eastern border of Miller County ) and passing into Northwestern Louisiana. The bordering Louisiana cities of Shreveport and Bossier City were developed along

9309-490: The region. The bureau maintains a comprehensive database of restaurants, accommodations, attractions, and events. Ark-La-Tex The population of the 40-county core region as of 2020 is 1,469,860 people, down from 1,515,056 in 2010. Shreveport, Louisiana , with 187,593 people in 2020, is the largest city, economic and geographic center of the region, and principal hub for both the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area and Northwestern Louisiana. Longview, Texas , with

9416-862: The revitalization plan of the Shreveport Economic Recovery Task Force after the Cross Bayou redevelopment plan was rejected. In June 2020, rapper Hurricane Chris was arrested in Shreveport for second-degree murder . Following the George Floyd killing in Minnesota, multiple protests were held in the city. Shreveport is located in Northwest Louisiana . It is the center of the Ark-La-Tex region where Arkansas , Louisiana, and Texas meet. It

9523-488: The river bank; its span within the Ark-La-Tex ends in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana (where the Red River spans to the adjacent northwest of the parish's namesake county seat ), at its intersection with Grant and Rapides parishes. As with all vernacular regions, the Ark-La-Tex has no official boundaries or status and is defined differently by various sources. Most definitions of the Ark-La-Tex delineate

9630-640: The route, which will be financed through private sector investment. An approximately 350-mile (560 km) portion of the I-69 extension to extend from south of Clarksdale, Mississippi , to the Louisiana/Texas state line will be built as a new-terrain route that parallels existing U.S. and state highways in some areas. One of the current segments, SIU 16, covers areas of East Texas to the northeast of Nacogdoches , extending until it terminates at U.S. 171 near Stonewall . Another segment, SIU 15, continues over

9737-485: The southern and eastern sections of Shreveport , crossing I-49 and ending at I-20 near Haughton . The third existing segment, SIU 14, extends northeast from I-20 to US 82 near El Dorado, Arkansas . River transportation is available through two inland multi-modal transportation and distribution centers along the Red River: the 2,300-acre (3.6 sq mi) Port of Caddo-Bossier, located at

9844-477: The state are included in the Little Rock viewing area. Although use of the term to refer to the tri-state region dates back to the early 1900s, the name "Ark-La-Tex" was popularized regionally by a Shreveport Chamber of Commerce promotional campaign developed in 1932–33 to increase tourism in the area. The campaign, dubbing the area as "The Land of Arklatex", was based on the idea that "the interests of all

9951-434: The state capital of Baton Rouge , 99 miles (159 km) from Monroe , 69 miles (111 km) from Ruston , and 30 miles (48 km) from Minden , Louisiana. The city's proximity to the nearby cities makes it North Louisiana and the Ark-La-Tex's transportation hub. Shreveport is the parish seat of Caddo Parish . Portions of the city extend into neighboring Bossier Parish , bordering Bossier City . Shreveport sits on

10058-484: The state. Steamboats plied the Red River, and stevedores loaded and unloaded cargo. By 1860, Shreveport had a population of 2,200 free people and 1,300 slaves within the city limits. During the American Civil War , Shreveport was the capital of Louisiana from 1863 to 1865, having succeeded Baton Rouge and Opelousas after each fell under Union control. The city was a Confederate stronghold throughout

10165-413: The town consisted of 64 city blocks, created by eight streets running west from the Red River and eight streets running south from Cross Bayou, one of its tributaries. Shreveport soon became a center of steamboat commerce, carrying mostly cotton and agricultural crops from the plantations of Caddo Parish. Shreveport also had a slave market, though slave trading was not as widespread as in other parts of

10272-701: The vicinity of the Ark-La-Tex region's three principal cities, Shreveport, Longview, and Texarkana. The Ark-La-Tex is situated in a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ) typical of the Southeastern United States, albeit occasionally interrupted by intrusions of cold air during the winter months. Rainfall is abundant, with the normal annual precipitation averaging over 51 inches (1.3 m) in some areas (such as Shreveport), with monthly averages ranging from less than three inches (76 mm) in August to more than five inches (130 mm) in June. Portions of East Texas within

10379-645: The war and was the site of the headquarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the Confederate Army. Fort Albert Sidney Johnston was built on a ridge northwest of the city. Because of limited development in that area, the site is relatively undisturbed in the 21st century. Isolated from events in the east, the Civil War continued in the Trans-Mississippi theater for several weeks after Robert E. Lee 's surrender in April 1865, and

10486-435: The years but closed in 2001) Honeywell UOP , Libbey-Owens-Ford , Beaird-Poulan (the originator of and, for decades, the only manufacturer of the single-operator chainsaw in the world), Calumet Specialty Products Partners (originally United Gas Corporation 's Atlas Processing Unit and then Pennzoil ), and Frymaster, LLC (a subsidiary of The Manitowoc Company ). Today, only Calumet Packaging and Honeywell UOP survive as

10593-475: Was arrested in Shreveport after his band tried to register at a "whites-only" Holiday Inn , where they planned to stay before performing in the city. Public facilities in Louisiana were still segregated. In the months following, Cooke recorded the civil rights era song, " A Change Is Gonna Come ". In 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act to end segregation of public facilities. In the mid-1990s,

10700-644: Was created out of the desire of African-American farmers in rural areas of northern Louisiana to educate other black residents in that section of the state; it moved to its present location in 1905 (as the North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial School) and became a state junior college (renamed the Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute) by 1928, when it began offering two-year professional certificates and diplomas to graduates. Grambling received accreditation by

10807-553: Was designated a National Historic Landmark . The building also became a contributing property of Shreveport Commercial Historic District when its boundaries were increased on May 16, 1997 . The building was designed by architects Samuel G. Wiener Sr., and Seymour Van Os, both of the firm of Jones, Roessle, Olschner & Wiener of Shreveport. Contractor for construction was the Ashton Glassell Company, also of Shreveport. The Municipal Memorial Auditorium houses

10914-652: Was established to create a town at the meeting point of the Brown Bricks and the Texas Trail. The Red River was made navigable by Captain Henry Miller Shreve , who led the United States Army Corps of Engineers efforts to clear the Red River. A 180-mile-long (290 km) natural log jam, the Great Raft , had previously obstructed passage to shipping. Shreve used a specially modified riverboat ,

11021-491: Was formerly a major player in United States oil business, and once hosted the Standard Oil of Louisiana offices, a branch of Standard Oil . The Louisiana branch was later absorbed by Standard Oil of New Jersey . Beginning in 1930, United Gas Corporation , the nation's busiest pipeline operator and massive integrated oil company, was headquartered in Shreveport. Pennzoil performed a hostile takeover in 1968, and forced

11128-575: Was hired to fly over the local area in order to find a suitable site for the airfield. Captain Harris selected what he felt was an adequate location for a military airfield. It was a sprawling section of cotton plantation near Bossier City. The site selection committee, representing the wealthiest taxpayers in the city, unanimously agreed upon the Barksdale Field location. A delegation of citizens traveled to Washington, D.C. , to personally present

11235-456: Was likewise pastored by Dr. E. Edward Jones, another civil rights icon. Among its Methodist churches has been the large First Methodist Church , established in 1884. The current edifice dates to 1913. Among its former pastors were D. L. Dykes Jr. and John E. Fellers. During a severe thunderstorm in 2009, the fiberglass steeple of the church toppled and fell onto a passing car. It has since been replaced. A second prominent Methodist congregation

11342-428: Was second only to New Orleans in Louisiana tourism. Nearby Bossier City is home to one of the three horse racetracks in the state, Louisiana Downs . Casinos in Shreveport-Bossier include Sam's Town , Bally's , Horseshoe , Boomtown , and Margaritaville . Diamond Jacks Casino (formerly Isle of Capri) closed in 2020. The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau is the official tourism information agency for

11449-428: Was taken to the nearby Barksdale Air Force Base . He also made a visit to speak in the city on March 11, 2005. Since the downturn in the oil industry and other economic problems, the city has struggled with a declining population, unemployment, poverty, drugs and violent crime. City data from 2017 showed a dramatic increase in certain violent crimes from the previous year, including a 138 percent increase in homicides,

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