"Keeweechic's Shreveport" a Shreveport Travel Page by keeweechic

Shreveport was recognised and established as a town in 1839. It was named after Capt. Henry Miller Shreve who had been commission to come into the area and clear a 165 mile logjam that had formed along the Red River (which was known as the "Great Raft''). This opened up the river to allow more settlers, traders and steamboat traffic to move down. A lot of the first settlers were from the Carolinas and were mostly a blend of Scot-Irish, English, German and Welsh. Agriculture was the area's main earnings but the lumber industry and light manufacturing developed through the 1880's with the aid of railroads. In the early 1900's came an oil boom which then provided industrial and commercial expansion.

The smaller sister city, Bossier City, is located just across the Red River and had its beginnings in 1843 when General Pierre Evariste John Baptist Bossier (phew!) a famous Creole General, formed the parish across the Red River from Shreveport. He was significant in the development of transport in the area. The area was incorporated in 1907 and named Bossier City. The town became the home of Barksdale Air Force Base in 1933 and since that time has been one of the fastest growing cities in the state.

Shreveport and Bossier City are two of the South's most popular gaming spots with at least 5 casinos, that I know of. They are also home to many museums and is the cultural, convention and entertainment centre of Ark-La-Tex. If the great outdoors is more your line then you will find some great fishing in the lakes and rivers in the area.