OVERVIEW OF THE CITIES

Shreveport and Bossier City pair for a unique vacation experience blending old and new, large and small. We boast retail shopping that includes trendy items found on the season’s runways, as well as antiques that aren’t found anywhere else. We love a good festival and hold outdoor events from spring to fall, celebrating everything from the arrival of mudbugs to the creation of exquisite art. Our festivals attract hundreds of thousands from right here as well as across the nation. An array of museums showcases the history of the area and our citizens, and our unique attractions include a nationally recognized space center and IMAX Theater, as well as the historically significant Municipal Auditorium, which gave Elvis his start. Our cities have been around for well over 150 years.

Shreveport was named after Capt. Henry Miller Shreve, a boat captain who cleared a log jam that clogged up the Red River for 165 miles. Shreve’s work in the 1830s opened the way for trade. The city was incorporated in 1839. Agriculture gave the area its start, with lumber and manufacturing following as key industries. Oil sparked growth in the early 1900s, giving way to a booming tourism industry in the latter part of that century through today.

Bossier City, across the river, started as a trading post in the 1840s, before becoming incorporated as Bossier City in 1907. Nearly 30 years later, Barksdale Air Force Base arrived. It was the world’s largest airfield of the time and a key player in World War II.

The Shreveport-Bossier City area is a prime filming location for Hollywood productions, and continues to attract international attention for conferences, events, and visitors looking to indulge in a bit of Southern style.