Shreveport-Bossier City: Louisiana's Other Side is full of artistry, music, food and fun. We are about amenities but more than that, we are about an attitude. We are accepting and friendly, with a sincere interest in you and your experience here. We package all we do in a family-friendly environment of relaxation, with a touch of fast-paced entertainment when you want it. This is where cowboy meets Cajun, so you get our down-to-earth hospitality and our spicy goodness.
We are a historically significant area, hailed as the place where Elvis got his start on the Louisiana Hayride on the Municipal Auditorium’s stage and the nurturing ground for early blues and a special brand of music called rockabilly. In fact, we are where rockabilly meets rock-and-roll.
But it's not just musical history where we find our place. We also are home to Barksdale Air Force Base, a key player in World War II. Our museums chronicle our history and that of the nation, so make sure you set aside time to visit them, whether it's the Eighth Air Force Museum at Barksdale, the Stage of Stars music history museum at the Municipals or the Southern University Museum of Art at Shreveport.
The twin cities of Shreveport and Bossier City have been here for more than 150 years. Shreveport was named for Capt. Henry Miller Shreve, a boat captain who cleared a logjam that clogged the Red River for 165 miles. It was Shreve’s work in the 1830s that opened the way for trade, allowing Shreveport to grow. The city was incorporated in 1839. Ours is a past of agriculture, lumber, and manufacturing. Oil gave us a boom, while tourism is the major industry of today.
Bossier City got its start as a trading post in the 1840s, before becoming incorporated as Bossier City in 1907. A generation later, Barksdale Air Force Base arrived and became the world’s largest airfield of the time and a key player in World War II.
Shreveport-Bossier City, La., is where bolo meets bayou, because we're about East Texas flair and Louisiana spice. We're so inviting that even Hollywood producers and stars come here to hang out. We are the filming destination of choice for many top-level productions. Projects filmed here include The Guardian, Mr. Brooks and Factory Girl.
Visit our myspace page at myspace.com/shreveportbossiercity
Learn more about the northern half of Louisiana at ExploreLouisianaNorth.org.