Bears Get Around: Shreveport, Louisiana

Last week, I introduced you to my friend Beaulieu. He is from the city of Shreveport, Louisiana, and he told us some of his favourite things about Mardi Gras.

Did you wonder then why Beaulieu is holding a bouquet of roses?

Well, Shreveport is home to the spectacular Gardens of the American Rose Center.

Headquarters of the American Rose Society, the Gardens’ nearly 48 hectares are the largest park devoted to roses in the entire United States. And Beaulieu is just very fond of roses.

Shreveport is the third-biggest city in the state of Louisiana. It’s across the mighty Red River from Bossier City. Between them, these neighbouring towns have over 500,000 human residents.

The Red River is 2,200 kilometres long. It flows from Texas into the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers. If you don’t mind the occasional alligator in the neighbourhood, it’s fun for a swim!

 

Personally, I’d rather see alligators in a zoo … and you can do that, in a zoo called Gators & Friends in Greenwood. Greenwood is a 20-minute drive from Shreveport. 

 

You can also see cuddlier critters in the petting zoo there, like kangaroos, deer, llamas, goats, and even a Scottish Highland cow.

  

  

Those are pretty serious horns. 

 

Beaulieu loves to visit Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center in Shreveport. It has tons of fun and interesting exhibits about astronomy, physics, and other cool sciences.

 

A great way to see the area around Shreveport is by hot air balloon! Mr. Pat Harwell of American Escapes Aerosports takes people up for rides.

Of course, before you can sail into the sky, hot air balloons have to be inflated … they use a really hot jet to heat the air.

 

And when you’re done, balloons have to be deflated too!

 

Finally, squeezing out all the air, and packing the balloon back into its carrying-case is way more fun than you might ever guess!

Once in a Millennium Moon is a 2,330-square-metre mural in Shreveport. It was designed by an artist named Meg Saligman. Volunteers painted her design like a giant paint-by-numbers on the side of Shreveport’s AT&T building. Have you ever done paint-by-numbers? This one is eight storeys high!

 

Once in a Millennium Moon celebrates the great cycle of life. Part of that cycle, too (and a fascinating record of local history), is any town’s cemetery.

 

This is the Oakland Cemetery, in Shreveport’s Ledbetter Heights. The earliest headstone in this cemetery is dated 1842. Shreveport was founded in 1839.

Ledbetter Heights has a long musical history, too. It was named for a great folk and blues musician named Huddie William Ledbetter, whose nickname was “Lead Belly.”   

Shreveport’s Municipal Memorial Auditorium was built way back in 1929.

  Have you heard of a rock & roll musician named Elvis Presley? Elvis Presley performed here on October 16, 1954, when he was only 19 years old!

A statue of Elvis now stands in front of “the Municipal,” beside a statue of his guitarist and right-hand-man: James Burton.

 

 James Burton is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He now runs the James Burton Foundation, right across the street from “the Municipal.”  

 

Mr. Burton donates guitars to veterans, children in hospitals, and other deserving folks.

 

Many other famous musicians have performed at “the Municipal,” like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Tex Ritter, Roy Rogers, and Dale Evans. A KWKH radio show called the Louisiana Hayride showcased many fine performers here between 1948 and 1960.

 

Speaking of famous people, Shreveport has a busy film industry. So many movies and TV shows have been filmed here that it’s often called “Hollywood South.” You never know what famous actor you might see … maybe even some famous travel writers!

Story © S. Clouthier

Shreveport skyline courtesy Brian Bussie

Other photos © S. Clouthier and D. Wei