History of Shreveport, Louisiana facts for kids

Shreveport, Louisiana is a city with a rich history, founded in 1836. It was started by a company called the Shreve Town Company. They wanted to build a town where the Red River met an important old trail called the Texas Trail.

For a long time, the Red River had a huge natural logjam called the Great Raft. This logjam was about 180 miles (289 km) long and made it impossible for boats to travel up the river. Captain Henry Miller Shreve, from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, was the hero who cleared this giant logjam. He used a special riverboat named the Heliopolis to get the job done. Because of his amazing work, the company and the new town were named in his honor.

The Founding of Shreveport

Shreve Town was first built on land that the Caddo Indians sold to the company in 1835. This was during a time when many Native American groups were being moved from their lands.

In 1838, a new area called Caddo Parish was created from a larger area known as Natchitoches Parish. Shreve Town was chosen as the main town, or parish seat, for Caddo Parish. Shreveport is still the parish seat today. On March 20, 1839, the town officially became "Shreveport." When it was first planned, the town had 64 city blocks. These blocks were laid out with eight streets going west from the Red River and eight streets going south from Cross Bayou, which is a smaller waterway connected to the river.

Shreveport's Early Growth and Trade

Shreveport quickly became a busy center for steamboats. These boats carried goods like cotton and other farm crops down the river to markets. They also brought supplies back to Shreveport, which was an important trading hub. Some cotton even came overland from Texas to be shipped from Shreveport.

During the years before the Civil War, many people, including both free African Americans and enslaved people, worked on the river. They helped load and unload cargo from the steamboats that traveled the Red River. By 1860, Shreveport had about 2,200 free people and 1,300 enslaved people living within its city limits.

Shreveport During the Civil War

During the American Civil War, Shreveport was a very important place for the Confederate States Army. It served as a strong base and the main headquarters for the Trans-Mississippi Department. This was a large military area that included states west of the Mississippi River.

Because it was so far west, the war continued in the Trans-Mississippi area for several months after General Robert E. Lee surrendered in April 1865. For a short time, Shreveport even became the capital of the Confederacy. Confederate President Jefferson Davis tried to escape to Shreveport after leaving Richmond.

Images for kids

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  Shreveport in 1920

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  Mayor Clyde Fant in the Holiday in Dixie Parade, 1962

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  Downtown Shreveport at night, showing Streetscape-enhanced sidewalks.

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  Central Fire Station downtown