Timeline of Shreveport, Louisiana facts for kids

Shreveport, Louisiana, is a city with a rich and interesting past! This timeline will take you on a journey through its history, from its early days as a small town to the bustling city it is today. You'll learn about important events, how the city grew, and some of the key people and places that shaped it.

Shreveport's Early Days: The 1800s

Founding and Growth of Shreveport

• 1836 – The Shreve Town Company was formed. It was named after Henry Miller Shreve, who was one of its members.
• 1837 – The company started selling pieces of land in the new town.
• 1838 – Shreve Town became the main town, or "seat," of the new Caddo Parish.
• 1839
  • The town of Shreveport officially became a town.
  • John Octavius Sewall was elected as the first mayor.
• 1841 – The Caddo Gazette newspaper started printing.
• 1847 – A burial ground was set up.
• 1850 – The population of Shreveport was 1,728 people.
• 1853 – A serious outbreak of yellow fever happened.
• 1858 – The Vicksburg, Shreveport and Texas Railroad began running, connecting Shreveport to other places.
• 1860 – The population grew to 2,190 people.
• 1861 – St. Mary's Convent was founded.
• 1863 – During the American Civil War, Shreveport became the capital of Louisiana for the Confederate states. This lasted until 1865.
• 1866 – Charity Hospital was built to help people who were sick.
• 1870 – The population reached 4,607.
• 1871
  • Shreveport officially became a city.
  • Daily Shreveport Times newspaper began publication.
• 1873
  • A railway line connecting Dallas and Shreveport started operating.
  • Another yellow fever outbreak occurred.
• 1880 – The population grew to 8,009.
• 1887 – The Shreveport Waterworks Pumping Station was built to provide water to the city.
• 1890 – The Shreveport Library Association was formed. The population was 11,979.
• 1899 – The Genevieve Orphanage was established to care for children.
• 1900 – The population reached 16,013.

Shreveport in the 1900s

Modernizing the City

• 1901 – The People's Library was opened.
• 1906 – Oil was discovered near Shreveport at Caddo Lake. This was a big deal for the city's economy!
• 1907 – Nearby Bossier City officially became a town.
• 1909 – Centenary College of Louisiana, a university, moved to Shreveport.
• 1910 – The population grew to 28,015.
• 1912 – The United States Post Office and Courthouse building was completed.
• 1920 – The population reached 43,874.
• 1922 – Shriners Hospitals for Children opened in Shreveport, providing care for kids.
• 1923 – A public library building was constructed.
• 1925 – The beautiful Strand Theatre was built.
• 1926 – Radio station KWKH began broadcasting.
• 1929 – The Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium was built.
• 1930 – The East Texas Oil Field was discovered near Shreveport, bringing even more oil business. The population was 76,655.
• 1931 – The Shreveport Downtown Airport started operating.
• 1933 – Barksdale Air Force Base, a U.S. military airfield, was officially opened.
• 1934 – The Long–Allen Bridge opened, making it easier to cross the river.
• 1940 – The population reached 98,167.
• 1948 – KWKH's famous Louisiana Hayride radio show began broadcasting. Many famous musicians performed there!
• 1950 – The Shreveport metropolitan area was first defined. The population was 127,206.
• 1954 – KSLA-TV, a television station, began broadcasting.
• 1955 – KTBS-TV, another television station, began broadcasting.
• 1960 – The Shreveport metropolitan area now included Bossier Parish. The population was 164,372.
• 1965 – LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport opened, focusing on medical education and care.
• 1967 – Louisiana State University in Shreveport (LSUS) opened its doors.
• 1970 – The population reached 182,064.
• 1973 – The Shreveport metropolitan area added Webster Parish.
• 1977 – The Pioneer Heritage Center and Spring Street Historical Museum were founded.
• 1980 – The population reached 205,820.
• 1981 – A General Motors plant started operating in Shreveport, creating many jobs.
• 1983 – Webster Parish was removed from the Shreveport metropolitan area.
• 1986 – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport was established.
• 1990 – The population was 198,525.
• 1993 – Webster Parish was added back to the Shreveport metropolitan area.
• 1994 – The Stephens African American Museum was founded. A casino, Harrah's, was built.
• 1998 – Keith Hightower became mayor of Shreveport. The city's website went online.

Shreveport in the 2000s

Shreveport's Recent History

• 2003 – The Shreveport metropolitan area changed again, replacing Webster Parish with De Soto Parish.
• 2004 – A new Convention Center was built.
• 2006 – Cedric Glover became the first African-American person elected mayor of Shreveport.
• 2009 – John Fleming became the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 4th congressional district.
• 2010 – The population was 199,311.
• 2014 – Ollie Tyler became the first African-American woman elected mayor of Shreveport.
• 2023
  • October 25: Mike Johnson was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the first U.S. Congressman from Louisiana to hold this very important position.