700 cotton street

 



There's not much history on the Arlington Hotel -- also known as the Martin.  Built somewhere around the early 1900s, the story has it that  the hotel faced closing before ever opening after an unscrupulous contractor took money without completing the work.  A local oil discovery  that attracted hundreds of workers looking for lodging saved the day.  The building is in dire need of another economic upturn--which would also help most of downtown and the historic district.

Arlington Hotel
Shreveport, Louisiana
3.4.2013

maybe once upon a time

 

Parts of Shreveport immediately west of downtown are some of the most notable haunted spots in town.  This row of furniture warehouses are interesting but creepy enough to fit the part; I was advised to be careful since the the buildings are "haunted" by the homeless.  Not surprisingly there are guided haunted tours in Shreveport and active paranormal societies.  In fact, according to the website (http://www.paranormalsocieties.com/state_list.cfm?state=la) there are 33 Paranormal Investigation Societies listed in Louisiana.

 

Downtown Historic District

Shreveport, Louisiana

3.4.2013

row houses

 

Shreveport was established in the early 1800s at the junction of the Texas Trail and the Red River.  It prospered with steam boat traffic and served as the capital of Confederate Louisiana during the Civil War.  Downtown abounds with buildings of great architectural interest -- from Victorian to Italian Renaissance to Art Deco -- although many are abandoned and dilapidated.  The Oakland Cemetery intrigued but I was dissuaded from driving through it by the presence of its living occupants.

 

Historic Downtown

Shreveport, Louisiana

louisiana hayride

 

Elvis got his start at the Louisiana Hayride - produced on the stage of the Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport.  The building, completed in 1929, is an outstanding example of Art Deco brickwork. Honoring WWI soldiers, I like the frieze on the front that states " Dedicated to those who served in the World War" as if that were the last and only war  (which in 1929 was true).  One difference from this vintage structure and the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum is the effort to save the structure.  A workman, who saw me on the ground shooting up at Elvis, thought I had fallen and came to check on me.  We talked and he offered me a glimpse inside (with original light fixtures, decorative plaster and yes, the original wooden theater seats in the balcony.  His crew was busy caulking windows and he mentioned the repainting, plastering, etc to maintain the building (follow link to Friends of the Municipal website).

 

Municipal Memorial Auditorium

Shreveport, Louisiana

http://municipalauditorium.homestead.com/History.html