What to See in Shreveport - Top Sights and Attractions

Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Strand Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, opened in 1925 as a Vaudeville venue and was nicknamed "The greatest theatre of the South" and the "Million Dollar Theatre" by its builders, Julian and Abraham Saenger of Shreveport, owners of the Saenger Amusements Company, which operated theaters throughout the American South and in Central America. By the 1940s it had evolved into a movie cinema, which it remained until its closure in 1977. Threatened with demolition, it was saved by a coalition of concerned citizens who restored it to its original grandeur over a nearly seven-year period. It is the "Official State Theatre of Louisiana". Since its re-opening in 1984 following restoration it has served as a performing arts venue, featuring the Shreveport Broadway Series and other traveling Off-Broadway shows.

Emile Weil and Charles G. Davis of New Orleans were the architects of the theater with interior design work by Paul Heerwagen of Arkansas. Construction foreman was Ernest Raleigh Darrow of Shreveport. The Strand was a flagship theatre for Saenger Amusements Company and its successor, Saenger-Ehrlich Enterprises, a forerunner of Paramount Pictures.

During the 1960s, when the Strand was in use as a cinema, the facility was desegregated through the efforts of the Reverend Herman Farr, who in 1978 became one of the first three African Americans to have served on the Shreveport City Council.

In 1977, the theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also became a contributing property of Shreveport Commercial Historic District when its boundaries were increased on May 16, 1997.^[1]

The Scottish Rite Cathedral is a historic building located at 725 Cotton Street in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was designed in 1915 by architect Edward F. Neild in Beaux Arts style.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. It also became a contributing property of Shreveport Commercial Historic District when its boundaries were increased on May 16, 1997.

The Cathedral was completed on July 1, 1917. The grand opening ceremony was held on Monday, November 12, 1917, amid great fanfare and local interest. As part of the dedication ceremonies, the masons and their wives were treated to two organ recitals, one at 3:30 PM and the other at 8:00 PM. The guest organist was John Allen Richardson, organist and choirmaster of the St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Chicago, Illinois. Following the second recital, a dance was held with music provided by the Shriner's El Karubah Band and Orchestra.

Edward F. Neild, a member of the Shreveport Scottish Rite, was the architect of the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Among Mr. Neild's many other notable achievements were his architectural contributions to the renovation of our nation's capital in Washington D.C, the White House, and the Truman Memorial Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. In addition, he is credited with the design of the Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children, also in Shreveport and the first of its kind in North America.

The building measures 133'1" by 110'5" and the final cost to construct the building in 1917 was $186,477.28.

The Shreveport Scottish Rite Cathedral is one of the most historic and beautiful buildings in the Shreveport area. It includes a three level auditorium with a seating capacity of five hundred, a wardrobe room, a marble lobby, a pair of matching marble staircases, a kitchen, a banquet hall, a masonic library, numerous offices, a DeMolay room, a basement, and a section where children receive help through a Speech and Language Clinic Charity.^[7]

Temple in Shreveport, Louisiana. B'Nai Zion Temple is a historic Jewish temple located in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana. It was constructed in 1914 and dedicated in 1915.

The Jewish community of Shreveport started off small in the late 1840s. By 1857 a small congregation of Jews had been created. They met in one of the congregant's homes under the leadership of Rabbi Julius Lewin. In 1861 the congregation adopted the name Har-el and started attending services in the home of a local Jewish businessman. At that time, most members of the congregation identified with the Reform tradition of Judaism. Once the Civil War was over, the group became known as Hebrew Zion.

In 1869 the congregation constructed its first building of worship on Fannin Street. In 1875 a disagreement about the religious traditions of Judaism triggered a split in the congregation. A new Orthodox congregation was formed but the split was short lived. In 1877, the two groups reconciled and agreed to become identified with the Reform tradition of Judaism.

By 1910 the Fannin Street building was above capacity, with over 150 members belonging to the Hebrew Zion congregation. By 1910, plans to construct a new temple were being devised. In 1915, the Beaux-Arts building was dedicated and the congregation was renamed B'Nai Zion. The building was seen as "an architectural gem and an ornament to the city." Shortly after the end of World War II, the temple had over 300 members.

In 1955 the congregation had relocated to a new building on Southfield Road. By 1962, membership was above 400 people. After the relocation, the building was sold to the Knights of Columbus. In 1993 the building was bought by a private historical group who planned to preserve the building for its beautiful architecture. The historic structure is now vacant. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

The building also became a contributing property of Shreveport Commercial Historic District when its boundaries were increased on May 16, 1997.^[10]

Church. The Church of the Holy Cross, which housed St. Mark's until 1954, is a historic church at 875 Cotton Street in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. The first services of the Episcopal church in Shreveport were celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Leonidas Polk, the Bishop of Louisiana in March 1839. That liturgy is considered the founding day of St. Mark's Church. Prior to this church building, the church was located on Fannin Street. St. Mark's moved into a new church building at Fairfield Avenue and Rutherford Street in 1954. That church became the cathedral of the Diocese of Western Louisiana on July 7, 1990.

Holy Cross was formed because a group of Episcopalians from St. Mark's felt that the Church should maintain a presence in the inner city. It owns and operates a number of ministries around Shreveport, but most notably it runs Holy Cross Hope House. Hope House is a day shelter down the street for homeless people.

Holy Cross is also known for its progressive attitude toward social issues. It is one of the few churches in North Louisiana that will marry gay couples. It is also known for its traditional worship style, it has an E.M. Skinner organ built in 1920.

The current rector is the Reverend Garrett Boyte, M.Div.

Holy Cross has been served by the Reverend Mary Richard (2008-2019), and the Reverend Kenneth W. Paul (1968-2008).

The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. It also became a contributing property of Shreveport Commercial Historic District when its boundaries were increased on May 16, 1997.^[11]