It's time to break out the cake and LOTS of candles! Shreveport's birthday is coming up, so let's celebrate!

On March 20, 1839, the development known as "Shreve Town Company" was incorporated as Shreveport, an area which consisted of 64 city blocks, created by eight streets running west from the Red River and eight streets running south from Cross Bayou, one of its tributaries.

The history of our city is pretty well known. Captain Henry Miller Shreve cleared the "Great Raft" logjam, making the way for trade and commerce on the banks of the Red River in what is present day Downtown Shreveport. After incorporation, Shreveport became a major hub for steamboat commerce.

Since then, it has served as a Confederate stronghold in the Civil War, the birthplace of countless musicians who changed the face of their particular genre, and even became another Hollywood.

According to Wikipedia:

The original 64-block town is today the city's central business district and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Shreveport is second only to New Orleans among Louisiana cities in the number of historic landmarks. The McNeill Street Pumping Station is an 1887 waterworks that is still in use.

You should be proud of your hometown. We have had an amazing history. Don't forget to raise a toast on March 20th, and wish Shreveport a fantastic 178th birthday.

Here's to many more. CHEERS!

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