Shreveport Off The Beaten Path

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Homebase to both the B-52 Stratofortress and the A-10 Thunderbolt II, Barksdale is an important air force base in United States. Outside the museum, twenty-eight aircraft are on static display, including the P-51 Mustang (photo 5), the B-17 Flying Fortress, the F-84F Thunderstreak, the B-47 Stratojet (photo 2), the KC-97 Stratofreighter, the B-52D Stratofortress and the B-29 Superfortress.

Bob took a lot more photos outside of the museum than I did because I was tired. I walked back to our Inn unit and left him taking photos. He has one of the MiG 21F (photo 4), and the Lockheed Shooting Star. There are more photos in the Bossier City travelogue

The Museum is located at the North entrance of Barksdale Air Force Base.

The museum is open from 9:30am to 4:00pm, everyday except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

A Government issued ID, (Drivers License, Passport etc.) is required to gain entry at the museum entrance.

All vehicles are subject to search.
No backpacks, briefcases or large bags will be allowed in any buildings.
Visitors please sign in upon entering the museum.

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I found out about this historic bridge in the AAA handbook. So, since it was free, we went out to Mooringsport north of Shreveport to see the Historic Caddo Lake Lift Bridge. There were people fishing on and under the bridge (photo 5). We watched someone putting their boat on a trailer. A train passed on the railroad bridge (photo 4).

In 1914, the bridge at Mooringsport was built to replace the ferry.

According to the website:
The Midland Bridge Company of Kansas City, Missouri built the bridge under authority of the Caddo Parish Police Jury. This vehicular bridge illustrates the unique "Vertical-Lift" design of Mr. James Alexander Low Waddell of the illustrious firm of Waddell and Harrington Bridges. This design allowed the entire center span to lift in a vertical direction to allow tall oil equipment to pass through, especially Gulf Oil Company's pile driver. This design was invented in 1893...

In the summer of 1941, just prior to World War II, the United States Army held maneuvers in and around Mooringsport as a means of preparing the soldiers for war. During the maneuvers, Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and George S. Patton came to Mooringsport and led the Red and Blue armies in the "capture" of the bridge. They also bombed the bridge with sacks of flour.

In the mid 1940's, ownership of the bridge was transferred away from Caddo Parish to the Louisiana Department of Highways {LA Department of Transportation & Development-DOTD}. Shortly after the transfer, the Department of Highways realized that there was no longer a need for the bridge to open. Consequently, the concrete counterweights were removed from the bridge's tower and dropped in the lake. ..

In the late 1970's due to the narrow width of the bridge, the flow of vehicular traffic was changed to one alternating lane. At this time, the DOTD determined that the useful life of the bridge had been exhausted and it was time to consider its replacement. In 1989, the DOTD received funds from the Federal Highway Administration for a bridge replacement project. The project called for the construction of a new two lane bridge approximately fifty feet to the east of the old bridge. (photo 2)

Due to efforts of preservationists, the old bridge was not demolished as in the original plans

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The exhibit starts off with the exhibits of the local Amerindian population (the Caddo Indians) with relics and arrowheads dating back 10,000 years. There is are many artifacts including a wooden flow line pipe, an electric motor patented in 1899, a steam-driven fluid pump, pipe tongs and other equipment and there are dioramas depicting the life of early oil town workers including a bar and house. There is also a large collection of early boomtown and gusher photographs. There was also an exhibit on clearing log jams with a mock-up of a dynamite igniter (where you push down the handle to set off the dynamite). Bob pushed it and it really went off with a bang and startled him.

In another part of the museum, the Caddo Indian Room, features Caddo Indian. Outside, you can visit the oil derrick and historic boomtown buildings just outside the museum.

Also you can see the previous home of the museum which was in the city's old Kansas City Southern railroad depot where the museum was when it was initially formed by a group of citizens in 1969. They wanted to highlight the historic importance of the town as the site of the 1911 "Ferry No. 1" well, which was one of the world's first over-water discovery wells.

Okay I have been here for 16 months, my husband is in the military. If you are coming from a bigger city, and want to do something other than the casinos good luck. Theatre, clubs, etc. are smaller scale. If you are not from a bigger city ;then you'll like it. I live in Bossier...and I do enjoy the Outback steakhouse, but that seems to be the best place to eat here. (Doesn't say much) Great place for family outdoor activity during the warm seasons, but that's about it.

According to a Caddoan legend, Caddo Lake was shaped by an earthquake. It was alleged that an Caddo Indian Chief was warned by the Great Spirit to shift his village from the low lands. The Chief unfortunately disregarded the warning and one day while he and his men were out on a hunting trip, the ground started shaking and the village disappeared below the water of the newly created Caddo Lake.

North Lousiana is also known as "Sportsman's Paradise". There is a variety of Lakes, Rivers, and Land which are frequently used for the usual hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities. The lakes and such located close by include Black Bayou, Caddo Lake, Cross Lake, Cypress Lake, Lake Bistineau, Wallace Lake, Toledo Bend, and the Red River. If you appreciate swamps, snakes, alligators, and good fishing then I suppose you would really enjoy yourself here.

Here you can play miniature golf, go go-karting, they have bumper boats where you can soak your family and friendsand a climbing wall. Also outside is a huge slide for kids, and a couple of merry-go-round type rides. Inside there are arcade games and a play area for kids which is free.
Here they serve chips, hotdogs, sandwiches, etc.
Out of the way, but great family fun.

Location: 4401 Viking Drive, Bossier City.

Here's another picture of Caddo Lake...What a beautiful sunset.

You can discover the beauty of Caddo Lake aboard a toured 35-foot houseboat with Caddo Lake Adventures.

Caddo Lake Adventures is located at 7810 Sundown Drive in Mooringsport, LA.