Shreveport, which was founded in 1836, is the 3rd largest city in the state of Louisiana - with an estimated population of over 180,000 residents. The majority of the city is located in Caddo Parish. However, interestingly enough, a small portion of the city bleeds into Bossier Parish. Shreveport is often referred to as the 'Jewel of the Ark-La-Tex' as is widely considered the educational, commercial and cultural center of the region. It is the home of Centenary College, LSU Health Shreveport and numerous casinos just to name a few. It will also be the future home to a massive Amazon distribution center.
Starting in 2006, Shreveport was often called 'Hollywood South' as it was home to several major film productions including 'The Guardian', 'The Mist', 'Straw Dogs', 'Drive Angry', 'Texas Chainsaw 3D' and countless others. In recent years, those Hollywood productions have fallen off. However, Shreveport has been home to 'Louisiana Film Prize', a short film festival featuring short films shot in our area from directors all over the world. Speaking of the arts, Shreveport was the original home of the Louisiana Hayride - that radio show launched the careers of several major musical artists including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams.