Edwald Max Hoyer: The Guardian of Bossier City

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Long before the engines of Barksdale Air Force Base echoed across the sky, and the loud lights of the casinos outlined the eastern banks of the Red River; Bossier City was a quiet, dusty agricultural hamlet. At the turn of the 20th century, the community lacked necessities, including electricity, natural gas, and a water system. It was a public services frontier that required vision, resources, and determination to transform it into an effective municipality. The man who supplied all three was Ewald Max Hoyer, a dairy farmer and businessman from Marine, Illinois.

Hoyer moved to the community in 1893 alongside his wife, Minnie Bassenberg Hoyer, a native of St. Louis. At the time, the area was known as Cane City, and the landscape was dominated by farmland and the Red River, which separated the community from the commercial hub of Shreveport. Upon arriving, the Hoyers settled on a farm and began purchasing cattle. Ewald then set up a dairy business that would be the largest dairy barn in North Louisiana by 1903. Four years later, the barn sold more than 7,500 gallons of milk per month, a figure that required immense capability to manage without the conveniences of modern milking technology.

Yet the farm's success was hampered by the region's lack of infrastructure. For years, residents of the unincorporated community were forced to drive their horse-drawn buggies across the river to Shreveport simply to secure clean water. Growing fatigued, Hoyer took matters into his own hands. In 1902, using his own resources, Hoyer drilled the first deep-water well in Bossier Parish. This provided a reliable water source for the community. The presence of a reliable water supply spurred interest from real estate developers, who later sold more than 700 residential and commercial lots. The promise of these sales was that the community would secure a traffic bridge across the Red River and be officially incorporated as a recognized village.

That promise became a reality on April 18, 1907. Recognizing the growth and need for formal governance, Gov. Newton C. Blanchard officially issued a proclamation incorporating the village and naming it Bossier City. When it came time to select a leader for the new village, Gov. Blanchard did not have to look far. Acting on the recommendations of businessmen and prominent figures, Blanchard appointed Hoyer as the first mayor. His peers cited his administrative prowess, success in scaling the region's largest dairy operation, and his investment in the community's infrastructure.

Hoyer’s tenure as mayor was defined as a brand of public service. He never accepted a cent as mayor. In fact, he functioned as the city’s primary financier. When Bossier City needed a seat of government, Hoyer used $1,200 of his own money to fund the construction of the first city hall. Furthermore, because the village government lacked a treasury, Hoyer advanced the funds needed to cover the municipality's expenses. As mayor, Hoyer delivered the promises made by early developers. He was instrumental in lobbying and securing the federal funds required to construct a traffic bridge across the Red River, linking the economies of Bossier City and Shreveport and ending the era of costly river crossings.

In 1909, the city held its first municipal elections. The citizens voted to re-elect Hoyer for a second term. During this term, the pillars of a community were erected: Bossier City saw the construction of its first schoolhouse and first church. Despite his success, in 1910, Hoyer’s political career was cut short when his wife, Minnie, fell severely ill. Prioritizing his family over politics, Hoyer stepped down as mayor. To be closer to medical care, the couple moved into what is now known as Shreveport’s Bliss-Hoyer House in the Fairfield Historic District. Despite that, Hoyer did not severe ties to the community he helped build.

He kept multiple investments in the community, ranging from real estate development to funding construction for several residential subdivisions. Even through the days of the Great Depression, Hoyer stayed a voice of Bossier City’s inevitable expansion, believing that the area was destined for greatness. He lived to see his faith confirmed multiple times. In 1923, Hoyer watched with pride as population growth prompted Gov. John M. Parker to reclassify Bossier City from village to town. Then, on Aug. 9, 1951, the ultimate milestone was reached. Following the post-World War II boom and the massive influx brought by Barksdale Air Force Base, Gov. Earl K. Long issued a proclamation making Bossier City an official city.

The municipality threw a massive celebration, headlined in local newspapers as "A City Was Born." The festivities featured a parade beginning at Fort Smith Park. Elaborate floats showcased the industries that had driven the city’s growth: cotton, oil, agriculture, and the military. Seated as a guest of honor at the 1951 celebration was Ewald Max Hoyer, who was 88 years old. Hoyer addressed the crowd and reminisced about the sparse hamlet he had moved to in 1893. He marveled at how a community of a few isolated families had exploded into a municipality of more than 15,000 residents, earning the designation as the "Fastest Growing City in Louisiana."

Ewald Max Hoyer passed away in 1957. By the time of his death, the population of the city he had breathed life into had swelled to 25,000. Today, Bossier City boasts a population approaching 70,000 and serves as an economic force for the state of Louisiana. Through his own labor and unwavering dedication, Ewald Max Hoyer ensured that the foundation of Bossier City was poured so strongly that it would last for generations to come.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. The History Center remains closed while our new exhibits are installed, but you may contact History Center staff by phone or email. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. Don’t forget you can explore many of our collections on our website, www.bossierlibrary.org. Look for the History and Genealogy page under Resources and then choose Collections Database. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Mayor Max Ewald Hoyer portrait from the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center, courtesy of Mrs. Stella Stokes.
• Bliss-Hoyer House, Shreveport, LA. Photo by Billy Hathorn, 2008, at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Article by: Creshaun Harris

Population Growth Spurs Bossier’s Status as City

Just as 2026 marks America’s 250th birthday, so too does the year mark a milestone for Bossier City. Exactly seventy-five years ago, Bossier officially became a city.

Plans were announced to mark the auspicious occasion. Newspapers heralded the event with headlines proclaiming “A City is Born.” The Planters Press newspaper of Bossier Parish announced a competition on August 30, 1951 “for civic-minded Bossier citizens and their neighbors to compete for honors … in a contest from which will emerge a new slogan for this newborn city.” A contest to design an official flag for Bosser was also proposed. Festivities were planned at Bossier High School’s Memorial stadium where crowds could cheer this landmark episode in Bossier’s history.

It's right there in the name, so hasn’t Bossier always been known as a city, you may ask? The answer is no. Simply having city in the name didn’t make it so. Population numbers came into play. In April 1907, Louisiana Governor Newton Blanchard issued a proclamation incorporating Bossier City as the Village of Bossier City because the area had at least 250 inhabitants. Bossier had developed from property once owned by Mary Bennett Cane along the Red River where the Louisiana Boardwalk and Margaritaville Casino now stand. It was known as Cane’s Landing, a spot where steamboats would dock. According to the book “Images of America Bossier City” by Kevin Bryant Jones, the term Bossier City was being used to describe this area as early as 1884. The parish had been called Bossier since its formation in 1843.

By the Roaring Twenties, the Village of Bossier City had grown and its population topped one thousand. Time for an upgrade. In March 1923, Governor John Parker declared Bossier to be the Town of Bossier City. And thus it remained for the next 28 years.

According to an article in The Planters Press from October 11, 1951, a community needed to have at least 5,000 inhabitants to be a city. U.S. Census Bureau records show Bossier had three times that number by ’51. I’m not certain why Bossier wasn’t proclaimed a city sooner, but all was ready by September of that year and excitement was building. A local polio outbreak caused a postponement of events until the following month, but plans for a celebration remained firm.

The Planters Press enthusiastically promoted those plans. “Ceremonies exceedingly appropriate to the outstanding occasion, representing an indescribably important historical demonstration, will usher in the formal classification of the community as the City of Bossier City,” stated the article of October 11. Five days later, the party got started.

A crowd estimated to number about 7,500 people turned out at Bossier High’s stadium on a Tuesday night and heard a proclamation read aloud from Governor Earl Long officially designating Bossier as a city. A parade, with floats depicting industries that aided in Bossier’s growth, passed the reviewing stands. Bands from Bossier, Byrd and Fair Park high schools, as well as Barksdale Air Force Base, performed for the crowd. The first-place entry in the city slogan contest - “Next Door Neighbor to World’s Largest Airbase”- was announced, authored by Bossier resident Irene Vinson, and the winning design for a city flag was unveiled, created by Velma Hagert of Bossier. The evening concluded with a fireworks show.

Achieving the status of city was a giant leap forward for Bossier. “This is something we have been striving towards for years,” Mayor Hoffman Fuller was quoted as saying in The Shreveport Times, October 17, 1951. The little settlement that sat in the shadow of its neighbor across the river had grown up.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. Call us to learn more. We are currently closed for renovations, but can still be reached by phone at (318) 746-7717, and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Velma Hagert (left) holds her winning design for the official flag of Bossier City, as Dee Hall looks on/The Planters Press, Sept. 13, 1951. Photo by Jack Barham
• The Shreveport Times, October 16, 1951

Article by: Kevin Flowers

Slogans Feature in Bossier City’s History

Through the years, as Bossier City has grown in population, efforts have periodically surfaced to instill the community with a sense of identity and uniqueness through the use of slogans. While utilizing slogans is nothing new for cities – think “The City That Never Sleeps” for New York and “What Happens Here, Stays Here” for Las Vegas – Bossier has perhaps had more than its share of attempts at finding an ideal catch phrase.

In 1923, with its number of residents topping 1,000, Bossier was officially proclaimed a town, and within a few short years, the idea of creating a slogan for the burgeoning community took hold. The Bossier Lions Club sponsored a slogan contest in early 1928 with cash prizes for the best offerings. The stated contest rules, published in The Bossier Banner of February 9 that year, mentioned that club members would vote to select the top two entries. First place would receive $10, with second receiving $5.

Within two months, after reportedly receiving several thousand entries, members chose a winner. The top vote-getter, according to The Planter’s Press of April 13, 1928, was “Bossier, City of the Hour,” submitted by Bossier student, Johnny Liberto. Runner-up was “Be Bossier’s Booster.”

Fast forward 23 years when the city’s status received another upgrade due to population increase. In October 1951, having more than 5,000 residents, the Town of Bossier City was declared by Louisiana Governor Earl Long to be the City of Bossier City. As part of the celebration surrounding the auspicious occasion, another slogan contest was held, this one sponsored by The Planters Press and the Bossier Chamber of Commerce. The winning submission, by writer and Bossier resident Irene Vinson, was “Next Door Neighbor to World’s Largest Air Base,” a nod to Barksdale Air Force Base and the city’s gratitude for its presence. Mrs. Vinson’s entry earned her a cash award of $15.

In an editorial of October 13, The Shreveport Journal praised the new slogan: “Sharing a boundary line with Barksdale Air Force Base is one of Bossier City’s most outstanding privileges. The Journal congratulates Bossier upon having a slogan which is so appropriately expressive of one of the community’s principal resources.” But despite its being well-received, this slogan apparently became a victim of the city’s continued growth, as another slogan became popular later that decade.

By 1957, the phrase “Fastest Growing City in Louisiana,” was being applied to Bossier. An article in May that year, appearing in Barksdale’s newspaper, The Observer, used the phrase in praising Bossier’s progress, and Bossier City Mayor Jake Cameron used it two years later in an editorial he wrote for The Shreveport Journal. “Bossier City has been called by people all over the state, the fastest growing city in Louisiana,” Cameron stated. He estimated the number of residents in 1959 to be approximately 30,000.

But that slogan also wasn’t in use for long. A front-page headline in the March 27, 1960 issue of The Bossier Tribune declares, “City Abandons Old Slogan,” with the accompanying article saying “Fastest Growing City” was being dropped in favor of “The City of Champions.” Although the article mentions that Bossier was still experiencing tremendous growth, it states that Mayor Cameron felt the “Champions” moniker was more appropriate due to various titles and championships won by schools such as Rusheon Junior High and Bossier High School, as well as Bossier High graduate Eurlyne Howell winning the Miss USA crown. From newspaper accounts, it seems this slogan, like the others, was heralded initially, but used infrequently thereafter. I was unable to find mention of it beyond 1963.

In the late 1970s, yet another attempt was made to provide a notable slogan for the city. Bossier Bank and Trust created a promotional campaign in 1979 titled “Bossier’s Breaking Through…And Coming on Strong,” and even had a song recorded for it. With the backing of Mayor Marvin Anding, the City Council, Bossier Chamber of Commerce, and Bossier Economic Foundation, the campaign was launched with much enthusiasm. Jim McKigney, the bank’s chairman of the board and chief executive officer at the time, was quoted in an article in The Bossier Tribune of November 9 that year as saying the goal was to “draw attention to Bossier’s dynamic growth.” The slogan was used often during the couple of years after its creation.

With Bossier City celebrating its 75th anniversary in 1982, community leaders thought it appropriate to have a slogan for that festive occasion. “Much Alive After 75” was chosen and printed on everything from buttons to bumper stickers. That slogan was used primarily during the anniversary year.

There was an effort in the early 1990s to have a slogan that would promote both Bossier and Shreveport. “Shreveport-Bossier City: Where Working Together Means Growing Together,” submitted by Grambling State University doctoral student SaRita Martin, was selected from among approximately 2,000 entries in a contest sponsored in part by The Times and KTAL-TV. I was unable to find mention of it in newspapers after 1992. Although our slogans may come and go, Bossier City remains a great place to call home.

If you have any information relating to the history of Bossier City and Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the material to its research collection. We are currently closed for installation of new exhibits, but can still be reached at (318) 746-7717 and by email at history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Headline from The Planters Press, April 13, 1928
• Headline from The Bossier Tribune, March 27, 1960
• Button from Bossier's 75th anniversary, 1982/History Center collection

Forty-Nine Years of Joy

The recent warm weather has been an opportunity I have been taking to get back outside and stretch my legs without the bite of cold. One such place here in Bossier Parish to do so is the Mike Wood Memorial Park. Named for Mike Wood, a student athlete from Bossier who was tragically killed in an auto-accident in November of 1968, this park has been a fixture in the Shady Grove area for decades. From local events to simple day outings, the Mike Wood Memorial Park has been available and home to many thousands of people seeking a pleasant place to experience the outdoors.

Mike Wood was a talented student athlete in Bossier Parish during the 1960s. Playing for the Bossier High School (BHS) Bearkats, Mike played both football and basketball, and was already making waves in his freshman year. A Bossier Press article from December 29, 1965, noted that “Fraser was the ‘Kats leading scorer with 18 points, followed closely by Ronnie Martin with 17 and Mike Wood with 14.” Mike would make several more appearances in the local papers in the following three years and by 1967, Mike had made the All-Tournament Basketball team. In his senior year Mike was labeled the all-around athlete of the year for BHS as well as the all-city and the all-district defensive end.

With a storied career behind him, Mike Wood signed to the Louisiana State University (LSU) team as a freshman starter, only spending time on the sidelines due to a fractured collarbone. Most tragically, Mike Wood’s life was cut short in an auto accident on November 27, 1968, ending what should have been a star career before it could start.

The legacy of Mike Wood would not end with the accident, however. Less than a decade after his death, a plan for a park was put into place to memorialize him forever. The land for the park was bought in 1974 by the Bossier Parish Police Jury for $60,000. A mixture of federal and city money funded the amenities of the park at $150,000.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Bossier Parish Police Juror Ruben White delivered a memorial for Mike Wood. Mr. White detailed Mike’s life and how, should he ever have a son, he’d want him to be like Mike. Finally, it was Mike Wood’s mother who broke the first ground on the project, setting in motion a process that would see the park flourish into a wonderful place of community.

Built within the Shady Grove Neighborhood with relaxation and exercise in mind, Mike Wood Park has a variety of amenities such as tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, a pool, and a nice walking path around the park. Mike Wood’s legacy of athleticism and dedication is remembered every time someone takes a morning run, enjoys an afternoon picnic, or plays on the playground equipment after school. The Mike Wood Memorial Park has been a fixture of the Shady Grove community for nearly fifty years and will continue to be so for many more.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. Call or visit us to learn more. We are open M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Mike Wood listed as All City and All District Defensive End (BHS Yearbook 1968)
• Mike Wood Accepting the award for Best All Around Athlete (BHS Yearbook 1968)
• Mike Wood on the field, with mention of his LSU signing (BHS Yearbook 1968)

Article by: Jonah Daigle

Bossier City’s Official Flags Represent Link to the Past

While writing a History Center column last September about Bossier City officially being named a city, I learned that along with that new title, Bossier gained its first official city flag. This made me curious as to how many official flags the city has had through the years and where the flags might be today.

In 1951, due to Bossier’s population growth, Louisiana Governor Earl Long issued a proclamation stating that henceforth, Bossier would be known as the City of Bossier City. Prior to this, it had been a village and then a town. As part of the celebrations surrounding this auspicious occasion, The Planter’s Press newspaper announced on August 23, 1951 that the Bossier Chamber of Commerce was sponsoring a design contest for an “initial municipal flag” to be unfurled during festivities marking “the community’s advancement from class of town to that of city.”

The winning entry was provided by Bossier resident and school teacher Velma Hagert, whose concept featured a green background with Bossier City, Louisiana in white letters encircling a gold star containing a Magnolia blossom. According to The Planter’s Press of September 13, the contest’s selection committee changed the Magnolia to a cotton boll, because, as committee chairman and businessman Arthur Ray Teague was quoted as saying, “The cotton boll is more in keeping with our territory.” And the star was changed to a circle. The flag made its public debut at those advancement festivities, held at Bossier High School’s Memorial Stadium.

Thirty-one years later, Bossier City was preparing for another celebration, its 75th anniversary. The Shreveport Journal of March 12, 1982 carried the news that a second contest, sponsored this time by the Bossier Arts Council, was being held to “create a new city flag.” According to the newspaper, Ms. Hagert welcomed the idea. “It’s time for a new city flag …,” she is quoted as saying in The Journal’s April 1 edition. “We’ve progressed in the 30 years since I designed my cotton flag.” But on page 31D of that same April 1 edition, the newspaper simply refers to the new design as “a special commemorative flag,” hinting that it would not replace Ms. Hagert’s flag.

During anniversary ceremonies on Saturday, April 3, the new flag was unveiled. Designed by Bossier High School student John Jones, it showed a star overlapping the state and had the year of Bossier’s incorporation as a village - 1907 - within the star. An article in The Shreveport Journal on April 4, highlighting the previous day’s celebratory events, refers to the flag as being an “anniversary” flag, but makes no mention of it being the city’s official flag. And minutes of the Bossier City Council meeting for March 30, 1982, printed in the Bossier Tribune on April 9, show a motion was unanimously approved to recognize the design “as commemorative of the 75th birthday of Bossier City.” So, it seems this flag was associated more with Bossier’s birthday than being an official banner.

By 1986, there was another call for a new city flag. As part of a campaign called “Standing Proud Bossier City”, the National Bank of Bossier, in coordination with the mayor’s office, sponsored a design contest, offering $500 for an original layout. Of the approximately 145 entries, one offered by 30-year-old Bossier City resident Randy Canterbury was chosen. It featured colors of red, white and blue with the words Bossier City in script. A curved ribbon representing the Red River had a star showing the city’s location on the river. This became Bossier City’s official flag and remains so today. Canterbury was understandably proud. “It will be something to tell my grandchildren about,” he said in an interview with the Bossier Press Tribune for the newspaper’s April 30, 1986 issue.

Since becoming a village in 1907, Bossier has had two official flags. While examples of the current city flag are readily available, the original city flag may now only exist in old photos. So far, I’ve been unable to uncover the whereabouts of that first flag, flown during the festivities to acknowledge Bossier gaining city status in 1951. I’m interested in speaking with anyone who might know if it still exists and have access to it. I’d also like to learn the whereabouts of the anniversary flag. It too is a piece of history worth saving.

If you have any information or items relating to the history of Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. Call or visit us to learn more. We are open M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• First official flag of Bossier City held (l to r) by Bossier councilmen Clyde Nelson Jr., C.L. Madden Jr. and acting Shreveport Mayor John Ford during celebrations of Bossier becoming a city in 1951/courtesy The Shreveport Times, Langston McEachern.
• Bossier's 75th anniversary commemorative flag/courtesy The Shreveport Journal,1982.
• Current official flag of Bossier City/courtesy Wikipedia.org.

Article by: Keven Flowers

Old Friends on Old Downtown Bossier

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I beg to differ. At least among old friends discussing a photograph in our History Center collection of old downtown Bossier City (Barksdale Blvd.) circa 1952, it is worth 6,173 words. At least, the photo elicited that many words in the transcribed oral history interview, recorded in 2011 at the History Center with friends Samuel “Aaron” Kelly and Larry Moore. Both men were born in the mid-1930s and were lifelong Bossier residents. (They also passed away within months of each other in 2017 and 2018.)

Aaron Kelly went downtown every Saturday with his father, a contractor. Starting with Norris Food Market in the photo’s foreground and working his way up the street, Mr. Kelly, with some help from Mr. Moore, gave me a “guided tour” through the busy downtown of mid-century Bossier City. Next door to Mr. Norris’ Food Market, at least as late as 1947, was Whisenhunt’s jewelry and watch repair shop where, the men informed us, railroad employees went once a month on a mandate to have their watches checked and certified to make sure they were right on time.

Across the street was Barksdale Drug, owned by partners Dutch Fenton and Arthur Ray Teague. Kelly and Moore told me the partners invented Teague and Fenton Foot Remedy, marketed nationally. Mr. Kelly said, “You could order that Teague and Fenton. Man, it would get rid of athlete’s feet. Strong alcohol is what it was. Mr. Moore quipped, “And get rid of a sore throat if you drink enough of it.”

Barksdale Drug also had a soda fountain that was, apparently, the gathering spot: “That was Saturday, after the Friday football games. I mean that was a city council meeting down [there]. Everybody that was anybody in Bossier City was going to be at Barksdale Drug on Saturday to replay the ballgame,” remembered Mr. Kelly.

Of course, one of Mr. Kelly’s favorite places to go downtown as a boy was the movie theatre, the Southland, but he also couldn’t forget the fascinating blacksmith shop behind Red River Motor Company. Mr. Moore remembered, “They could make anything”. As Mr. Kelly described it, “They had all kind of machines in there and they had a lot of lumber. They made …wagons that horses would pull.” Even in the 1940s, trucks weren’t ubiquitous and people would bring in wagons for repair, or to get a wagon wheel made. In fact, there was a horse and mule barn downtown then, too. “Most of the smaller farmers, [a horse-drawn wagon] was just about all they could afford,” said Mr. Moore.

It is not the same as the downtown of Mr. Moore’s and Mr. Kelly’s memory – there are no blacksmith shops or drug stores, after all – but the new “East Bank” incarnation of downtown Bossier City has become an entertainment destination once more. If you have stories or photos of downtown to share, please let us know. If you want to see more pictures of historic Bossier City, be sure to visit our History Center Research Room where we have drawings by BPSTIL student John Fox on display. We are in the new Bossier Parish Libraries Central Complex at 850 City Hall Drive, Bossier City, LA (across Beckett Street from the original History Center and “old” Central Library). We are open M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org

For other fun facts, photos, and videos, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on TikTok, and check out our blog http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.

Images: Downtown Bossier City, LA Circ 1952. Photo by Bacon’s Studio. Bossier Parish Libraries History Center photo.

Article By: Pam Carlisle

Celebration Highlights Bossier’s Emergence as a City

Seventy-three years ago this month was a special time for Bossier City. It was a time for celebrating, a time for congratulations, and a time for recognition, not because of a great sports victory or a win on the political stage or the opening of some new, grand industry. It was special due to the achievement of a long hoped-for milestone, Bossier taking a seat at the adult table. In 1951, Bossier became a city.

Plans were announced to mark the auspicious occasion. Newspapers of the day heralded the event with headlines proclaiming “A City is Born.” The Planters Press newspaper of Bossier Parish announced a competition on August 30, 1951 “for civic-minded Bossier citizens and their neighbors to compete for honors … in a contest from which will emerge a new slogan for this newborn city.” A contest to design an official flag for Bossier was also proposed. Festivities were planned at Bossier High School’s football stadium where crowds could cheer this landmark episode in Bossier’s history.

It's right there in the name, so hasn’t Bossier always been known as a city, you may ask? The answer is no. Simply having city in the name didn’t make it so. Population numbers came into play. In April 1907, Louisiana Governor Newton Blanchard issued a proclamation incorporating Bossier City as the Village of Bossier City because the area had at least 250 inhabitants. Bossier had developed from property once owned by Mary Bennett Cane along the Red River where the Louisiana Boardwalk and Margaritaville Casino now stand. It was known as Cane’s Landing, a spot where steamboats would dock. According to the book “Images of America Bossier City” by Kevin Bryant Jones, the term Bossier City was being used to describe this area as early as 1884. The parish had been called Bossier since its formation in 1843.

By the Roaring Twenties, the Village of Bossier City had grown and its population topped one thousand. Time for an upgrade. In March 1923, Governor John Parker declared Bossier to be the Town of Bossier City. And thus it remained for the next 28 years.

According to an article in The Planters Press from October 11, 1951, a community needed to have at least 5,000 inhabitants to be a city. U.S. Census Bureau records show Bossier had three times that number by ’51. I’m not certain why Bossier wasn’t proclaimed a city sooner, but all was ready by September of that year and excitement was building. A local polio outbreak caused a postponement of events until the following month, but plans for a celebration remained firm.

The Planters Press enthusiastically promoted those plans. “Ceremonies exceedingly appropriate to the outstanding occasion, representing an indescribably important historical demonstration, will usher in the formal classification of the community as the City of Bossier City,” stated the article of October 11th. Five days later, the party got started.

A crowd estimated to number about 7,500 people turned out at Bossier High’s stadium on a Tuesday night and heard a proclamation read aloud from Governor Earl Long officially designating Bossier as a city. A parade, with floats depicting industries that aided in Bossier’s growth, passed the reviewing stands. Bands from Bossier, Byrd and Fair Park high schools, as well as Barksdale Air Force Base, performed for the crowd. The first-place entry in the city slogan contest - “Next Door Neighbor to World’s Largest Airbase”- was announced, authored by Bossier resident Irene Vinson, and the winning design for a city flag was unveiled, created by Velma Hagert of Bossier. The evening concluded with a fireworks show.

Achieving the status of city was a giant leap forward for Bossier. “This is something we have been striving towards for years,” Mayor Hoffman Fuller was quoted as saying in The Shreveport Times, October 17, 1951. The little settlement that sat in the shadow of its neighbor across the river had grown up.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. Call or visit us to learn more. We are open M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• The Shreveport Times, October 16, 1951    
• Velma Hagert (left) holds her winning design for the official flag of Bossier City, as Dee Hall looks on/The Planters Press, Sept. 13, 1951. Photo by Jack Barham

Article by: Kevin Flowers

Water Fights: Bossier City’s New Municipal Water Supply, 1959

 Recently this column relayed how in the 1920’s, after several devastating fires, a young Bossier City desperately needed a municipal water supply. In 1928, when Bossier City connected to Shreveport’s water system that was fed by Cross Lake, the connection happened with much fanfare. The event was marked by an “industrial parade” with beginning and ending ceremonies on either side of the Red River. The parade was a tribute to the industrial resources of Shreveport-Bossier. The less celebratory part of that story was the simultaneous, unsuccessful lawsuits filed to stop the connection.

About 30 years later, Bossier City disconnected from the Shreveport water supply and opened a water treatment plant and delivery system of its own, using the Red River as its water source. The actual disconnect was not done with any fanfare - in fact the change-over happened in secret and caught Bossier residents by surprise, for reasons I have not yet discovered. But once the changeover took place and was “out in the open”, again there was both spectacle and controversy to accompany the arrival of water to the homes and businesses of Bossier City.

A bond had already passed in 1956 allowing for the city to build its water treatment plant. The bond had passed after the distribution of false information, claimed Ned Touchstone of the “Bossier Press,” citing a statement issued prior to the bond vote that the water would not be taken from the Red River. Instead, it was purported to be taken from deep wells near the river, stating that would avoid some of the salt content in the river.

Mr. Touchstone’s newspaper led the fight to halt construction of the new water system, with the main argument against it being the City of Dallas’ problems with using Red River water for its city water. Newspapers around the country reported on the problem of Dallas’ salty city water in 1955 and 1956, following a drought going back to the late 1940’s.

On Thursday, May 7, 1959, Touchstone reported that there was a “secret attempt” to switch Bossier to the Red River water. He remarked that it was no longer secret thanks to his investigating and to the tastebuds of “Bossier housewives:”

More than a score of them [housewives] had called the “Bossier Press” during the last three days to complain about the “different, flatter taste [of the city water]. At 8 a.m. Wednesday, a “Bossier Press” representative drove to the new water plant and found it in full operation. An employee at that plant protested that it wasn’t in use, ‘but we’re just running the machines to get used to running them.’” Touchstone reported that at 9:15, the Shreveport water commissioner also would not disclose if Bossier had discontinued its water purchase, but at 4 pm, Bossier City Mayor Jake Cameron confirmed that, “the practice of mixing relatively small amounts of Red River water with Cross Lake water had been discontinued in favor of the new source.”

A story in the May 10, 1959, “Bossier Tribune” confirmed that the “Water Link with Shreveport is Severed April 28.” Bossier City’s Commissioner of Finance and Utilities, Clyde W. Fowler announced that the city’s $1,150,000 water plant had gone into fulltime operation and that calls he was receiving were favorable on the taste and quality of the water. He added that unlike Shreveport, there isn’t an algae problem with the water source. A photo in the issue showed city officials making a “Toast to a New Era,” as they sipped glasses of water processed through the new plant.

The article also announced the official dedication ceremonies for the treatment facility to be held on May 23rd, followed by an open house with tours of the new plant. Another announcement of the dedication proclaimed that “hill-billy singer” Jimmy Davis (former Louisiana Governor) would be there for entertainment. Current Governor, Earl Long, was invited as guest of honor but sent his regrets. Mayor Jake Cameron was to slash the ribbon.

The plant was said to be deemed a “model of its kind in the South” by engineers and was featured in the November, 1959, issue of the “American City,” a national trade magazine for municipalities. Bossier City was the first municipality to source its water from the Red River.

Does your family have any photos, letters, or other items relating to early infrastructure of Bossier City? The History Center would also like to expand our collection of fire department and police department material. If you have photographs, papers, uniforms, or other items, please consider donating them to the History Center or simply making them available to us to scan. Contact us at 318-746-7717 or email history-center@bossierlibrary.org or visit us at 2206 Beckett St., Bossier City. We are open: M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. For other intriguing facts, photos, and videos, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on TikTok, and check out our blog http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.

Images: 

• “Toast to a New Era,” from the Bossier Tribune, Sunday, May 10, 1959
• Headline, “Water is On!” from the front page of the Bossier Press, Thursday, May 07, 1959

Article by: Pam Carlisle 

Listen to Fire Warnings, Learn From History

 Even though we just got a little rain, drought conditions continue to worsen in Louisiana, with a burn ban still in effect. Fires are burning around the state and region. The Governor has pleaded, “Please follow the statewide burn ban to try and prevent any new problems for our firefighters.” On the last day of August, 2023, the southern half of the parish is in “Severe Drought.” You can look at the history of Bossier City to see just how widely destructive droughts plus fire can be. But you can also see in this history reasons for pride and positivity if you, as Mr. Fred Rogers instructed, “look for the helpers,” as the city began to crew, equip and ultimately professionalize Bossier City’s fire response.

On the night of June 23, 1925, a fire began in a feed barn belonging to Bossier City Mayor Tom Hickman. The flames moved through homes on Colquitt Street and then the blaze reached the business section of Bossier City, located on Cane Street (now Barksdale Boulevard). A separate fire also struck downtown that night. The fires made quick work of the wooden structures. The wind carried embers several blocks, bringing people to the roofs of their homes with water buckets, mops, and sacks to stifle any flames.

Bossier City’s water supply was very low due to a recent drought. Bossier did not have its own fire department, so the Shreveport Fire Department sent a pumper truck full of water across the river. The truck did not stop at the Traffic Street tollbooth on the bridge across the Red River to pay its nickel, so the toll attendants shot at it, puncturing the water tank. The bridge soon became so crowded that the toll operators had to give up as people streamed across from Shreveport to watch the blaze. A bucket brigade led by the Shreveport firefighters was the only way to slowly, with little effectiveness, contain the flames. The fires caused over $100,000 worth of damage, and destroyed half of downtown Bossier City.

After the fires of June 23rd, city leaders worked to bring a modern water system and a new fire alarm system to the people of Bossier. A volunteer fire brigade was organized in 1926 and Bossier City’s first fire truck was purchased that same year. It was a Model-T and did not have a pump, but a 40-gallon soda-acid tank extinguisher. The first fire station was built on Cane Street in 1928, as a fire truck bay within the Bossier City Municipal Building/City Hall, which is now the home of the Bossier Arts Council. (The fire truck bay houses the Emerging Artists Gallery). A volunteer fire department operated out of that building under the direction of Chief Nathan Huff. Bossier’s first paid firefighters started in 1932, the same year the department got its first pumper truck equipped.

New alarm boxes used the telegraph system and alerted the fire department to the location of a fire. When someone triggered the box, a spring-loaded wheel spun and tapped out a signal onto the fire alarm telegraph wire, indicating the box number, giving firefighters the location of the emergency.

In 1950, F. Maxwell Smith was appointed the first paid Fire Chief. By 1951, the first fire substation was built on Waller Street, and in 1952, a new stand-alone Central Station was built next to the Municipal Building until a new Central Station opened in 1984 within the present-day Bossier City municipal complex. The city now has nine fire stations and 191 employees, with services that include EMS, hazardous materials operations, water rescue, bomb squad, fire prevention, SWAT, public education programs, fire investigations and inspections.

The History Center would like to expand our collection of the history of Bossier City and Parish first responder services. If you have photographs, papers, uniforms, or other items relating to firefighters or police officers in Bossier Parish, please consider donating them to the Historical Center or simply making them available to scan. Contact us at 318-746-7717 or email history-center@bossierlibrary.org or visit us at 2206 Beckett St., Bossier City. We are open: M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. For other intriguing facts, photos, and videos, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on Facebook, @bplhistorycenter on TikTok, and check out our blog http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/. Visit the Bossier Parish Libraries’ YouTube channel to see a “virtual tour” of the Bossier Arts Council/old Bossier City Municipal Building https://youtu.be/1uF2gCzS1lo.

Images: 

• Bossier City Fire Department Precinct members outside the Bossier City Fire Station at 630 Cane Avenue. The fire truck appears to be a 1941 American LaFrance. Bossier City purchased its second fire truck in 1942 and a third in 1945. This may be a photo of the firefighters with one of the new trucks.
• Photograph left to right: Arthur Ray Teague, Unidentified Man, Volunteer Chief Nathan G. Huff, Unidentified Man, and Captain Ennis Tipton of Bossier City Fire Department.  Circa 1940's. If you think you recognized the unidentified men in this picture, please let the History Center know!

Article by: Pam Carlisle

Hooked on Sinkers: Doughnuts in Wartime

 Friday, June 3, 2022, is National Donut Day, not to be confused with November 5, 2023, National Doughnut Day.  Both are occasions to treat yourself or some friends to doughnuts (and technically both spellings of the confection are correct, too), but only the day in June has a historical story behind it, one that teaches us to never underestimate the power of doughnuts during wartime, especially WWII.

Barksdale during WWII was an excellent example of the wartime popularity of doughnuts. A story in the “Barksdale’s Bark” newspaper from February 3, 1945, ran the headline “Dunkers Devour 300 Dozen Donuts, 4,000 Cups of Java at PX Every Day.”  PX stands for Post Exchange, when Barksdale was an Army Air Field prior to the creation of the U.S. Air Force and “dunkers,” of course, refers to the time-honored tradition of dunking doughnuts in coffee. According to the article, “Among GI’s who are confirmed dunkers, 300 dozen a day vanish with a slurp, often by 10:30 am…” Sundays are when the most donuts are consumed there, at almost double the amount. The Cafeteria Manager, John Kennedy, was quoted saying, “We never have any left. Some guys take as many as 8 at a time.”

In fact, the PX previously made the doughnuts themselves but from the early 1940s they couldn’t keep up with the demand so a Shreveport bakery supplied them. A tongue-in-cheek welcome to new GIs in the July 8, 1944, issue of “Barksdale’s Bark” urged, “If it’s doughnuts and a cup of red-eye (coffee) your little heart desires, a short two-hour wait should do the trick. Even if you’re not hungry, get in line anyway. By the time you get through it you will be.”

Doughnuts, however, were doing more than just filling the hungry stomachs of GIs on breaks. Every American post had an American Red Cross (ARC) Doughnut Dugout. Returning flight crews were greeted with fresh coffee and doughnuts. These provisions got a noteworthy mention in the February 26, 1944, “Barksdale’s Bark” article about services the ARC was providing both stateside and to the soldiers overseas. “A special service that made a big hit with fliers was the coffee and donuts which awaited the crews as they returned from their combat missions.” The Bark noted in a January 1945 article about Division Rest Camps for the U.S. 1^st Army that every 30 days, a soldier is sent to the rest camp for two days. He can “sleep, visit the nearby town, eat all the doughnuts he can take, see as many movies as he likes.”

Doughnuts were provided behind the front lines by women Red Cross volunteers who drove Clubmobiles, vehicles equipped with facilities for coffee and doughnut-making, a phonograph and gum, newspapers, and a few other comfort items from home. The women who served on these vehicles were required to be college graduates, at least 25 years old, and possessing excellent interpersonal skills. They came to be known by the name “Doughnut Dollies.”

To provide this same sense of normalcy and support to soldiers serving during WWII, the Salvation Army also provided coffee and doughnuts and other relief services. In 1938, the Salvation Army in Chicago proclaimed the first Friday in June as National Doughnut Day to raise funds and honor these "Doughnut Lassies," who originally served treats and provided assistance to soldiers on the front lines during World War I.

Syndicated columnist Raymond Clapper, in a column that ran in the “Shreveport Journal” on July 19, 1943, wrote about his visit to troops in the Allied Command Post, North Africa during the height of the Sicilian campaign, when the fighter bombers were “practically seeing the whites of the enemy’s eyes in low strafing attacks on military trucks, railroad yards, radio stations and other targets.” He watched the bombers landing in a converted goat pasture, the pilots “wringing wet” with sweat and throwing off their life jackets. Then the Lt. Col. said, “Let’s check in and get over to those Red Cross doughnuts.” Clapper observed, “The biggest thing in their lives at the moment is an American Red Cross girl under an olive tree serving coffee and doughnuts. Only after a second cup of coffee and the third doughnut do you begin to hear about what (tragedy) happened over Sicily a few moments ago.”

Photo: "Wm. L. Shirer, Coffee & Sinker." The woman has an American Red Cross pin at her collar. She is likely a member of the Red Cross "Canteen Corps".

William L. Shirer (left with glasses) was an American journalist and war correspondent. 7 January 1943

Does your family have any stories, clippings or photos of Doughnut Dollies or Doughnut Lassies? Do you know what bakery in Shreveport provided those daily 300 dozen doughnuts to Barksdale during wartime? (We don’t know, and are curious.) We would love to see the items or hear your story and copy or record them, with permission, to add to the History Center’s research collection. Also, please come to the History Center to see our exhibit on the American Red Cross at 2206 Beckett St, Bossier City, LA. We are open M-Th 10-8, Fri 10-6, and Sat 10-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org
 
For other fun facts, photos, and videos, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on TikTok, and check out our blog http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.

Article by: Pam Carlisle

Bossier Librarian Organizes Victory Book Campaign

Anytime there is war, organizations like the American Red Cross jump into action to support the troops. Shortly after America entered World War II, the Red Cross, the United States Organization for National Defense, and the American Library Association joined together to address the need for books for our rapidly growing military.

Immediately after the national book campaign announcement, the Bossier Parish Libraries council called a meeting with representatives from each town in the parish, where they made plans to back the campaign. A call to action appeared in The Planters Press, asking all Bossierites to donate to the cause. All books were welcomed, with used books being cleaned and repaired as needed.

According to the announcement, “These books will be sent to army camps in this area. Many of our boys who are in camp or who will be later, have had to discontinue their studies of various types, some of them would continue their work if the necessary text books were available, and of course books for recreation hours are always needed. The Victory Book Campaign slogan is ‘Give the Book You Are Now Reading.’”

Collection containers were placed in the schools throughout the parish. Each branch of the Bossier Parish Libraries accepted donations, and the bookmobile collected donations at each stop. And, in Bossier City, containers were also placed at City Hall, Barksdale Drug, the Planters Press, Bossier State Bank, the Bossier Tribune, and the Post Office.

Portrait of Mary Elisabeth Williams by A. Menosco.
Bossier Parish Library Collection: 2000.093.001.

Parish Librarian Elisabeth Williams appointed committee members to oversee various aspects of the campaign. Mrs. S.E. Norris led working with Bossier City Schools. Mrs. Nelson covered Haughton. Publicity in Bossier City was assigned to Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Dupuy. The containers for Bossier City were placed by Rev. A.P. Smith and Roy E. Horton. And A.R. Teague oversaw radio publicity.

The types of books needed also appeared in the announcement. The list included topics like applied psychology, current affairs, business, accounting, up-to-date technical books, mechanical drawing, photography, music, poetry, sports, geography, biography, history, novels, writing, math, mysteries, and westerns. All books donated were stamped, “Gift of the people of the United States through the Victory Book Campaign.”

The books were distributed across the nation to Army camps, Naval stations, Coast Guard stations, Merchant Marine libraries, and United States Organization centers. Five-million books were collected within the first five months of the campaign. The campaign ran from the beginning of 1942 through 1943, with approximately seventeen million books passing through the campaign clearinghouse in New York.

For the past eighty-one years, the Bossier Parish Library has proudly provided access to materials, programs, and technologies that enrich, educate, and inspire the residents of this great parish. To learn more about the Bossier Parish Library’s history, visit the BPL History Center at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City. Follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on Tiktok, and check out our blog, http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.

By: Amy Robertson

This Month In Bossier Parish History

 October: Through the year!

Oct.1: It's National Poetry Day!

* Please enjoy some of the poetry from a few of the citizens from our parish. 

 

    

Oct.14, 1928:  Land in Bossier City was inspected and found satisfactory for the new location of the south's largest airport. The location for the new attack wing of the nation's air service (Barksdale Field/Barksdale Air Force Base) could bring in 3,00 airmen and 500 officers.

*Please enjoy the newspaper article and photos.

14 Oct 1928

The Times

Barksdale Field before construction in the 1931

2011.053.001-36 Hardin collection

 

1937: Barksdale Air Force Base, on Barksdale Field in 1937. A Presentation of Colors to General Martin is pictured.

2002.027.004 DeField Collection

 Barksdale Air Force Base B-18 Plane.

2002.027.001 DeField Colection

 

1934: Barksdale Air Force Base, Barksdale Field.

2002.027.003 DeField Collection

Oct.19, 1977: Parkway Panther's news from 40 years ago. 

        * All clippings are from the Oct. 19, 1977 issue of the "Panthers' Print" and the photos are             from the 1978 Parkway High School Yearbook  

• Panther’s Print newspaper staff

· 1977-78 Homecoming Court

· Mark Thomas sews his apron

· Girls volleyball wins over Bossier: 15-9

·  Football: Parkway vs Bossier, the Panthers takes the win: 14-7

· Panthers’ featured athletes of the month:  Kevin Wood and Mark Thomas

· P is for Personality: 1977 Panther Personalities were David Saylors and Maureen Meredith

· LSY’s “Most Outstanding Member” award goes to: Robert Ray McKellar, Diana Dahlberg and John Long

Oct. 27, 1921:  Weekly news from 100 years ago. 

            * the weekly news are form the Oct.27, 1921 issue of the Bossier Banner and the photos                 are from our database

•  Beulah Dennis spent the week with her daughter.

  

  Beulah Cornelius Bass Dennis, and baby is Doris Gleason.

  
  
•  Linton Community: The hour of singing was change from 8 o’clock to 3 o’clock. The   reason being, it is getting cold at night.

  

  1908: Students of Linton School, Teacher Miss Emma Hulme.

  
  

•  Miller’s Bluff School was progressing nicely with 40 pupils enrolled.

  

  C.1900’s: Millers Bluff School

  
  
•  The Plain Dealing cotton gin would only be operating on Fridays and Saturdays due to the   closing of the season.

  

  Cotton Gin, Plain Dealing

  
  
•  One of the big features of the fair was a free airplane ride.

  

  c.1900's: Early airplane which offered rides at the State Fair.  Plane was kept in the center of the Race Track.  One view is of plane flying.  The other view is of plane on the ground.