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| LA State Exhibit Museum |
Our first glimpse of a paddle-wheel riverboat casino on the Red River.
Shreveport, Louisiana on the edge of the Red River…named for the steamboat captain, Henry Miller Shreve, who opened the river up in 1839 – from a logjam called “The Great Raft” – 150 miles of logs clogging the Red River and leaving it virtually un-navigable.
We spent a couple of hours touring the Louisiana State Exhibit on the state Fairgrounds. Built in 1939, it is a Smithsonian affiliate and was really beautifully done, with these dioramas that present “Louisiana in Miniature”, covering the history of people, industry and economy, culture and natural resources of this state. From the Caddo natives to the present day oil and gas exploration, the displays captured our attention.
Along with the state history there is a large area devoted to original letters and documents “Autographing History” from the 1700’s (Lewis & Clark) to the 1800’s (T. Jefferson) that have been donated by the collectors Charles E and Gloria B. Meyer.
