The Parade to Welcome Cross Lake Water: Bossier City 1928

 Like the precipitating event in a coming-of-age novel, devastating fires that destroyed much of downtown Bossier City in the mid-1920’s prompted city leaders to work together to get a municipal water system and a new fire alarm system for the people and businesses of Bossier City. (Read more about this event in the September 6, 1923 article.)

Bossier found its first municipal water supply across the Red River (rather than from the Red River, like today) when it was connected to Shreveport’s water system, supplied by Cross Lake. This connection happened with much fanfare. In fact, this modern era of Bossier history was literally ushered in with a parade.

The planning for this grand parade, dubbed an “industrial parade” for the popular nineteenth and early 20th century parade format with a vehicle to highlight each of an area’s industries, was discussed for months in Bossier City and Shreveport newspapers. The planning continued even when a lawsuit against Bossier City and the Louisiana Oil Refining Company (LORECO), was filed on December 3rd by Bossier City resident Rufus E. McDonald to stop the water systems connecting. The case was dismissed December 10th.

One of the most vocal proponents of the water system connection, the area’s industrial potential and, especially, the industrial parade from Shreveport to Bossier City was Col. Francis M. Witherspoon, “public relations man” of LORECO. LORECO, of Shreveport, was starting in 1923 through 1929, building a refinery in Bossier City for the production of home heating and fuel oil.

Just prior to the parade and ceremonies, Col. Witherspoon expounded in “The Planters Press” under the title, “Watch Bossier Grow,” that just a few years before, Bossier City consisted of only a handful of streets, some of which were “only mud holes bordered with wooden buildings.” (About a third of the wooden buildings burned down in Bossier’s downtown fire of 1925.) He contrasted that primitive image with the present day’s “city of unquestioned opportunities,” with “concrete streets, modern commodious commercial houses” that could offer investors “highways, railways, waterways and airways together with an unlimited supply of white coal…natural gas, oil and plenty of pure water.” He also noted that in addition to all those resources, the fortunate community was “surrounded with lands as fertile as any in the world.”

The parade formed at Texas and Spring streets in Shreveport at 3:30 in the afternoon on Dec 13, 1928. Headed by Shreveport mayor L.E. Thomas and city officials, participants marched through the business section of Shreveport and crossed the Red River on the traffic bridge, where the group was to be welcomed by Bossier City mayor Thomas Hickman, Albert J Dupuy, chair of the “Bossier reception committee,” and representatives of the Bossier Lions Club.

Pictures of the Shreveport side of the parade were published in the December 14th Shreveport Times. According to the Times, on a platform constructed in front of the Bossier City Hall on Cain Street (now Barksdale Blvd.), the mayors clasped hands to symbolize goodwill and cooperation of Shreveport and Bossier City. Bossier Mayor Hickman proclaimed, “It is indeed a noteworthy occasion. Our residents are genuinely appreciative [for the water supply] and promise their future co-operation with their larger neighbor to the fullest extent.” The ceremony, the Times said, was meant to represent “another bond cementing more solidly the relations of Shreveport and its neighbor.”

Does your family have any photos, letters, or other items relating to this parade? 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 Historical 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

Article by: Pam Carlsile