Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium is a historic performance and meeting venue at 705 Elvis Presley Boulevard in
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population of 393,406 in 2020, is t ...
. It is an
Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
building constructed between 1926 and 1929 during the administration of
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
Lee Emmett Thomas
Lee may refer to:
Name
Given name
* Lee (given name), a given name in English
Surname
* Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee:
** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname
** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese s ...
as a memorial to the servicemen of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. In 1991, the auditorium was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
and on October 6, 2008, it was designated a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
.
The building also became a contributing property of Shreveport Commercial Historic District when its boundaries were increased on .
Design
The building was designed by architects Samuel G. Wiener Sr., and Seymour Van Os, both of the firm of Jones, Roessle, Olschner & Wiener of Shreveport. Contractor for construction was the Ashton Glassell Company, also of Shreveport.
Stage of Stars Museum
The Municipal Memorial Auditorium houses the Stage of Stars Museum, and a 3,200-seat auditorium, which is used for concerts
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or musical band, band. Concerts are held in a w ...
, family shows, Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
plays, boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
, and other special events. It is nationally significant, and was designated a National Historic Landmark, for hosting the ''Louisiana Hayride
''Louisiana Hayride'' was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of th ...
'' radio program, hosted by Frank Page (1925-2013). During its heyday, from 1948 to 1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
, the program spawned the careers of some of the greatest names in American Country and Rockabilly music. The ''Hayride'' regularly featured performers, such as Hank Williams
Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...
, Slim Whitman
Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr. (January 20, 1923 – June 19, 2013), known as Slim Whitman, was an American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his yodeling abilities and his use of falsetto. He claimed he had sold in excess of ...
, Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves (August 20, 1923July 31, 1964) was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville Sound. Known as "Gentleman ...
, Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
, Johnny Horton, and Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
, who got his start at this venue.[ Eric J. Brock (1966-2011), "Louisiana Hayride Gave Elvis His First Boost," ''Shreveport Times'', 1999-05-15]
Renovations
The auditorium underwent renovations from 1994 through 2004. Recent improvements to the auditorium have included air conditioning, renovated restrooms, installation of ramps and an elevator.
See also
*List of concert halls
A concert hall is a cultural building with a stage that serves as a performance venue and an auditorium filled with seats.
This list does not include other venues such as sports stadia, dramatic theatres or convention centres that may ...
*List of music venues
This is a list of notable venues worldwide including theaters, clubs, arenas, convention centers, and stadiums, all which can host a concert (music related).
Africa
Algeria
Angola
Egypt
Libya
Morocco
Nigeria
Republic of Congo
...
* Theater in Louisiana
*List of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana
This is a complete list of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana,.
The United States National Historic Landmark program is a program of the National Park Service, and recognizes structures, districts, objects, and similar resources according to ...
*
References
External links
*
Official website
{{Authority control
Event venues on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana
Buildings and structures completed in 1929
National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana
Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana
Buildings and structures in Shreveport, Louisiana
Art Deco architecture in Louisiana
Boxing venues in Louisiana
Concert halls in Louisiana
Music venues in Louisiana
Performing arts centers in Louisiana
Sports venues in Shreveport, Louisiana
Tourist attractions in Shreveport, Louisiana
National Register of Historic Places in Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Louisiana
1929 establishments in Louisiana