Cross Lake () is a man-made

lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...

located near

Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...

. The reservoir provides the water supply for the City of Shreveport. Moss covered

cypress tree Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs from the ''Cupressus'' genus of the '' Cupressaceae'' family, typically found in temperate climates and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, and North America. The word ''cypress'' ...

s line the banks of this open lake popular for fishing and recreational boating. It supports waterfowl,

alligator An alligator, or colloquially gator, is a large reptile in the genus ''Alligator'' of the Family (biology), family Alligatoridae in the Order (biology), order Crocodilia. The two Extant taxon, extant species are the American alligator (''A. mis ...

s and an abundance of other wildlife. There are many access sites, several commercial facilities, and two public parks. The Cross Lake land was acquired by the City of Shreveport during the administration of

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, 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 responsibilitie ...

John H. Eastman John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

, 1910-1914. The reservoir was constructed thereafter under the administration of Mayor Lee Emmett Thomas, 1922-1930. Under Mayor

Sam Caldwell Samuel Shepherd Caldwell (November 4, 1892 – August 14, 1953), was a Louisiana Petroleum in the United States, oilman and politician who served as List of mayors of Shreveport, Louisiana, mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, from 1934 to 1946. ...

, Cross Lake was stocked with fish.

Ford Park Doggett Ford Park is a 221-acre multi-purpose entertainment complex consisting of an arena, exhibit hall, amphitheater, midway, and 12 youth baseball fields located on I-10 South in Beaumont, Texas. The complex opened in 2003. It is owned by Jef ...

, a recreational facility on the lake, is named for the former

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, 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 responsibilitie ...

and finance commissioner John McW. Ford (1880–1965).

References

Bodies of water of Caddo Parish, Louisiana Reservoirs in Louisiana Geography of Shreveport, Louisiana Tourist attractions in Caddo Parish, Louisiana {{Louisiana-geo-stub