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Last Modified: September 12, 2008Visitor Center on the Red River

The top deck of the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Regional Visitor Center provides visitors with a panoramic view of downtown Shreveport while the interior exhibits provide visitors with an historical panoramic view of the Red River from about 1830 to the present. During all that time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been intermittently working on various projects on the Red River and the purpose of the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Regional Visitor Center is to educate people on the subject of Red River history.  

Movie critics are raving about “Rambling Red”
  

Two thumbs up were recently given to the Visitor Center’s 12-minute movie entitled Rambling Red. Actually, there was a room filled with two thumbs up because it was a 6th grade class of movie critics who were indicating their educated opinions. The 8,300 sq. ft. Visitor Center is frequently used by local schools for educational field trips as part of their Louisiana history programs. Students enjoy learning about the Caddo Indians, the development of the Red River Basin and Shreveport-Bossier City from the many audiovisual, static and interactive exhibits in the Visitor Center’s exhibition hall. The Center also features exhibits detailing new anticipated developments on the Red River such as the possibility of installing three more locks and dams near Shreveport to facilitate the increase in barge traffic that is occurring in response to the increase in diesel fuel prices. It is interesting that in the 21st century, riverboat and train transportation is likely to experience a resurge of popularity as the cost of gasoline causes road traffic to become less cost effective. This is good news for Shreveport because the city is located at the intersection of rivers, train lines and major Interstate Highways.  

The J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Regional Visitor Center is located at 600 Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway and the contact phone number is 318-677-2673.