Alexandria is a
cityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in and the parish seat of
Rapides Parish, Louisiana-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
, United States. It lies on the south bank of the
Red RiverThe Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area (population 153,922) which encompasses all of Rapides and
Grant-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,698 people, 7,073 households, and 5,276 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 8,531 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
parishes. Its neighboring city is
PinevillePineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
. In 2010, the population was 47,723, according to an official estimate by the College of Business Population Estimates Program at
Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
.
History
The city of Alexandria, located along the Red River, was originally home to a community supporting activities of the adjacent Spanish outpost of Post du Rapides. The area developed as an assemblage of traders and merchants in the agricultural lands bordering the mostly unsettled areas to the north, and providing a link from the south to the
El Camino RealThe Old San Antonio Road was a historic roadway located in the U.S. states of Texas and Louisiana. Parts of it were based on traditional Native American trails. Its Texas terminus was about southeast of Eagle Pass at the Rio Grande in Maverick County, and its northern terminus was at...
and then larger settlement of
NatchitochesNatchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
.
Alexander FultonAlexander Fulton was a merchant, planter, and local politician originally from Washington, near Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, who in 1805 founded the city of Alexandria, Louisiana, which he named for himself....
, a
businessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
man from
Washington County-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
, near
PittsburghPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, received a land grant from Spain in 1785, and the first organized settlement was made at some point in the
1790s. In 1805, Fulton and business partner Thomas Harris Maddox laid out the town plan and named the town in Fulton's honor. That same year Fulton was appointed
coronerA coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
in Rapides Parish by
territorialThe Territory of Louisiana or Louisiana Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1805 until June 4, 1812, when it was renamed to Missouri Territory...
Governor
William C.C. ClaiborneWilliam Charles Cole Claiborne was a United States politician, best known as the first Governor of Louisiana. He also has the distinction of possibly being the youngest Congressman in U.S...
. Alexandria was incorporated as a town in 1819 and received a city charter in 1832.
The Civil War in Alexandria
In the spring of 1863, Alexandria was occupied by Union forces under the command of
AdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
David Dixon PorterDavid Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
and General Nathaniel P. Banks. Porter arrived with his gunboats on May 7. Later in the day Banks reached Alexandria with his
cavalryCavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, whose members had marched 25 miles to reach the city. According to the
historianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
John D. WintersJohn David Winters was a historian at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, best known for his definitive and award-winning study, The Civil War in Louisiana, still in print, published in 1963 and released in paperback in 1991.-Background:Winters was born to John David Winters, Sr...
of Louisiana Tech University, Porter disliked Banks but nevertheless turned over Alexandria to Banks and then departed to rejoin U.S. Grant at the ongoing siege of
VicksburgVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
,
MississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Banks posted guards and declared
martial lawMartial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
. Porter left behind the gunboat
Lafayette in Alexandria and posted the
Pittsburg on the Black River to the northeast.
In 1864, Admiral Porter, back in the area, and General Banks quarreled over possession of Louisiana
cottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. Porter seized three hundred bales of
ConfederateThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
cotton from various warehouses in Alexandria and stamped it "U.S.N. prize", referring to the
United States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Porter sent his sailors into the country to search for unginned cotton. After the crop was located, it was brought to Alexandria to be ginned and baled. The sailors also seized
molassesMolasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
and
woolWool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
. Winters writes that Porter "took all cotton wherever he found it, cotton belonging to the Confederate government, cotton belonging to the 'rebels,' and cotton belonging to 'loyal' citizens."
Winters continues: "Banks was furious with Porter when he learned that the admiral was scouring the interior for cotton. Since he had no authority to stop Porter's speculative activities, Banks could only try to beat him to the remaining cotton. Army wagons were sent out in large numbers to collect the cotton. Thousands of bales were brought in by the troops and stored for future shipment. Jealous of the abundant transportation facilities of the army, unprincipled navy men stole army wagons and teams at night, repainted the wagons, and branded the mules with navy initials, and dove deep in the country in search of cotton. . . . "
The federal army made itself as comfortable as possible during its long stay in Alexandria. Winters writes that "lumber and tools were foraged, and the men busied themselves by building wooden tent floors, benches, and furniture. . . . Alexandria [was enclosed] with a zigzag line of fortifications." While Banks remained in Alexandria in the spring of 1864, Porter was temporarily trapped north of the city because of the low level of the Red River, four feet instead of the needed seven feet to accommodate gunboats.
Confederate citizens as a whole were most fearful of the Union. According to Winters, "most [Confederates] had never before seen a Yankee soldier [and] expected the worse from the invader. . . . 'Some cried, some cursed, some whined; and some overcome with fear, hid themselves in the woods, leaving everything to the tender mercies of the army.' Negroes were responsible for much of the plunder and pillage. Negro camp followers and officers' servants roamed the plantations and small farms without hindrance, bringing in their booty to camps each afternoon. . . . "
On May 13, 1864, when the Union decided to abandon Alexandria, the city was set afire despite General Banks' order to the contrary. Winters reports that "burning and plundering" by two Union corps, who set fire to a store on Front Street. Then "a strong wind spread the flames rapidly from one building to the next." Banks later claimed that the fire "broke out in the attic of one of the buildings on the
leveeA levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
inhabited by either soldiers or refugees." Winters reports that "pandemonium reigned; frightened cows bellowed and charged through the flaming streets; squawking chickens with scorched wings tried to fly out of danger. Hundreds of women, children, and old people ran through the streets, trying to carry a few of their belongings to safety. When the heat became unbearable, they dropped their loads and fled to the levee. Thieves ran from house to house and even along the levee taking whatever they wanted from the shocked people. By noon the most congested parts of town were destroyed. An attempt to blow up a church in the path of the fire only succeeded in helping to spread the flames. . . . "
Alexandria faced the overwhelming task of rebuilding with a year of the war remaining. Prices became exorbitant; butter cost $10 a pound, bacon $5 a pound, flour $3 a pound, and a bushel of meal $10. Many of the helpless lived in the forest without food, shelter, or clothing, subsisting on
blackberriesThe blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit, composed of small drupelets. The plants typically have biennial canes and perennial roots. Blackberries and...
. All clothing was homespun, and shoes were mostly made of cloth. While Admiral Porter expressed sympathy for the suffering Alexandria residents, he declared the "burning of Alexandria a fit termination of the unfortunate Red River expedition."
Geography and climate
Alexandria is located at 31°17′34"N 92°27′33"W and has an elevation of 75 feet (22.9 m).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 27 square miles (69.9 km²). 26.4 square miles (68.4 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) of it (2.15%) is water.
Alexandria is on a level plain in the center of the Louisiana
Longleaf PinePinus palustris, commonly known as the Longleaf Pine, is a pine native to the southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast Virginia extending into northern and central Florida....
forestA forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, in which pine is interspersed with various
hardwoodHardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
s. A number of small
bayouA bayou is an American term for a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river , or to a marshy lake or wetland. The name "bayou" can also refer to creeks that see level changes due to tides and hold brackish water which...
s, such as Bayou Rapides, Bayou Roberts, and Hynson Bayou, meander throughout the city. In the immediate vicinity of the city,
cottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
,
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
,
alfalfaAlfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
, and garden vegetables are cultivated. The climate is humid subtropical with some continental influence in the winter. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are mild, with occasional cold snaps. The area receives plentiful rainfall year-round, and snowfalls are rare. Tropical storms and hurricanes do impact Alexandria from time to time, but rarely cause severe damage, unlike areas closer to the coast. In September 2005
Hurricane RitaHurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
affected Alexandria and surrounding areas, causing widespread power outages and damaging the roofs of some structures. The most recent hurricane, Gustav, caused widespread flooding, knocked over trees and power lines leading to power outages, and damaged structures. Some low-lying Alexandria neighborhoods experienced substantial flooding from Gustav with several feet of water in houses.
Demographics & Culture
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 46,342 people, 17,816 households, and 11,722 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,754.6/sq mi(677.5/km²). There were 19,806 housing units at an average density of 749.9 per square mile(289.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.75% Black or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 42.60% White, 0.25% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.89% from two or more races. 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 17,816 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,097, and the median income for a family was $31,978. Males had a median income of $29,456 versus $20,154 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,242. About 23.2% of families and 27.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.7% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
Religion
Like many other Southern cities, the largest single religious denomination in the Alexandria area is Southern Baptist. Large congregations include
Emmanuel Baptist ChurchEmmanuel Baptist Church is located in downtown Alexandria, Louisiana. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 21, 2001.The building was designed by Favrot & Reed....
downtown on Jackson Street and Calvary Baptist off Jackson Street Extension. A significant Roman Catholic population is also present. This is due in part to the large Catholic
AcadianCajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
French population which resides in and around Alexandria, many from neighboring
Avoyelles ParishAvoyelles is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Marksville. In 2000, its population was 41,481. The parish is named for the Avoyel Indian tribe.-History:...
. Alexandria is the headquarters for the
Diocese of Alexandria, LouisianaThe Diocese of Alexandria is the Roman Catholic diocese for central Louisiana, based in Alexandria, with its see at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral...
, which is headed by
Bishop Ronald HerzogRonald Paul Herzog is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eleventh and current Bishop of Alexandria in central Louisiana.-Biography:...
Alexandria also has a significant number of
MethodistsMethodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, Episcopalians,
PentecostalsPentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
, as well as adherents to many other Protestant denominations. Furthermore, Alexandria has a small Jewish community consisting of two synagogues: Gemiluth Chassodim (Reform) and B'nai Israel (Conservative).
Mardi Gras
As Alexandria is at the cusp of
CajunCajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
culture's extension to the north, the city recognizes
Mardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
as an official holiday. The annual Mardi Gras parade – occurring on the Sunday before Mardi Gras – on Texas Avenue is a major cultural festivity in the area. Boasted as a true family oriented event, parade goers can enjoy over 20 New Orleans style floats, high school and college marching bands, as well as appearances by local celebrities. In addition to the main Sunday parade, a children's parade takes place downtown on the Saturday before Mardi Gras and another parade known as the Krewe of Provine Parade occurs on Fat Tuesday itself down Coliseum Boulevard.
Cenlabration
Begun in the late 1980s, Cenlabration
was one of the largest festivals in Central Louisiana (Cenla). The name comes from Central Louisiana ("LA") Celebration, and reflects local culture and heritage, as well as serving as a means of celebrating
Labor DayLabor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
as the end of summer.
As many as three stages support a particular type of music, including
CajunCajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
and zydeco, blues and jazz, and
Country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. In addition there are arts and crafts booths for local artists to sell their wares. In the Children's Village, children can participate in arts and crafts, listen to storytellers, play games with clowns, or watch a play. The festival has plenty of carnival rides available as well. Cenlabration ends with a large fireworks display.
RiverFest
In 2002, representatives of local government, businesses, organizations, and community formed the nonprofit organization River Cities Cultural Alliance, Inc. to promote tourism and the arts through a celebration of Central Louisiana’s diverse cultural heritage. The nonprofit served to organize and put on RiverFest: Heritage and Arts on the Red. More than ten thousand festival-goers attending the event.
RiverFest was held in downtown Alexandria and on the Alexandria and
PinevillePineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
levees. The festival features the work of visual artists from across the South, food booths exemplifying southern cuisine, a variety of children’s activities, three outdoor stages with a wide range of music, dance, and theatrical performances, and a literary component with readings and panel discussions by Louisiana authors and scholars.
RiverFest was canceled in 2007.
Museums
The
Alexandria Museum of ArtThe Alexandria Museum of Art of Alexandria, central Louisiana, USA was founded in 1977. It subsequently was expanded and reopened to the public in 1998. The Museum is best known for its extensive permanent collection of contemporary Louisiana art and houses the state's largest collection of North...
was founded in 1977 and occupies the historic Rapides Bank Building on the banks of the Red River. The building was built circa 1898 and is listed on the National Historic Register. It opened to the public in March 1998.
The
Louisiana History MuseumThe Louisiana History Museum is located in the historic downtown portion of Alexandria, Louisiana, USA, near the Red River. It showcases the social evolution of all of Louisiana, but centers on the history of Central Louisiana, Rapides Parish, and Alexandria...
is also located downtown. It showcases the history of all Louisiana, with emphasis on the central portion of the state, Rapides Parish, and Alexandria. Major exhibit areas deal with
Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, Louisiana geography, politics, health care, farming, and the impact of war.
Kent Plantation House is also located in Alexandria, built circa 1776 on a Spanish land grant this is at 211 years old the oldest standing structure in Central Louisiana, one of only 2 buildings in the city to survive the burning of 1864 by Union troops fleeing after being defeated at Mansfield. The house has been moved from its origional location but still stands on part of the origional land grant. It is open for tours daily Mon-Sat at 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm,2pm, 3pm. The tour is always done by costumed docents and includes the house furnished in period peices, some belonging to the origional family, and all 9 outbuildings, including an 18450's sugar mill, blacksmith shop, barn, 2 slave cabins, open hearth kitchen and milk house.
Performing arts
The site of the center was donated by The Town Talk newspaper, owned by Gannett Co. Inc. of McLean, Virginia.
A local music festival, Jazz on the River, sponsored by the
Arna BontempsArnaud "Arna" Wendell Bontemps was an American poet and a noted member of the Harlem Renaissance.- Life and career :...
African American Museum, is held each April and features a live jazz concert on the banks of the Red River. The Rapides Symphony's annual fall concert Pops in the Park. The spring and fall seasons are also welcomed with Downtown Rocks, a free outdoor concert series.
The Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center on Third Street serves as the home of the Rapides Symphony Orchestra, which has been performing in Alexandria for nearly forty years. Alexandria is also home to the Red River Chorale, an auditioned community chorus. This group is relatively new, but has already gained a reputation of fine music. The RRC regularly performs with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra.
The Arts Council of Central Louisiana programs a yearly Performing Arts Series in the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center.
Sports
Alexandria is home to the
Alexandria AcesThis article is about the Alexandria Aces of the Texas Collegiate League, who are based in Alexandria, LA. For the Alexandria Aces of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League, see Alexandria Aces ...
, a summer college league team. The Aces have been champions in various leagues in 1997, 1998, 2006, and 2007. They play their home games at
Bringhurst FieldBringhurst Field is a baseball stadium in Alexandria, Louisiana. Owned by the city of Alexandria, it is the home field of the Alexandria Aces collegiate summer baseball team and also hosts local high school games. Built in 1933 and renovated extensively in 1994, it holds 3,500 people. It is also...
.
Alexandria is also home to the Cenla Derby Dames, a roller derby team that operates under the
Women's Flat Track Derby AssociationThe Women's Flat Track Derby Association is an association of women's flat track roller derby leagues in the United States. The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition but was renamed in November 2005. It is registered in Raleigh, North Carolina as a 501 business...
. They play their home games at the
Rapides Parish ColiseumThe Rapides Parish Coliseum can seat about 6,500 people in the building. Additional space is in the smaller Exhibition Hall, also on the property...
.
Nearby is Bringhurst Golf Course, popularly known as "the nation's oldest par three course." A full-scale renovation was completed in mid-2010. In addition to Bringhurst, named for the late industrialist R.W. Bringhurst, Alexandria is home to four other golf courses: Oak Wing, The Links on the Bayou, at LSUA, and Alexandria Golf and Country Club.
Alexandria once had a minor league
ice hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team, the
Alexandria WarthogsThe Warthogs were an ice hockey team based in Alexandria, Louisiana. They played from 1998 to 2000, as a member of the Western Professional Hockey League, in the Rapides Parish Coliseum. The team folded at the end of the 1999-00 season, while the league folded in 2001....
. They played their home games at the
Rapides Parish ColiseumThe Rapides Parish Coliseum can seat about 6,500 people in the building. Additional space is in the smaller Exhibition Hall, also on the property...
.
There was also a semi-pro football team, the Louisiana Rapides Rangers, who played their home games at the Rapides Parish Coliseum. They played in the Central District of the Southern American Football League, and the Southern Conference of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL). The team was owned by a Lafayette business group before moving to Beaumont, Texas in 2003.
In 1974, a Little League team from Alexandria won the Louisiana state championship.
Alexandria is also home to the U-14 Crossroads Pride soccer team. They advanced to the 2010 State Cup under the coaching of Craig Harwell.
Notable people
- Morris N. Abrams
Morris Newton Abrams was a Louisiana educator who specialized in the field of vocational education....
— educator
- Jay Aldrich
Jay Robert Aldrich, former professional baseball player, was born on April 14, 1961 in Alexandria, Louisiana. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Baltimore Orioles. He first played in the MLB on June 5, 1987 and last played on April 26, 1990. He attended Montclair State University.-External...
— Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player
- John Ardoin
John Ardoin, , was best known as the music critic of The Dallas Morning News for thirty-two years and especially for his friendship with and encyclopedic knowledge of the work of the famous opera soprano, Maria Callas, about whom he wrote four books...
— music critic for The Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
- Arna Bontemps
Arnaud "Arna" Wendell Bontemps was an American poet and a noted member of the Harlem Renaissance.- Life and career :...
— African American poet and member of Harlem RenaissanceThe Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke...
- W. K. Brown
William K. Brown was from 1960 to 1972 a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Grant and Rapides parishes in Central Louisiana. His service corresponded with the administrations of Governors Jimmie Davis and John J...
- state representative from Grant and Rapides parishes (1960–1972)
- William F. Cotton — once the oldest living World War I veteran
- Ed Cullen
Edward Joseph "Ed" Cullen, III , is a features writer for the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate and a frequent contributor to All Things Considered on National Public Radio...
— Baton Rouge Morning Advocate columnistA columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
, National Public Radio essayist and author
- Nelder Dawson
Arthur Nelder Dawson, Jr. , was an award-winning newspaper executive and civic leader in Alexandria, Louisiana, during the second half of the twentieth century. He was a 50-year career employee of his hometown newspaper, the Alexandria Daily Town Talk, having worked in circulation, advertising, and...
- newspaper executive
- Virginia deGravelles
Mary Virginia Wheadon deGravelles is a retiree from Lafayette who was the Louisiana Republican national committeewoman from 1964–1968, a position which constitutes automatic membership on the Republican National Committee. Her husband, Charles Camille deGravelles, Jr...
— RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
national committee member
- Helen Derr
Helen Elizabeth Clark Derr was a nationally recognized journalist, religion writer, and editor during a career at the Alexandria Daily Town Talk that spanned from 1955 to 1977...
- journalist, co-founder of Friendship House of Alexandria
- Sue Eakin
Myrtle Sue Lyles Eakin, known as Sue Eakin , was an American professor, newspaper columnist, and historian from Bunkie in Avoyelles Parish, who researched Louisiana history, particularly the Old South plantation system.-Early years:Eakin was born on the Compromise Plantation in the Lyles community...
– historian, professor, journalist
- Eugene Wilton Frémaux
Eugene Wilton Frémaux Eugene Wilton Frémaux Eugene Wilton Frémaux (August 24, 1887 - March 14, 1969. was an Alexandria, Louisiana businessman and civic leader who in 1937 became the sole owner of Brown Hide Company. The company did an extensive business in green and salt hides which were shipped...
— businessman
- R. W. "Buzzy" Graham
Ralph Warren Graham, known as R. W. "Buzzy" Graham , is an insurance agent in Woodworth in south Rapides Parish, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1968 to 1972. He served alongside T. C. Brister, W. K. Brown, and Robert J. Munson from Rapides and...
- state representative from 1968 to 1972
- Camille F. Gravel, Jr.
Camille Francis Gravel, Jr. , was a Louisiana, Democratic politician.Gravel spent much time and money supporting the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII honored Gravel with the "Order of St. Gregory" for his outstanding service to the church.-Education:Gravel graduated in 1935 from the University...
-- attorney and politician
- Henry E. Hardtner
Henry Ernest Hardtner was a Louisiana businessman and conservationist regarded as "the father of forestry in the South." He founded and named the town of Urania in La Salle Parish and served single terms as a Democrat in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature...
— state legislator
- Lance Harris - incoming state representative from Rapides Parish
- Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones
Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones, Sr. , also known as Ralph W. E. Jones or Prez Jones, was from 1936 until his retirement in 1977 the second president of historically black Grambling State University in Grambling in Lincoln Parish in north Louisiana.-Background:The grandson of a slave, Jones was born in...
- president of Grambling State UniversityGrambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
, lived in Alexandria in the middle 1920s.
- Catherine D. Kimball
Catherine D. Kimball is the Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. She was also the first woman elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court, in 1992. Before that, in 1983, she was the first female judge in the 18th Judicial District.-Biography:Kimball was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is...
— Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court
- Gillis William Long
Gillis William Long was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Louisiana and member of the Long family. Long served seven non-consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives but placed third in two campaigns for the Democratic gubernatorial nominations in 1963 and 1971...
— U.S. representative
- Gerald Archie Mangun
Gerald Archie Mangun better known as G. A. Mangun. He is remembered for building one of the largest churches in the United Pentecostal Church International organization, in the city of Alexandria, Louisiana.-Early life:...
— Pastor of the largest congregation in the city
- Warren Morris
Warren Morris is a former college and Major League Baseball player. He is most remembered for his 9th inning walk-off home run that won the 1996 College World Series for the Louisiana State University Tigers.-College career:Morris joined the LSU baseball team in , just out of high school in...
— Major League Baseball player
- Craig Nall
Craig Matthew Nall is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
— National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player
- J. Tinsley Oden
J. Tinsley Oden is the Associate Vice President for Research, the Director of the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, the Cockrell Family Regents' Chair in Engineering #2, the Peter O'Donnell Jr...
— mathematician
- Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
— Major League Baseball player
- Chris Roy, Jr.
Christopher Jude Roy, Jr. , is an attorney in Alexandria, Louisiana, who is a departing one-term Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 25 in Rapides and Vernon parishes...
- Departing state representative from Rapides and Vernon parishes since 2008
- Jacques Roy
Jacques Maurice Roy is the twenty-third mayor of Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish, in central Louisiana.Roy, a Democrat, is the son of Christopher Roy, Sr., an ad hoc judge of the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal...
- mayor of Alexandria since 2006
- Bill Schroll
Bill Schroll is a former linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted in the fourteenth round of the 1948 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams and later played with the Detroit Lions during the 1950 NFL season. The following season he played with the Green Bay Packers. He also played...
- National Football League player
- Jock Scott
John Wyeth "Jock" Scott, II was a lawyer and college professor in Alexandria, who served three terms from District 26 in the Louisiana House of Representatives, first as a Democrat and then as a Republican . He was defeated in a race for the Louisiana State Senate in 1987...
- State legislator, attorney, professor
- William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
— First superintendent; Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy (later to become LSU)
- Russ Springer
Russell Paul Springer is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Springer made his major league debut on April 17, , with the New York Yankees. He also pitched for the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, St...
— Major League Baseball player (18 years)
- Morgan W. Walker, Sr.
Morgan Wailes Walker, Sr. was a businessman from Alexandria, Louisiana, who was involved in dairying, farming, bus transportation, hotels, banking, and education. He was a director of the Trans-Continental Bus system, which operated in time in more than forty states. Walker introduced Guernsey...
— head of the southern division of Continental Trailways
- Little Walter
Little Walter, born Marion Walter Jacobs , was an American blues harmonica player, whose revolutionary approach to his instrument has earned him comparisons to Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix, for innovation and impact on succeeding generations...
(Marion Walter Jacobs) — blues musician
- Muse Watson
Muse Watson is an American stage and screen actor. He most recently appeared as the recurring character Mike Franks in the television drama NCIS.-Biography:Watson was born on July 20, 1948 in Alexandria, Louisiana...
— actor
- James Madison Wells
James Madison Wells was elected the 20th Governor of Louisiana during Reconstruction.-Early life:Born near Alexandria, Louisiana, on January 8, 1808, Wells' father was Samuel Levi Wells, II, a member of the constitutional convention in 1811. His mother was the former Dorcas Huie. A brother, Thomas...
— governor of Louisiana
- Joanne Lyles White
Lillian Joanne Lyles White, known as Joanne White , was an American philanthropist, teacher, humanitarian, and social entrepreneur from Alexandria in Rapides Parish, who founded and co-founded several non-profit organizations and service agencies in Central Louisiana, including Angel Care, the...
- humanitarian, philanthropist; founder and first President of the Louisiana Speech League
- Antonio N. Valenzuela - 2 Time National Champion Boxer, 3 Time La. Governors Games Champion, 4 Time Golden Gloves Champion, Silver Gloves Champion
Newspapers
Established March 17, 1883, the Alexandria Daily Town Talk is a daily newspaper serving the Alexandria-Pineville communities, as well as the 13 parishes that comprise central Louisiana. The newspaper was owned by the family of Jane Wilson Smith and Joe D. Smith Jr., until March 1996, when it was sold to Central Newspapers. In August, 2000, Gannett Co. Inc. acquired the Central Newspapers properties including The Town Talk. The name of the paper on its inaugural issue was the Alexandria Daily Town Talk. Although it has since been shorted to the current the
Town Talk, it is still frequently referred to by long-time residents as the
Daily Town Talk.
Key officers include: Publisher William "Ed" Humphrey; Executive Editor Paul V. Carty; Advertising Director William "Bill" Heirtzler; and Assistant Managing Editors John Marcase and Richard Powell Sharkey.
Television
Alexandria is served by local television stations
KALBKALB-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Central Louisiana licensed to Alexandria. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter in Forest Hill. The station can also be seen on Suddenlink channel 5 and in high definition on digital channel 730...
(
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
),
WNTZWNTZ-TV is the Fox affiliate television station for the Alexandria, Louisiana Designated Market Area. It is licensed to Natchez, Mississippi, which is part of the Jackson, Mississippi television market. The station also has a secondary affiliation with MyNetworkTV.It broadcasts a digital signal on...
(
FoxFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
),
KLAXKLAX-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Central Louisiana licensed to Alexandria. It broadcasts a standard definition digital signal on UHF channel 31 from a transmitter in the Kisatchie National Forest southwest of Dry Prong. The station can also be seen on Suddenlink channel 3...
(
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
), KLPA (
PBSThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
), and
KBCAKBCA is a television station in Alexandria, Louisiana, broadcasting locally on channel 41 as an affiliate of the The CW network. It is owned by Carencro, Louisiana-based Wilderness Communications...
(
The CWThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
). KALB, the oldest television station in central Louisiana, has signed an affiliation deal with
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, and has begun carrying CBS programming on digital channel 5.2 / 35.2. Before then, central Louisiana viewers watched CBS on
KLFY-TVKLFY-TV, channel 10, is a CBS affiliated television station in Lafayette, Louisiana. Broadcasting on DTV 10.1, its transmitter is located in Maxie, Louisiana...
(out of
LafayetteLafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
), WAFB-TV (out of
Baton RougeBaton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
) or
KNOE-TVKNOE-TV, Channel 8, is the CBS affiliate television station for Monroe, Louisiana. The station is owned by Hoak Media Corporation, which also controls ABC affiliate KAQY, Channel 11 through a local marketing agreement.-History:KNOE-TV went on the air in 1953...
(based in
MonroeMonroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, before a tower collapse in March 1997).
Radio
Local radio stations
- KJMJ 580 AM - Religious
- KSYL 970AM - News / Talk / Sports
- KDBS 1410AM - ESPN Radio
- KLXA 89.9FM - Contemporary Christian
- KRRV 100.3FM - Country
- KKST 98.7FM - Hip Hop & R&B
- KQID 93.1FM - Top 40
- KZMZ 96.9FM - Classic Rock
- KLAA 103.5FM - Louisiana Country
- KEZP 104.3 - News / Talk / Sports
- KBKK 105.5 - Classic Country
- KEDG 106.9FM - 1980s, 1990s, and Now
Parks and outdoor attractions
Alexandria Zoological Park
The
Alexandria Zoological ParkThe Alexandria Zoological Park is a zoo located in Alexandria, Louisiana, United States. First opened to the public in 1926, it is owned by the City of Alexandria and operated by the Division of Public Works. It is home to about 500 animals....
is a 33 acres (13.4 ha) zoo first opened to the public in 1926. Owned by the City of Alexandria and operated by the Division of Public Works, it is home to about 500 animals and includes an award-winning Louisiana Habitat exhibit. Much of the credit for the quality of the zoo has been given to
Robert Leslie WhittRobert Leslie Whitt, known as Les Whitt , was the award-winning director of Alexandria Zoological Park in Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in Central Louisiana, having served from 1974 until his death from heart complications only six days prior to what would have been...
(1951–2008), who served as director for 34 years prior to his death. Whitt was hired in 1974 by then Streets and Parks Commissioner Malcolm P. Hebert, Sr. The zoo is accredited by the
Association of Zoos and AquariumsThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
(AZA) and takes part in about 20
Species Survival PlanThe American Species Survival Plan or SSP program was developed in 1981 by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered in the wild....
s (SSP) as part of its conservation efforts.
Cotile Lake Recreation Area
Cotile Lake is a man-made
impoundmentImpoundment is the election of a President of the United States not to spend money that has been appropriated by the U.S. Congress. The precedent for presidential impoundment was first set by Thomas Jefferson in 1801. The power was available to all presidents up to and including Richard Nixon, and...
located in the uplands approximately 15 miles (24 km) west-northwest of Alexandria, Louisiana. The lake is approximately 1775 acres (7 km²) in size and was completed in October 1965. The Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries Commission stocked this impoundment with the proper species and number of game fish in 1965–66 shortly after its completion date. The recreational facilities include a large area cleared and zoned for swimming with complete bath house facilities nearby. There is a
water skiingthumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
area that is cleared and snagged for safety of the skiers. The picnic and camping areas are modern and complete. There is also space available for campers.
Indian Creek Lake and Recreation Area
Encompasses a 2250 acres (9 km²) lake, 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of developed recreation facilities and a 250 acres (1 km²) primitive camping area all within the Alexander State Forest. The lake, located in central Louisiana, was constructed as a joint venture of the Louisiana Forestry Commission, the Rapides Parish Police Jury, and the Lower West Red River Soil and Water Conservation District as a reservoir for agricultural irrigation in times of need and for recreation purposes.
The recreation area camping area contains 109 campsites with conventional full utility hookups, 3 beaches for
swimmingSwimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, bath houses, a boat launch, and 75 picnic sites. A covered pavilion within the developed area provides for groups up to 100 people. The recreation area is open year round and operates on user fees.
Kisatchie National Forest
Alexandria sits in the middle of the
Kisatchie National ForestKisatchie National Forest, the only National forest in Louisiana, USA, is located in the state's old growth piney hills and hardwood bottoms of seven central and northern parishes. It totals more than of public lands....
. Ranger districts are north, northwest, west and southwest of the city. An abundance of large timberlands and forest nurseries, as well as lake and recreation areas, are within a short driving distance.
Other points of interest
- Alexandria Memorial Gardens – large cemetery on U.S. Highway 165 south. Other cemeteries are also available in Pineville.
- Alexandria Levee Park – a park located downtown, adjacent to the Red River, that serves as the grounds for some local festivals. It contains an amphitheatre that is used for concerts.
- Alexandria Mall
Alexandria Mall is a shopping mall located in Alexandria, Louisiana, United States. It features Dillard's, JCPenney, Sears, Burlington Coat Factory, Stage, and Bed Bath And Beyond as anchor stores.-Mall history:...
– the local shopping mall located on Masonic Drive, established 1973
- Alexandria Riverfront Center – convention center located downtown
- Bringhurst Field
Bringhurst Field is a baseball stadium in Alexandria, Louisiana. Owned by the city of Alexandria, it is the home field of the Alexandria Aces collegiate summer baseball team and also hosts local high school games. Built in 1933 and renovated extensively in 1994, it holds 3,500 people. It is also...
– home of the Alexandria Aces
- Bringhurst Park – contains the Alexandria Zoo, Bringhurst Field, a playground, a golf course, and tennis courts
- Inglewood Plantation – plantation located south of Alexandria
- Kent Plantation House – French colonial plantation house
- Masonic Home – a now defunct orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
in south Alexandria completed in 1924.
- Rapides Parish Coliseum
The Rapides Parish Coliseum can seat about 6,500 people in the building. Additional space is in the smaller Exhibition Hall, also on the property...
– a multi-purpose arena used for sporting events, conventions, and other events
Louisiana National Guard
Alexandria is home to both Headquarters and Company B of the 199th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB). The 199th BSB is the logistical component of the 256th Infantry Brigade that served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from October 2004 until September 2005. The 199th BSB provides supply and transportation (Company A), medical (Company C) and maintenance (Company B) support and services that keep the 256th Brigade operational. The battalion also has units located in
JonesboroJonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
,
WinnfieldWinnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ...
,
ColfaxColfax is a town in and the parish seat of Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town, founded in 1869, is named for the vice president of the United States, Schuyler M. Colfax , who served in the first term of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, for whom the parish is named. Colfax is part of...
, and
St. MartinvilleSt. Martinville is a city in and the parish seat of St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on Bayou Teche, sixteen miles south of Breaux Bridge, eighteen miles southeast of Lafayette, and nine miles north of New Iberia. The population was 6,989 at the 2000 census. It is part of the...
, Louisiana.
England Air Force Base
Alexandria served as the home of
England Air Force BaseEngland Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located Northwest of Alexandria and about Northwest of New Orleans....
from its origins as an emergency airstrip for Esler Regional Airport until its closure. England AFB was officially closed on December 15, 1992, pursuant to the
DefenseThe United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
Base Closure and Realignment Act (Public Law 101-510) and recommendations of the Defense Secretary's Commission on
Base Realignment and ClosureBase Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
. The base now serves as Alexandria International Airport.
Economy
At the time of the 2000 census, the per capita income in Alexandria was $16,242, compared with $21,587 nationally. The Alexandria workforce consists of about 55,000 residents.
Union Tank Car CompanyUnion Tank Car Company or UTLX is a railway equipment leasing company headquartered in metro Chicago, Illinois. As the name says, they specialise in tank cars, and covered hopper cars.Founded in 1866 by J. J...
has recently located a plant northwest of Alexandria near the airport creating hundreds of jobs. Expansions at the
Procter & GambleProcter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
plant and the construction of a PlastiPak plant in nearby
PinevillePineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
have also created a number of new jobs for the area.
In 2007, Inc. Magazine rated Alexandria as the 77th best place in which to conduct business out of the 393 U.S. cities ranked, a significant increase from its ranking as No. 276 in 2006. Among other Louisiana cities, Alexandria ranked second, following only Baton Rouge, which ranked 59th nationally.
Healthcare
Alexandria is home to two major
hospitalA hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s: Rapides Regional, a former Baptist hospital is located downtown. Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital was opened in 1950 and is located at the corner of Masonic Drive and Texas Avenue. Both hospitals are in the process of expansion.
Additionally, located just across the Red River in Pineville, the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center at Alexandria, which serves central Louisiana and surrounding areas.
Port of Alexandria
In the early 19th century, the Port of Alexandria brought goods to the area and shipped
cottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
and other local products to the rest of the country. A
ferryA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
connected the cities of Alexandria and Pineville until a bridge was built across the Red in 1900.
Today, Port facilities include: a 40-ton crane for off-loading, a 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) warehouse, 13,600-ton bulk
fertilizerFertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
warehouse, a 3,400-ton bulk fertilizer dome structure and a 5,000-ton dome which was added in January 2005.
The
petroleumPetroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
off-loading facility includes two 55000 bbl (8,744.3 m³) tanks, one 15000 bbl (2,384.8 m³) tank capable of handling two barges and five truck off-loading simultaneously. There is also a general cargo dock with access to rail and a hopper barge unloading dock with conveyor system.
Today's modern facilities and the Port's central location with its connection to the Mississippi River provide excellent opportunities for importers and exporters.
Alexandria International Airport
Alexandria International Airport (AEX) is a regional airport, providing flights to Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, and Memphis. In 2006 a new-state-of-the-art passenger terminal was dedicated. Alexandria is served by
AmericanAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
,
ContinentalContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
and
DeltaDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. Additionally, numerous international charter airlines use the airport in the transport of military personnel attached to the United States Army base at Fort Polk. A new military personnel terminal opened in 2007.
Downtown
Downtown Alexandria is currently in the process of revitalization. During the past five years, several bars, cafes, and
restaurantA restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s have opened their doors, including the casual fine dining restaurant Diamond Grill, located in the renovated Schnack's Building; Finnegan's Wake, an Irish pub with nin imports/microbrews on tap; and Alex 1805, a jazz lounge featuring local art and live music. Across the street is the
Hotel BentleyBentley Hotel is located near City Hall in downtown Alexandria, Louisiana. Built by the timber baron Joseph Bentley, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 1979....
, built in 1908 by lumberman and local eccentric Joseph A. Bentley. The Bentley enjoyed its heyday during the 1940s and 50s, when top brass military officials like
GeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
enjoyed their accommodations for extended periods. The Bentley, which was closed on December 12, 2004, was once one of only two four-star hotels in Louisiana. Although the hotel was set to reopen in August 2007, in time for the 100th anniversary of its construction, funding issues have made the date of reopening uncertain.
Central Alexandria
Central Alexandria is bounded by MacArthur Drive, Masonic Drive, Mason Street, the Alexandria-Pineville Expressway, and the Red River.
- Downtown
- West End
- Garden District – contains many large historical homes and brick roads. Many of the homes in this neighborhood have been renovated and come in many architectural styles. Houses range from modest bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
s to mansions.
- Poplar Grove
- Hillcrest
- Kent Addition
- Petrus Heights
- Mimosa Place
- Shirley Park
- City Park area – location of Bringhurst Field
Bringhurst Field is a baseball stadium in Alexandria, Louisiana. Owned by the city of Alexandria, it is the home field of the Alexandria Aces collegiate summer baseball team and also hosts local high school games. Built in 1933 and renovated extensively in 1994, it holds 3,500 people. It is also...
and Alexandria Zoological ParkThe Alexandria Zoological Park is a zoo located in Alexandria, Louisiana, United States. First opened to the public in 1926, it is owned by the City of Alexandria and operated by the Division of Public Works. It is home to about 500 animals....
Northwestern Alexandria
Northwestern Alexandria comprises the area north of
Louisiana Highway 28Louisiana Highway 28 is a state highway in Louisiana. It spans and runs from west to east. From the west beginning in Leesville to Alexandria LA 28 is almost completed as a 4 lane divided highway with a 65 miles per hour speed limit. The highway has a bottle neck and is two lane through an area...
West and MacArthur Drive and south of the Red River.
- Sycamore Place
- Wooddale Park – large public housing development
- North Park Village
- Kellyland - largely African-American impoverished neighborhood
- Walnut Grove
- England Airpark
- Rue Left Bank
- Bonaire
- Grundy Cooper – older middle class subdivision behind the Rapides Parish Coliseum
- Cloverdale
- Westwind
- St. Andrew's Links Estates – a subdivision being developed around the golf course Links on the Bayou
Western Alexandria
Western Alexandria is the area south of Highway 28 West, west of MacArthur Drive, and north of Versailles Boulevard and Metro Drive
- The Lakes District – subdivision under development that contains small lakes and long walking trails and is bounded by a nature preserve
- Briarwood
- L. E. Deselle
- Castle Village
- Wilshire Park
- Charles Park – large development of upscale homes primarily built from the late 1960s to the early 1980s
- Hunter's Grove
- Highpoint
- The Centre – commercial development between Jackson Street and MacArthur that contains numerous businesses. A five-story office building was built in the late 1970s which now houses Red River Bank. An 87.5 feet (26.7 m) tall, six-story high-rise houses Regions Bank and private executive offices.
Southwestern Alexandria
Southwestern Alexandria comprises the area west of Masonic Drive and south of Versailles Boulevard and Metro Drive.
- Plantation Acres
- Clermont Estates
- Fairfield
- Good Earth – large middle class development built in late 1970s and early 1980s
- Lebanon
- Cherokee Village – tree-shaded neighborhood of large older homes
- Four Leaf Village
- West Pointe on the Bayou – large upper-middle class neighborhood under development since the early 1990s, adjacent to Bayou Roberts
- Bocage
- Crossgates – gated community of patio homes
- Landmark – one of Alexandria's most affluent subdivisions
- Tennyson Oaks – an upper class neighborhood being developed next to Landmark adjacent to Bayou Roberts
Southern Alexandria
Southern Alexandria is located east of Masonic Drive and south of MacArthur Drive
- Courtland Place
- Bayou Robert – affluent cul-de-sac bordered by Bayou Robert
- Shenandoah
- Horseshoe Gardens
- Deerfield – middle class development built in 1970s
- Martin Park – combination of middle to upper-class houses built from the 1960s to 1970s. Lisa Street connects the Martin Park and Airview Terrace neighborhoods.
- Collins Estates
- Airview Terrace
- Trail Ridge
- Willow Glen
- Ransville
Southeastern Alexandria
Southeastern Alexandria contains the area northeast of MacArthur Drive, south of Masonic Drive, Mason Street, and Alexandria-Pineville Expressway, and bordered by the Red River.
- Alexandria Mall area – retail center of Alexandria
- Southwood Terrance - small community of middle and upper class African Americans
- Wedgewood Downs
- Bacon Place
- Sonia Quarters – large working class neighborhood containing many shotgun-style homes
- Samtown – largely African-American impoverished neighborhood
- Woodside
- Parkway
- Lower Third
- Riverbend
- Acadian Village - large community of middle class African Americans
- Alsace Lorraine
Surrounding cities and towns
Rapides Parish
- Ball
Ball is a town in Rapides Parish just north of Pineville, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Boyce
Boyce is a town in northern Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,190 at the 2000 census. The community is nearly 75 percent African American.-History:...
- Cheneyville
Cheneyville is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 901 at the 2000 census....
- Deville
Deville is a census-designated place in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Forest Hill
Forest Hill is a village in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 456 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Forest Hill is located at ....
- Lecompte
Lecompte is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,366 at the 2000 census....
- Pineville
Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
- Tioga
Tioga is an unincorporated village in northern Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- Woodworth
Woodworth is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,080 at the 2000 census....
Grant Parish
- Colfax
Colfax is a town in and the parish seat of Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town, founded in 1869, is named for the vice president of the United States, Schuyler M. Colfax , who served in the first term of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, for whom the parish is named. Colfax is part of...
- Dry Prong
Dry Prong is a village in central Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 421 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- Pollock
Pollock is a town in Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 376 at the 2000 census. Pollock and southern Grant Parish have been booming in recent years with residential and business growth...
History
Following the Civil War, all public records in Alexandria had been destroyed. On September 29, 1868, the city was granted a new charter with a government consisting of a Mayor, Treasurer, and Justice of the Peace. Nine aldermen represented the four wards of the city – two from each ward and one elected at-large.
In 1912, the
Lawrason ActThe Lawrason Act is an 1898 measure of the Louisiana State Legislature which permits municipalities in the state to incorporate into towns or cities without specific clearance from the legislature....
established Alexandria municipal government in a strong mayor format, where the mayor was also the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety (Police, Fire, Sanitation). There were separate Commissioners of Streets and Parks and Finance and Utilities, elected citywide. The last to hold those positions, which ended in 1977, were Mayor
John K. SnyderJohn Kenneth Snyder, Sr., sometimes known as Tillie Snyder , was a colorful, outspoken Democratic mayor of Alexandria, Louisiana, from 1973–1977 and again from 1982-1986....
(1922–1993), Malcolm P. Hebert, Sr. (1926–2006), and
Arnold Jack RosenthalArnold Jack Rosenthal was an attorney and businessman from Alexandria, Louisiana, who from 1973 to 1977 was his city's last elected municipal commissioner of finance and utilities.-Family and educational background:...
(1923–2010), respectively.
Today
Alexandria has a mayoral-council system of government. The Mayor serves as the executive branch of the local government. The current Mayor –
Jacques RoyJacques Maurice Roy is the twenty-third mayor of Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish, in central Louisiana.Roy, a Democrat, is the son of Christopher Roy, Sr., an ad hoc judge of the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal...
– was elected to office in November 2006, succeeding long-time mayor
Edward Gordon "Ned" Randolph, Jr.Edward Gordon "Ned" Randolph, Jr. , is a veteran Democratic politician who served as the mayor of Alexandria in central Louisiana from 1986 to 2006. Randolph was also a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1976 and the Louisiana State Senate from 1976 to 1984...
Randolph had succeeded John K. Snyder.
The City Council serves as the legislative branch. The five districts of the city are represented on the Council; in addition there are two council members elected to serve as at-large representatives of the city.
The Alexandria Court has a limited jurisdiction, consisting of the citizens of Wards 1, 2 and 8 in Rapides Parish. Within those boundaries the court has the power to hear and decide both criminal and civil cases, rule in civil cases and hand down judgment for punishment in criminal cases.
Area politics
Overall, the people of the Alexandria area tend to be conservative. Even though the majority typically elects Republicans in national elections, they vote for Democrats in local elections, many of which are not contested by the
GOPThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
United States Congressional district
From 1913 to 1993, Alexandria served as the seat of
Louisiana's Eighth Congressional districtLouisiana's 8th congressional district is a defunct Congressional district and no longer exists after Louisiana lost its eighth Congressional seat in the 1990 U. S. Census. For its entire existence, it was based in Alexandria and included much of the north-central part of the state.-List of...
. A
DemocraticThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
seat, it was held by the Long family for nearly half of its existence, from 1953 to 1987, broken only by the two terms of
Harold B. McSweenHarold Barnett McSween was a Louisiana businessman and politician who served in the now defunct 8th congressional district for two terms as a Democrat....
and three terms of
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Clyde Holloway of
Forest HillForest Hill is a village in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 456 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Forest Hill is located at ....
. The seat was removed after the 1990 census indicated Louisiana no longer had the population to support it. The district was split among the
FourthLouisiana's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district is located in the northwestern part of the state and is based in Shreveport-Bossier City. It also includes the cities of Minden, DeRidder, and Natchitoches.The district is currently...
,
FifthLouisiana's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district covers most of the northeastern and central portions of the state and contains the cities of Monroe and Alexandria and stretches as far south as Iberville Parish in southern Louisiana.The...
and
Sixth Congressional districtsLouisiana's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located in south-central Louisiana, the district contains the state capital of Baton Rouge and its suburbs and the western half of the Florida Parishes and areas west and south of Baton Rouge...
. Alexandria is now in the Fifth district and has been represented since 2003 by
Rodney AlexanderRodney McKinnie Alexander is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district covers twenty-two parishes in roughly the northeast quadrant of the state...
, a Democrat-turned-Republican.
Colleges and universities
Situated south of the city,
Louisiana State University at AlexandriaLouisiana State University at Alexandria is located in Alexandria, Louisiana. Louisiana State University at Alexandria is a publicly supported institution that provides undergraduatelevel college education to the citizens of Central Louisiana. The university is a unit of the LSU System and operates...
(or LSUA) is a regional campus of the state's flagship university system,
Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. From its establishment in 1959, the campus offered only two-year degrees; students seeking baccalaureate degrees had to commute or move to the main campus in Baton Rouge in order to gain a four-year degree. After 1976, students could either commute or telecommute in order to attend upper level courses, including graduate classes. In 2002, following approval by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors and the
LouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Board of RegentsIn the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation allowing LSUA to offer baccalaureate degrees.
A four-year degree is also attainable through Southern Baptist-affiliated
Louisiana CollegeLouisiana College is a private institution of higher education located in Pineville, Louisiana, affiliated with the Louisiana Baptist Convention, serving a student body of approximately 1,300 students. The college operates on a semester system, with two shorter summer terms...
in Pineville, founded in 1906.
Alexandria also has one of the Region 6 Louisiana Technical College campuses.
High schools
Alexandria has three public high schools:
Bolton High SchoolBolton High School is a secondary educational institution located in the Garden District of Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana. The school is named for its benefactor, James W...
,
Alexandria Senior High SchoolAlexandria Senior High School is a public secondary school located in Alexandria, Louisiana, United States. The school serves about 1,100 students in grades 9 to 12 in the Rapides Parish School Board district....
, and
Peabody Magnet High SchoolPeabody Magnet High School is a secondary educational institution located in the South Alexandria subdivision of Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana...
. In addition, there are two private high schools: the Roman Catholic
Holy Savior Menard Central High SchoolHoly Savior Menard Central High School is the Roman Catholic parochial secondary institution of learning in Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana. The Menard mission statement accents: Faith Development, Academic Excellence, and Service...
, and Grace Christian.
The
Renaissance Home for YouthThe Renaissance Home for Youth is a criminal rehabilitation center located near Alexandria, Louisiana, USA at 6177 Bayou Rapides Road in western Rapides Parish co-founded in 1972 by Guy E. Humphries, Jr. , a Ninth Judicial District Court judge, Dr. Glenn Earl Bryant , then the pastor of the large...
west of Alexandria is a haven for youthful offenders who live in a group-home setting as an alternative to
reform schoolA reform school in the United States was a term used to define, often somewhat euphemistically, what was often essentially a penal institution for boys, generally teenagers.-History:...
or adult jail. Since the facility opened in 1973, nearly 12 thousand young people have lived at the home in search of rehabilitation.
Roads
Alexandria serves as the crossroads of
LouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. To reach either
ShreveportShreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
or
MonroeMonroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
from the southern portion of the state, the easiest method of travel takes the driver through Alexandria. Likewise, if a visitor is to head from the northern portion of the state to the
CajunCajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
portions of the state (
Lake CharlesLake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
and
LafayetteLafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
), or the greater metropolitan areas of either Baton Rouge or New Orleans, the easiest method of travel involves driving down
Interstate 49Interstate 49 is currently an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Louisiana in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Interstate 10 while its northern terminus is in Shreveport, Louisiana, at Interstate 20.-Route...
through Alexandria.
In addition to I-49, travelers can follow Louisiana 1 up to Alexandria from Baton Rouge and points south. Also, Highway 167 could be taken from Opelousas north to Monroe, crossing through Alexandria at one of the few bridges over the
Red RiverThe Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
in central Louisiana. Highways 165 and 71 also link Alexandria and points south with the northern portion of the state via the OK Allen bridge.
Bridges
Three road bridges cross the Red River in the Alexandria area. They are:
- The Purple Heart Memorial Bridge. Part of the Alexandria-Pineville Expressway (also referred to as the Cottingham Expressway), it connects Interstate 49
Interstate 49 is currently an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Louisiana in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Interstate 10 while its northern terminus is in Shreveport, Louisiana, at Interstate 20.-Route...
to Highway 167 by crossing the Red River from downtown Alexandria to PinevillePineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
. It replaced the Fulton Street Bridge and has six lanes of traffic. Designed by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), the bridge cost $15.9 million in federal and state funds. The northbound portion was completed in 1995, the southbound in 1998.
- The U.S. 165 Business Bridge (alternatively, the Gillis Long Bridge, the Red River Bridge or the Jackson Street Bridge) connecting downtown Pineville with the business district in Alexandria. It is a two-lane vertical-lift bridge with a sidewalk/bikepath on either side. The bridge is named after U.S. Representative Gillis Long, who represented Louisiana's Eighth Congressional District. It was built in 1985 to replace the Murray Street Bridge.
- The Oscar K. Allen Bridge connecting Highway 165/71 on both sides of the Red River
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
. It is a two-lane K-truss type bridge, named after Governor Oscar K. AllenOscar Kelly Allen, Sr. , also known as O. K. Allen, was the 42nd Governor of Louisiana from 1932 to 1936. He was a key lieutenant in the political machine of Huey Pierce Long, Jr., that dominated the state during the first half of the 1930s...
. It was built in 1936 to connect Alexandria to the (former) Fort Buhlow.
Former bridges include:
- The Murray Street Bridge. One of the first bridges in Alexandria. A two-lane steel truss swing bridge, it decayed over time, finally being demolished in 1983. The approach on the Alexandria side was turned into a river overlook as part of the Alexandria Levee Park.
- The Fulton Street Bridge. Named after Fulton Street which it connected with Highway 167. Technically part of the Alexandria-Pineville Expressway, it was a four-lane steel vertical-lift bridge. It was demolished in 1994 to make way for the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge.
There are two railroad bridges over the Red River in Alexandria. One is located near the Buhlow area north of the OK Allen bridge. The other is south of the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge.
Mass transit
Regional mass transit is handled by
ATRANS (Alexandria Transportation Authority).
For those leaving or arriving at the city by bus,
Greyhound LinesGreyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
has a terminal downtown.
Airports
Alexandria is served by the Alexandria International Airport and the
Esler Regional AirportEsler Field, also known as Esler Regional Airport, is a military and public use airfield in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, near the City of Pineville...
in Pineville.
Rail
Alexandria does not have a commuter rail system. The
Kansas City SouthernThe Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
and the
Missouri PacificThe Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
operated train stations in the area in the early part of the 20th century but these have since closed.
External links