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Photos: Hop this train to 1960s Shreveport
By Jaclyn Tripp,
2024-06-18
SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) — You’re invited to take a train ride through 1960s Shreveport, and it won’t cost you a cent to get onboard.
Here’s how to get on board.
Shreveport Railroad Museum
The Shreveport Railroad Museum has been in operation since 2013 and contains historic train memorabilia owned by the Red River Valley Railroad Historical Society, Inc.
One of the museum’s pride and joy pieces is a working HO-scale model of downtown Shreveport in the 1960s. The model train city features several streets in 1960s Shreveport, and when you get down on eye level with the tiny city it’s easy to imagine what life was like for those who took the train to and from Shreveport in the 1960s.
Can you find the model train in this toy version of Shreveport in the 1960s? (Source: KTAL/KMSS’ Jaclyn Tripp)
The Red River Valley Railroad Historical Society was initially responsible for the museum and the displays, but in 2022 the organization renamed itself. It’s now known as the Shreveport Railroad Museum.
Members of the historical society hand-crafted many of the buildings once located in downtown Shreveport to create the model railroad and city, which are now on public display.
This depiction of the Continental Trailways Bus Center in 1960s Shreveport. (Source: KTAL/KMSS’ Jaclyn Tripp)
The model city depicts familiar places such as the Continental Trailways Bus Center, First United Methodist Church of Shreveport, Texas Street, and Stan’s Record Shop during their heyday in the 1960s.
(Source: a dvertisement in The (Shreveport) Times on Thurs. Jan 7, 1960, pp. 18 shows Louisiana Hayride tickets were sold at Stan’s Record Shop, 728 Texas Street )
The society also has a steam locomotive that was used to help construct the Panama Canal, but the locomotive is stored off-site until plans to move it are completed.
Peacock’s, reXall, Kidd-Russ, and an array of stylish 1960s cars bring this little scene from 1960s Shreveport back to life. (Source: KTAL/KMSS’ Jaclyn Tripp)
The railroad society was started in 1981 and has monthly meetings on the third Friday of each month at 7 p.m. Society members curate the displays at the Shreveport Railroad Museum.
The society also advocates for train history and collects antique memoribilia.
(Source: KTAL/KMSS’ Jaclyn Tripp)
From Herby K’s to Super Food Market and tiny replicas of long-gone water towers, the small version of historic Shreveport has details that are at times sarcastic and, at other times, funny. A depiction of a woman walking by a grocery store also shows a man either trying to grab her purse from behind or pinch her on the rear. Other quirky scenes left behind by the artists who created the sprawling display can be found in the tiny city, too.
And the number of Shreveport-specific details put into the recreation of 1960s Shreveport are quite striking. Check out the 2 lbs. of bananas you can buy for 29 cents at Super Food Market! Or stop by for 5 lbs. of flour for only 41 cents.
The Super Food Market replica from 1960s Shreveport features a blonde walking down the sidewalk and a man sneaking up behind her to either steal her purse or pinch her. (Source: KTAL/KMSS’ Jaclyn Tripp)
The Shreveport Railroad Museum is located at 142 Common Street in Shreveport. You may reach them by phone at (318) 221-3388. Tickets to the museum are free.
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