Area 2 acres (0.81 ha) Opened 1929 | Built 1929 NRHP Reference # 91000624 Phone +1 318-841-4000 | |
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Architect Jones, Roessle, Olschner & Wiener; Ashton Glassell Co., Inc. Address 705 Grand Ave, Shreveport, LA 71101, USA Similar Strand Theatre, Spring Street Historical, Hirsch Memorial Coliseum, R W Norton Art Gallery, Independence Stadium | ||
Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium is a historic performance and meeting venue at 705 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Shreveport, Louisiana. It is an Art Deco building constructed between 1926 and 1929 during the administration of Mayor Lee Emmett Thomas as a memorial to the servicemen of World War I. In 1991, the auditorium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on October 6, 2008, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
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Design
The building was designed by architects Samuel G. Wiener, Sr., and Seymour Van Os, both of the firm of Jones, Roessle, Olschner & Wiener of Shreveport. Contractor for construction was the Ashton Glassell Company, also of Shreveport.
Stage of Stars Museum
The Municipal Memorial Auditorium houses the Stage of Stars Museum, and a 3,200-seat auditorium, which is used for concerts, family shows, Broadway plays, boxing, and other special events. It is nationally significant, and was designated a National Historic Landmark, for hosting the Louisiana Hayride radio program, hosted by Frank Page (1925-2013). During its heyday, from 1948 to 1960, the program spawned the careers of some of the greatest names in American Country and Rockabilly music. The Hayride regularly featured performers, such as Hank Williams, Slim Whitman, Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, and Elvis Presley, who got his start at this venue.
Renovations
The auditorium has been undergoing renovations since 1994. Recent improvements to the auditorium have included air conditioning, renovated restrooms, installation of ramps and an elevator. A fully restored auditorium is pending.