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Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium
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| Location: | 705 Elvis Presley Avenue (formerly Grand Avenue), Shreveport, Louisiana |
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| Area: | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built: | 1929 |
| Architect: | Jones, Roessle, Olschner & Wiener; Ashton Glassell Co., Inc. |
| Architectural style: | Art Deco |
| Governing body: | Local |
| NRHP Reference#: | 91000624 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP: | May 28, 1991[1] |
| Designated NHL: | October 6, 2008[2] |
Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium, in Shreveport, Louisiana, 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.[3]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and was designated a National Historic Landmark on October 6, 2008.[2][4]
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.[5]
The Municipal Memorial Auditorium is often called, "The "Muni," by Shreveporters. It is located at 705 Elvis Presley Avenue (formerly Grand Avenue), in Shreveport and houses the Stage of Stars Museum. The 3,200-seat auditorium is used for concerts, family shows, Broadway plays, boxing, and other special events.
It is significant for hosting the Louisiana Hayride radio program. 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 & Elvis Presley (who got his start at this venue), among many other notable names.[6]
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. Additional renovations will be done in the future, resulting in a fully restored auditorium.
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