NWLWVH

NWLWVH, Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home ground-breaking ceremony was conducted on Friday, 15 April 2005. A lot of dignitaries from political, veterans, and active military were in attendance.

Eight days later, the difference in the appearance of the landscape is phenomenal. Construction should be completed in about 18 months, with the first residents are expected about 1 October 2006.

L'Editeur Carl A. Barr, Dept Vice Cmdr Al Sanders, Dept Cmdr Eldon Guidry, V 137 Chef de Gare Joe Caldwell, Grand Chef de Gare Passe Harold Burson, Post 14 Commander John W. Moore. Those are souvenir shovels in the hands of Eldon and Harold - they had the privilege of participating in the ground breaking ceremony. In the left photo you can see Eldon about 1/3 of the way from the right end of the line, wearing a white Legion Cap, not a contractor's hard hat. He told me that he likes to wear the white cap, and has only a relatively short time left to enjoy it.

These pictures were taken on Monday, 15 August 2005, 4 months after the groundbreaking. Tons of fill dirt has been brought in, concrete slab has been poured, equipment and workers are everywhere. The white area at the bottom of the photos is the roof of my car.

Six months after the 15 April groundbreaking, this view of the construction site was taken at 6:00 PM, Tuesday, 11 October 2005.

The entrance/exit roadway is accessed from the A. R. Teague Parkway, immediately south of the Shreveport-Barksdale Highway Bridge. The west bound section of that bridge is now being replaced with a completely new bridge, and with access to the Parkway. Completion date for the bridge project is late Spring of 2007.

Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home

Bossier City, Louisiana

Construction begun April 2005 -- Completed March 2007

Photos and text by Carl A. Barr

Three months later, on 20 January 2006, the buildings are taking shape, with roofs and sidewalls. Two workers are visible on the blue roof of the building at the left. Many more workers are busy inside as evidenced by the number of vehicles parked on the premises. This photo is taken from across the northbound lanes of the A. R. Teague Parkway, seen in the foreground. The apparent curvature of that road is caused by merging three images; the road is actually straight.

2 March 2006 -- 10:00 AM -- This panoramic view is looking toward the south end of the structure, taken from adjacent to the highway in front.

2 March -- 10:00 AM -- I walked up onto the bridge to get these photos. The WVH is at the left; a crossover is visible at the center, leading into the boat launch area. It should be handy for fishing tournaments when residents get in place. The Red River has been the scene for professional bass fishing tournaments over the past three or four years.

This is the eastbound bridge on the Shreveport-Barksdale Highway. While the reconstruction of the westbound bridge is underway, this bridge is for two-way traffic. The empty lane here will become the exit lane; the on and off ramps will be built through the bare area visible on both sides of the bridge. The water tower in the center is just inside the Main Gate to Barksdale Air Force Base, about 500 yards from where I was standing.