5 MINUTE READ | NUMBER 4
I've zoomed past Exit 15 on I20 countless times, zipping by the prominent green sign marking the Shed Road exit, without ever contemplating the origins behind its name. However, while searching for information about Barksdale Air Force Base, I stumbled upon the captivating history surrounding Shed Road. It's a truly remarkable bit of Louisiana's past.
Shreveport’s Original Shed Road
1870
The condition of roads in Bossier Parish could have been better, particularly those leading eastward through the swampy regions. This presented challenges for farmers endeavoring to transport their harvested cotton from the hills of North Louisiana to the bustling markets of Shreveport. Faced with the detrimental impact of these inadequate roadways, one man took it upon himself to address the situation in 1870.
Judge John D. Watkins, a respected Minden attorney, decided to construct a road bridging the gap between Red Chute Bayou and the Red River. But, what set Watkins' plan apart was its distinctive feature – he envisioned the road being covered. Watkins aimed to ensure that the road remained shielded from the elements, maintaining a dry and accessible passage to enable farmers to transport their goods to the market, thereby stimulating the economic growth of Shreveport. Watkins secured a unique charter from Congress to build the road.
Construction Begins
Work began in 1874. Drainage ditches were dug along the right-of-way, and the dirt was piled up at least 18 inches high to create the road base that was 18 feet wide, enough for two teams of horses to pass one another.
Cypress posts were cut and set at 20 feet intervals along the expanse of the roadway. Nearby sawmills crafted the rafters and joists, and roof boards were laid across the top of the structure with enough overhang to shield travelers and the road base from the rain1.
Four men worked on a two-horse wagon and installed 20 sections of 20 feet daily. It cost Watkins between $5,000 and $8,500 a mile. The Parish Police Jury allowed Watkins to charge a toll to pay for maintenance.
According to a Shreveport Magazine article, a four-yoke team of oxen and a wagon were charged $1.50 toll and an individual walking was charged a nickel. It is said that Shed Road made more than $20,000 in profit during its lifetime2.
In 1880, when the road and several bridges along the route were nearing completion, the project received national attention in Scientific America Magazine, and local newspapers praised Watkins and Shed Road.
"The benefits that will accrue to our city by the completion of this important work are incalculable. It will practically bridge the swamp hitherto impassable in winter to the hills beyond Red Chute and will bring to our market a vast amount of cotton and trade from north Louisiana and southern Arkansas, which has heretofore stopped at Minden or found its way to Camden, Monroe and other points on the Ouachita River." - Shreveport Standard, July 22, 1880.
The End of the Road
By 1882, the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Pacific Railroad forged a vital link between Shreveport and Bossier Parish, rendering Shed Road less essential. Watkins tried to sell the rights to the road yet ultimately conceded them to the Bossier Parish government.3
Once the parish assumed ownership of Shed Road, a sobering realization dawned upon them. The financial burden required to sustain the road proved exorbitant, prompting them to abandon it eventually.
Today the only clues that the original Shed Road existed are a sign on US 80 next to the Red Chute Bayou bridge, a faint line in the woods, and a historical marker on the side of the new Shed Road near Airline Highway.
Judge Watkins
Watkins arrived in Minden in 1850 from Princeton, Kentucky, to become the headmaster of the Minden Male Academy. At night, he worked on his law degree and served as district attorney, district judge, and state senator. Watkins died in 1895. There was no mention of the Shed Road in his obituary or his entry in the Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, published in 1890.4 ▪️
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“Down the Old Shed Road,” The Shreveport Times, April 23, 1967.
Alisa Stingley, “In All Its Glory,” The Shreveport Times, August 29, 1995.
“JD Watkins Offers Shed Road,” The Shreveport Times, December 24, 1886.
“Judge Watkins Obituary,” The Bossier Banner, December 26, 1895.