Alexandria, Louisiana

Alexandria, the parish seat of Rapides Parish, is located on the south bank of the Red River, in central Louisiana.

The city takes its name from Alexander Fulton, a wealthy landowner and merchant who helped to settle the area in 1785. First incorporated in 1818, Alexandria was periodically occupied, then almost entirely burned to the ground, by Union soldiers during the Civil War.

But Alexandria survived and, today, in addition to being the geographic center of the state, it's also a cultural, financial, and commercial center of the surrounding region. From the arts to outdoor recreation, just about everything is available here – including Louisiana's fine French cuisine and southern barbecue. And parents take note – Alexandria even has its own zoo.

First stop for art lovers in the city is the Alexandria Museum of Art. The museum, which is housed in the historic Rapides Bank Building (circa 1898), is the centerpiece of Alexandria's riverfront. The museum hosts visiting collections from around the world, a permanent collection of contemporary Louisiana art, and the largest collection of Louisiana folk art. Also in Alexandria is the River Oaks Square Arts Center, a "contemporary visual arts and fine crafts center" that is home to over 30 individual artists' studios.

And a season of music and theater is also available in Alexandria, in the form of the Rapides Symphony Orchestra and Alexandria's City Park Players.

For those who enjoy the outdoors, fishing, swimming, and golfing are all available nearby. Louisiana's longest wooded hiking and riding trail, the Wild Azalea Trail, snakes through Alexandria, and hikers will note the city's proximity to the scenic lakes, streams, and trails that make up Kisatchie National Forest.

Finally, Alexandria also has a number of museums and historical sights devoted to the region's history. Among them are the Historic Kent Plantation House, one of the oldest standing structures in Louisiana, and the Arna Bontemps African American Museum. The latter is a museum and cultural center devoted to the appreciation and understanding of African American culture, and housed in the childhood home of the noted author, poet, and librarian, Arna Bontemps.

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