Plamoor Ballroom, 1053 Texas Street, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA

2004 Charles E. Peterson Prize, Third Place
Significance: The Plamoor Ballroom (c. 1915) at 1053 Texas Avenue is a two-story masonry structure situated in a multiblock long commercial strip southwest of the central business district in Shreveport, Louisiana. The commercial strip and adjacent neighborhood is currently within the Ledbetter Heights (St. Paul's Bottoms) Historic District, a late 19th early 20th century working class African American neighborhood comprised of almost 900 buildings. The commercial strip, known by locals as "The Avenue," was the African American central business district of Shreveport and thrived from the 1920's through the 1940's. ... The building's true significance lies not in the physical realm, but rather in its connection to the early to mid 20th century African American culture in Shreveport. The ballroom is adjacent to and presently owned by Antioch Baptist Church, Shreveport's oldest black church building and its oldest black congregation. The church structure, designed by N.S. Allen in 1901, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The church plans to renovate the Ballroom as a community center with some single room occupancy housing to serve the Ledbetter Heights neighborhood.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N982
Survey number: HABS LA-1324
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 84000033