Key Takeaways:
- The Spring Street Museum in Shreveport, Louisiana, is a treasure trove of local history, with a curator who is passionate about uncovering the city’s past.
- The museum’s curator, Marty Loschen, is a metal detectorist who loves to dig in "privy pits" to uncover artifacts that tell the story of Shreveport’s history.
- Loschen has found many interesting items, including coins, buttons, buckles, and even $10,000 worth of silver, which was hidden in an old outhouse hole.
- The museum is located in one of Shreveport’s oldest buildings and features three stories of exhibits, including a basement that is only accessible by a trapdoor.
- Shreveport’s history is rich and fascinating, with stories of dueling mayors, brothels, and early inhabitants who helped shape the city into what it is today.
Introduction to the Spring Street Museum
The Spring Street Museum in Shreveport, Louisiana, is a unique and fascinating place that is steeped in local history. From the moment you step inside, you can feel the passion and enthusiasm of the museum’s curator, Marty Loschen, who is dedicated to uncovering and preserving the city’s past. Loschen’s love of metal detecting and archaeology is evident in the way he moves through the museum, pointing out interesting artifacts and sharing stories about the people and events that shaped Shreveport’s history.
The Art of Metal Detecting
Loschen’s passion for metal detecting is a key part of his work at the museum, and he spends much of his free time searching for artifacts that can help tell the story of Shreveport’s history. He is particularly fond of digging in "privy pits," which are the sites of old outhouses where people would often drop items that were lost or discarded. These pits can be treasure troves of historical artifacts, and Loschen has found many interesting items, including coins, buttons, buckles, and even $10,000 worth of silver. His enthusiasm for metal detecting is infectious, and it’s clear that he loves the thrill of the hunt and the sense of discovery that comes with uncovering artifacts that have been hidden for centuries.
Uncovering Shreveport’s History
As Loschen showed me around the museum, he shared many stories about Shreveport’s early inhabitants and leaders, including the city’s first mayor, John O. Sewall. Sewall was a fascinating figure who was elected to office in 1839, a time when Shreveport was on the edge of the Wild West. He was involved in a number of duels, including one that resulted in the death of the town’s first sheriff, and he ultimately died in a duel himself at the age of 34. Loschen’s stories about Sewall and other early Shreveport residents brought the city’s history to life, and it was clear that he is deeply passionate about preserving and sharing this history with others.
The Museum’s Exhibits
The Spring Street Museum is located in one of Shreveport’s oldest buildings, and it features three stories of exhibits that showcase the city’s history. The museum is owned by the LSU Shreveport Foundation, and history students from the university work in the museum and go on archaeological hunts to uncover artifacts. The museum’s basement is only accessible by a trapdoor, and it is here that Loschen has his offices. The upstairs rooms feature a number of exhibits, including displays of artifacts that Loschen has found on his metal detecting adventures. One of the most interesting exhibits is a collection of buttons and buckles that Loschen found on the site of a long-ago Shreveport brothel. At first, he and his friends thought that the buttons might have come from clothing that had been torn or lost, but they later discovered that one of the madams who ran the brothel was a seamstress, which explained the large number of buttons that they found.
Conclusion
As I left the Spring Street Museum, I couldn’t help but think about the many layers of history that lie beneath our feet. Loschen’s passion for metal detecting and archaeology has uncovered many fascinating artifacts that help tell the story of Shreveport’s past, and his enthusiasm is infectious. The museum is a must-visit destination for anyone who is interested in history, and it is a testament to the importance of preserving and sharing our cultural heritage. Whether you are a history buff or just someone who loves a good story, the Spring Street Museum is a place that is sure to captivate and inspire you.