Former Radio Station & Historic Shreveport Mansion for Sale

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I still have memories of working 'overnights' at the old KCOZ radio station back in the 80's. Back then it was a station that played 'beautiful music.'  Basically, it was hits from artists like Elton John, Lionel Ritchie, the Beatles, and such, but rerecorded with lush orchestrations.  You know, elevator music.  But now, the historic Logan Mansion on Austen Place, is on the market.

I know there are legends of the place being haunted, but I never experienced anything during my time there.  And I was there every night from 12 midnight until 6A.  But I did have a friend tell me when he worked there, he experienced something that ran him out of the house in the middle of the night, and he never went back.

He said sometime in the middle of the night, as he was sitting at the desk in front of these huge floor to ceiling windows studying, one of the roller type window shades suddenly released and flew up to the top of the window, spinning like a cartoon.  Then a few seconds later, another shade shot to the ceiling.  When the third one shot up, he grabbed his things and ran out the side door.... never went back.

Logan Mansion History

In 1897, 53-year old Lafayette Robert Logan showed Shreveport that he had finally ‘made it.’ Lafayette Robert, more commonly known as ‘L.R.’, was by then a top executive of Shreveport Ice and Brewery Co., and he wanted a distinctive home for his wife Lavinia Wilson Seay Logan.  L.R. and Libby hired noted architect N.S. Allen to design a 5,000 SF Victorian palace on then- Christian Street (now Austin Place or Austen Place, both spellings are used), near the heart of downtown.

The wooden Victorian Logan Mansion featured tall ceilings, ample windows, a tall porte-cochere entrance to the carriageway, and a wide porch for enjoying the evening breeze. Historian Eric Brock says a hallmark of Allen homes was the ‘exceptional millwork, lovely staircases and fine fireplaces’, all of which are found in the Logan residence.

The Logan's live in the home until his death at age 75 in 1919.  As there were no heirs, the Logan Mansion was sold to KCS Railroad executive Wade Hampton.  Hampton and his family actually lived there longer than did the Logans. But the Logans never really got very far away from there beloved home, as they are buried in the Oakland Cemetery, not far from their home.

The Hamptons spent 36 years at the mansion, then selling it in 1955.  The home had a series of owners over the years, even becoming a radio station, the aforementioned KCOZ.

The mansion more recently has been an Airbnb, used to share ghostly tours and tales, used as the scene of murder mystery dinners and vintage birthday party gatherings.

Hopefully, the new owners will recognize it's historic value to the community, and will treat it with love and care, so it will continue to be around for many, many more years to come.