Shreveport Shriners’ Hospital to Celebrate 90th Anniversary

It was ninety years ago Sunday that the first Shriners' Hospital in the country opened its doors at the corner of Samford and Kings Highway in Shreveport. Administrator Kim Green says the hospital operated from its original building for more than 60 years until the decision was made in the mid 80s to build a new one on the same piece of land.  When the recession hit in 2008, the Shriners almost closed the Shreveport hospital -- along with five others. But the decision was made, instead, to start taking private insurance payments and Medicaid. And Green says that's enabled the hospital to not only remain open but to grow the services it provides.