Contractor Will Soon Begin Work to Move Confederate Monument in Shreveport

Will the Confederate monument in front of the Caddo Parish Courthouse be moved anytime soon? Caddo Parish Administrator Dr. Woody Wilson told commissioners they now have a contractor. But he also says a few changes still need to be made to that agreement before the work can start.

A box has been erected around the monument to protect it from vandals.

In December, the Caddo Commission  awarded this deal to Energy Services and Products Corporation of Tampa, Florida.

KTBS reports the move is being done in 2 phases. Phase one removal and repairs will cost $490,000 and phase 2 relocation, $292,000. This brings the total cost to close to $800,000 dollars.

Last year, the parish turned down one contractor who proposed moving the monument at a cost of close to $2 million.

The monument is owned by the Shreveport Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The Commission reached an agreement with that group to move the monument after a lengthy legal battle.

The monument will be moved to the Pleasant Hill battlefield site in south DeSoto Parish.

There is no projected date for getting the massive structure moved.