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Welcome to Pineville Louisiana!

Welcome to Pineville Louisiana ... Tree City USA
Welcome to Pineville, Louisiana:
Tree City USA

An important part of Central Louisiana, or CenLA, is the City of Pineville, located to the east of Alexandria across the Red River. It is part of Rapides Parish.

Pineville serves as the business and retail center for a number of small, surrounding communities such as Tioga, Ball, Libuse, Paradise, Holloway, Buckeye, Deville, Pollock, Bentley, Fishville, Kolin, and many others.

Pineville today has a variety of shopping centers, banks, medical facilities, hotels, and national chain retail stores to serve its residents and visitors.

Pineville is home to several large non-government employers including Baker Manufacturing Inc., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Co., Crest Industries, LLC, and Dresser Industrial Valve, Inc. The Central Louisiana Electric Company (CLECO) corporate headquarters is located on the Pineville Expressway.

The Central Louisiana State Hospital, the Pinecrest Support and Services Center, the Huey P. Long Memorial Hospital (recently closed), and the Alexandria Veterans Administration Medical Center are located in Pineville.

Located adjacent to the city is Camp Beauregard. Operated by the Louisiana Army National Guard, it is the headquarters of the 225th Engineer Brigade and is one of the largest engineer units in the U.S. Army. Pineville is also the location of Louisiana College.

Pineville's history dates back over 275 years, and the city has retained many historic buildings dating to the late 1800s.

The population of Pineville was 14,384 in the 2020 census.

The City of Pineville is governed by a Mayor and City Council, made up of citizens elected from five districts. The City Council meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00PM in the City Council chambers at City Hall.


Pineville Tourism, Attractions and Things to Do

The City of Pineville operates one of the area's most popular recreational areas, Buhlow Lake, offering various boating, racing, fishing and recreational activities.

Korean War Memorial, Kees Park, Pineville, LouisianaKorean War Memorial, Kees Park
Pineville, Louisiana

In addition to Buhlow Lake, other bodies of water close to Pineville include the giant Catahoula Lake, Cocodrie Lake, Saline Lake, Cotile Lake, Williams Lake, Little River, Walker Lake, Hog Lake, Kincaid Lake, and others. The Red River in downtown Pineville has become a popular spot for boating, fishing, hiking and walking.

Pineville is home to the Old Town Hall Museum, the only museum in Louisiana dedicated to municipal government. Visit the City of Pineville's web site for more information about the museum.

Pineville is also the site for the Louisiana Korean War Memorial, at Kees Park. The "Freedom Is Not Free" memorial was erected and maintained by Crossroads Chapter 205 of the Korean War Veterans Association.

Just northeast of Pineville is located the Maryhill Renewal Center, the site of Camp Maryhill and the famous "Star of the Sea" boat house on its lake.

about Pineville tourism and things to do

Historic Cemeteries

Historic Rapides Cemetery, Pineville
Historic Rapides Cemetery, Pineville

It is also the site of several significant and historic cemeteries some of which date to the 1700s. The historic Rapides Cemetery is located on the banks of the Red River in downtown Pineville, and is the oldest cemetery in Rapides Parish.

The Alexandria National Cemetery, located in Pineville on East Shamrock Street just off Main Street, was established in 1867 to offer a permanent place of rest for the many Union soldiers who died in Central Louisiana from wounds and disease during the Civil War.

about the historic cemeteries in Pineville

 

World War II & Civil War Sites

Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum, Camp Beauregard, Pineville, Louisiana
Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum

The areas surrounding Pineville were the site of the massive Louisiana Maneuvers staged just before World War II. A major focal point in the maneuvers was Camp Livingston. In addition, nearby Camp Beauregard and Esler Field were important U.S. Army facilities. The Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum tells the story of the massive army maneuvers that prepared the United States for World War II and was centered on several army camps in the Pineville area.

Located on the Red River in downtown Pineville, the Forts Randolph & Fort Buhlow State Historic Site includes a visitor center with exhibits on the Civil War Red River Campaign, an elevated boardwalk around the fort area, with an overlook near the Bailey's Dam site, and an open field for Civil War re-enactments. Forts Randolph & Buhlow were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Buhlow Lake

The Dairy Barn at Lake Buhlow in Pineville, Louisiana
The recently restored historic Dairy Barn at Lake Buhlow in Pineville, Louisiana

Fort Buhlow Lake is a popular destination for various boating, racing, fishing and recreational activities. Built in 1956, it covers an area of 282 acres, some of which was former pasture land for the Central Louisiana State Hospital dairy.

It is bounded on the south by U.S. Highway 165, and the Red River to the north. At the west end of the lake is the historic Civil War-vintage Fort Buhlow, and an airport on the east side.

Buhlow Lake is a popular fishing destination by both bank and boat fishermen. It has been stocked with channel catfish, but it is also known as a good spot to fish for bass and bream. It has no public piers, but the banks are generally clean, and anglers regularly fish from the banks.

The City of Pineville holds various public events around the lake. These include a 4th of July celebration, fishing tournaments, car shows, etc.

about Buhlow Lake

 

 

Louisiana Christian University

The H.O. West Physical Education Building at Louisiana Christian University
The H.O. West Physical Education Building

Louisiana Christian University (formerly Louisiana College) is a private institution of higher education located in Pineville. Affiliated with the Louisiana Baptist Convention, it serves approximately 1,500 students.

The university was founded on October 3, 1906, and is situated on an 81-acre campus in Pineville. The school has twenty-five academic and residential buildings.

It awards the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Social Work, and Bachelor of General Studies degrees and offers more than seventy majors, minors and pre-professional programs.

Its athletic teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. The "Wildcats" are a member of the American Southwest Conference (ASC).

Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer and tennis; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball and tennis.

Visit the Louisiana Christian University website for more information about the school.

Pineville High School

Pineville High School, established in 1952, has a long-standing reputation for high quality education, and is supported by a large alumni base dedicated to promoting and preserving the heritage and pride of the school via the PHS Alumni Association.

Situated just south of Fort Buhlow Lake, and adjacent to the former site of Sandy Canyon, the school serves the needs of an every-growing population.

Alexandria Veterans Administration Medical Center

The Alexandria Veterans Administration Health Center (VAMC), a large facility with a number of buildings and beautiful grounds.

The health center, located in Pineville on the Shreveport Highway, US71, remains a vital facility in treating our veterans. We salute the doctors, nurses and other staff who have provided valuable care and support at this facility over many decades.

It also operates community based services at Fort Polk, Jennings, Natchitoches, and Lafayette.

The VAMC Alexandria is categorized as a primary and secondary care facility. It is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of primary care services with state-of-the-art technology and education.

Hotels in Pineville

Holiday Inn Express & Suites - 2820 Monroe Highway, Pineville, LA

Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Pineville, Louisiana
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson - 2727 Monroe Highway, Pineville, LA Country Inn and Suites, Pineville, Louisiana
Sleep Inn & Suites - 3411 Highway 165, Pineville, LA Sleep Inn and Suites, Pineville, Louisiana

 

Visit TripAdvisor to read hotel reviews of Alexandria, compare prices, and make reservations,

 

Interactive Map of the Pineville Area


Pineville Louisiana Museum on Main Street
Old Town Hall Museum, Pineville

More Information about Pineville

For more information, we highly recommend a visit to the following websites: