Bossier City in Bossier Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
“Bearkats”
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2025
1. “Bearkats” Marker
In 1926, at this location, the first Bossier City High School football team was formed. They chose to call themselves “Bearkats”
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.
Location. 32° 31.394′ N, 93° 44.225′ W. Marker is in Bossier City, Louisiana, in Bossier Parish. It is on Traffic Street just north of Adair Street, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located beside the sidewalk near the north end of the Bossier Elementary School grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 Traffic Street, Bossier City LA 71111, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Louisiana. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Old Bossier Municipal Building (approx. 0.6 miles away); Henry Watkins Allen / Battery 10 (approx. 0.7 miles away); Shreve Square (approx. ¾ mile away); The Guardian (approx. ¾ mile away); Cane-Bennett Building (approx. ¾ mile away); Green's Alley (approx. ¾ mile away); Cane & Bennett's Trading Post (approx. 0.8 miles away); Harrison Building (approx. 0.8 miles away).
Also see . . . Bearkat Football: A Brief History (Bossier Parish Libraries History Center).
(by Amy Robertson) Excerpt: The Louisiana Department of Education recognized Bossier City High School as an accredited school in 1917. The Bossier City school itself was established in 1900. Since the high school began during the first world war, there were only female graduates for the first three years. By 1920 the number of graduates began to increase along with the number of students attending the school. The school continued to grow, and by 1926 it fielded its first football team.(Submitted on August 19, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)With the school colors, Kelly green, and white, already having been
selected in 1925, all the team needed was a mascot. Arthur Ray Teague was the team’s first fullback, and he is credited with choosing the bearcat as the mascot. Buzz Wojecki explains in an article published in the Bossier Press-Tribune in 2006, “The spelling changed from ‘Bearcats’ to ‘Bearkats’ about 1938. There is good reason to believe it was to differentiate Bossier High from the Ruston High Bearcats on the sports page.”Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 20252. “Bearkats” MarkerLooking south along Traffic Street; Bossier Elementary School is in the left background.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 122 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 19, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
