In the not-too-distant past, the land was traversed by moccasin-clad Caddo Indians and later, by boots under both blue and gray uniforms. In between those times, Larkin Edwards and James Coates settled and founded a thriving river trading post and community. The federal government recognized the potential of Coates Bluff, with its dual access to shipping commerce on the Red River, and established a post office there in the mid-1830s, the first one in the area.
Unfortunately for the “Bluffians,” residents of the community – which included Captain Henry Miller Shreve, James Cane and William Bennett – devised a plan to coincide with the removal of the Great Raft that intentionally, it would seem, eliminated the river access enjoyed by Coates Bluff, and caused the postal system to relocate its post office to Bennett and Cane’s Bluff. The Shreve Town Company, named for Captain Shreve, took advantage of their newfound prosperous routes of commerce and grew up a town called Shreve Town, later to be called Shreveport.
After these shenanigans, Coates Bluff was abandoned as a community, used as farmland for approximately 100 years, and then further abandoned to the river-spawned wilderness… until now.
U. L. Coleman Companies, a development company that has maintained a 41-year reputation as a progressive and environmentally conscious builder and property management firm, has chosen this beautiful, historic chunk of land on which to build a new community—one that is dedicated to the environment as well as the comfort of the residents. Even during construction, the environment was a primary concern; builders used the most efficient and waste-reducing methods of construction. Coates Bluff has also been designated “a smoke-free community in partnership with The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.” There will be every consideration to reducing environmental impact as well as residents’ cost of living, including charging stations for electric vehicles, water conservation (landscape alone will use 50 percent less water), and environmental education for staff and residents. All this results in ecosystem biodiversity enhancement and protection; conservation and restoration of natural resources; reduction in cost of living for residents; and a healthier quality of life and place to live.
Dear reader, you may have noticed that I have so far refrained from the use of the word “apartment.” Well, yes, they are apartments, but with a spaciousness and uniqueness not often found in other apartments. The huge, two-story clubhouse will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified and there is a professionally designed golf putting green.
Okay, maybe you’ll never see cotton-bale-laden paddlewheelers going by, but this is going to be a community with the same strong heart that was shown by Larkin Coates and James Edwards when they envisioned a wonderful place to live those many years ago.
To learn more, please visit www.coatesbluff.com.
By Chuck Lambert
