Drivers traveling along the I-49 corridor through Alexandria, Louisiana, mightn’t recognize it, but they’re simultaneously traversing the boundary between twin cities. Along the eastern bank of the Red River, right across the water from downtown Alexandria stands Pineville, a historic town that welcomes visitors and residents with a delightfully different CenLa vibe from that of its urban sibling.
Pineville’s Long History
Named for towering pines that once lined the banks of the Red River in this part of Central Louisiana, Pineville was founded as a small trading village in the early 1700s. Diron d’Artaguette, French Inspector of Troops in Louisiana, established a fort at the site in 1770, naming it Post du Rapide for the troublesome Red River rapids that capsized almost every vessel that attempted to negotiate them. (Fun fact: This is also how Rapides Parish got its name.)
The very first iteration of Louisiana State University (LSU) was founded in Pineville in 1859, when the main building of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy was erected on a site just north of town. The original institution was modeled after West Point, and in 1860, when classes commenced with nineteen students enrolled, the college’s first superintendent was none other than Colonel (later Union General) William T. Sherman. The school also counted several Confederate professors on its payroll at this time.
Fifteen months after classes began, the Civil War broke out. Sherman resigned and joined Union forces, while most of the students joined the Confederacy. During the war the college donned a notably different hat—serving as a hospital during the conflict. After hostilities ceased, Louisiana State Seminary of Learning briefly returned to its academic operations until the building was destroyed by fire in 1869, and the institution relocated to Baton Rouge. LSU Archaeology students began unearthing artifacts from the Pineville site in 2025, after a felled tree revealed an unexpected glimpse of historical artifacts buried beneath.
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Pineville is working hard to develop the potential of its picturesque riverfront.
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Photo credit: Josh Candiloro
Pineville's Main Street is attracting a host of creative business ventures, including Candiloro & Co Photography, and Sunflower Van Geaux Art Studio.
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On Pineville's bustling Main Street, books, games, specialty coffee and cocktails suffuse Hemingway House of Stories and Spirits with community energy.
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Main Street's Wayback's Arcade features more than 200 vintage and contemporary video games to play.
Pineville Past and Present
In the mid-1800s, a visitor to the town noted that “in Pineville dwell a large number of citizens whose occupation is in Alexandria.” That observation gives credence to what present-day Pineville residents have known for a long time: the town has served as something of a bedroom community—offering peaceful respite at a slight remove from its bustling sister city across the Red River.
But if Pineville was once a little sister to Alexandria, today it’s more of a twin. Pineville has grown up in recent years, with a rising population wave, and more businesses planting seeds in a downtown district that is evolving to meet its potential. Heritage Pineville — a new downtown residential and retail development—will make room for newcomers who prefer a walkable lifestyle, and the former Central Louisiana State Hospital campus is soon to be demolished, clearing the way for extensive lakeside redevelopment.
Although Pineville is home to a variety of new projects and initiatives, the city retains many qualities that make it attractive to the growing number of families that call it home: there’s room to put down roots and prosper in Pineville. Plan your next visit — or your next move — at explorealexandriapineville.com.
