Pineville: History and Recreation at a Glance

When looking for a hotel for a stay in Pineville, you can use its historical attractions and recreational activities as selection criteria. The destination combines a military museum and a historic building with disc golf and powerboat races on Lake Buhlow. For planning your trip, it helps to distinguish between your specific interests: exhibitions and architectural history are a different focus from a sporting activity or a race.

Military History and Historic Buildings

The Louisiana Maneuvers & Military Museum is located in Pineville in a replica of a World War II barracks at Camp Beauregard. Most of the exhibits focus on the large-scale Louisiana Maneuvers training operations conducted in central Louisiana in the run-up to World War II. This outlines the exhibits’ subject, historical period, and regional connection. The museum also has an outdoor area with tanks, tank destroyers, artillery, and engineering and wheeled vehicles. The distinction between the exhibit topics and the outdoor vehicle collection can help you decide which part of the museum interests you most.

Mt. Olivet Chapel is the oldest surviving structure in Pineville. During the Civil War, it served as the Union Army’s headquarters and was therefore spared when Alexandria was burned down. Its historical connection is thus to the Civil War; by contrast, most of the museum’s exhibits cover the maneuvers before World War II. Tours of Mt. Olivet Chapel and Cemetery are available by appointment. Arrange a time before your visit.

Trails and Outdoor Activities

Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site has a raised wooden boardwalk with an observation point near the former site of Bailey’s Dam. Three trails are each a quarter mile long: Boardwalk Trail A, Boardwalk Trail B, and the trail between the two forts. Their equal length makes it easy to compare the listed trails; their names distinguish the two boardwalk trails from the route between the forts. The observation point near Bailey’s Dam provides another specific reference for planning.

Two other outdoor recreation options are clearly distinct. Kees Park in Pineville has an 18-hole disc golf course, while high-speed powerboat races take place on Lake Buhlow in Pineville. The disc golf course is a specific sporting option; the races offer a different focus for your stay. If a race is important to your trip, check the event dates before booking. That way, you can decide whether you’re looking for an activity on the course or want to watch a race.

Cenla Water Rentals is located at the public boat launch on Lake Buhlow in Pineville. Availability may depend on the season and weather; check before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ball, Boyce, Alexandria.

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