Lake Bistineau State Park in Doyline, east of Shreveport, developed from efforts to preserve and make use of a lake formed in 1800 by flooding and a log jam. As the lake gradually drained, work on a dam began in 1935, and the park opened in 1938 as part of creating a recreational destination. Beyond its natural setting on the lake and in surrounding woods, the park holds an important place in Louisiana social history as the first state park in Louisiana to accommodate African Americans. Two separate sections of the present-day park still reflect that segregated era, alongside its long role in hiking, camping, boating, and paddling.