| Communities | Economy | History / Markers | Local Government |
| Location / Geography | Media | Parks and Recreation | Schools and Libraries |
| Parish Map | Top of page | ||
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Unincorporated areas of interest in the parish include Ajax, Allen, Bellwood, Bermuda, Chestnut, Chopin, Clautierville, Creston, Cypress, Cypress Post Office, Derry, Flora, Gailbraith, Gorum, Grand Ecore, Grappes Bluff, Hogewood, Janie, Kile, Kisatchie, Kraft, Lakeview, Lotus, Luella, Marco, Marthaville, Melrose, Mink, Messick, Montrose, Mora, Odra, Readheimer, Shamrock, Skidder, Trichell, Vowels Mill and Wood. Places of interest: Kisatchi National Forest; Kisatchi Hills; Bayou Cypre (Seep) Overlook; Kisatchi Bayou; Saline Bayou; Beau Fort PlantationLemee House; Front Street Buildings; Melrose Plantation; Old Convent Kitchen; Black Lake; Cane River Lake; Kate Chopin Museum; Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame; Roque House Museum. Events include the Melrose Arts and Crafts Festival, Fall thour of historic homes and the famous Natchitoches Christmas Festival Louisiana Cavalier musical drama. . |
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Natchitoches Parish Chamber of Commerce 781 Front Street Natchitoches 318-352-4411 |
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Kisatchie National Forest - Winn Ranger District Northeast Louisiana Fish and Game Preserve Red Dirt National Wildlife Management Preserve Peason Ridge Wildlife Management Area |
Cane River Lake Clear Lake Saline Lake Saline Bayou Red River |
Bayou Folk Museum The City of Natchitoches The City of Natchitoches Colonial Gateway Corral Drake’s Salt Works Grave of Unknown Confederate Soldier Fort St. Jean Baptiste François Rouquier Homesite Henri de Tonti Los Adaes The Natchez Trace Natchitoches Sang Pour Sang Hill Site of Fort Selden Site of Fort Claiborne |
History | |
| 1542 |
The Natchitoches Indians were a small tribe of the Caddoan linguistic stock who recognized the good quality of the farm lands along the Red River, settled in the area, established villages, raised crops and fished in nearby streams. They were used as guides by the early explorers and helped develop trade between early French Louisiana and Spanish Mexico. The name has been translated as chinquapin or pawpaw eaters. The recorded history of central Louisiana begins with its exploration by the Spaniard Hernando Desoto in 1542. He is said to have captured and held Indian hostages in the area to gain food for his impoverished band of explorers. Bienville, who established New Orleans and St. Denis were the next European explorers in the area about 1700. |
| 1714 |
In 1714, Louis Juchereau de St. Denis establishes a post near the site of the present day city of Natchitoches as he is on his way to initiate trade with the Spaniards in Mexico. |
| 1715 |
The next year, Fort St. Jean Baptiste was built there on the banks of the Red River because that spot was as close as the river came to the Spanish frontier and because there was a log jam, called The Great Raft, obstructing the river beyond that point. During its early years the tiny garrison run by St. Denis lived an impoverished existence but managed to defend itself against a siege by the Natchez Indians in October of 1731. The little settlement was also a border town and the scene many intrigues such as smuggling and overland gold and silver shipments along the Natchez Trace from Mexico. A larger fort was built in the area in 1735 and St. Denis remained as the French commandant until his death in 1744. |
| 1731 |
During its early years the tiny garrison run by St. Denis lived an impoverished existence but managed to defend itself against a siege by the Natchez Indians in October of 1731. The little settlement was also a border town and the scene many intrigues such as smuggling and overland gold and silver shipments along the Natchez Trace from Mexico. A larger fort was built in the area in 1735 and St. Denis remained as the French commandant until his death in 1744. |
| 1732 |
After the Natchez Indians in the area burn a French woman nearby St. Denis sends a troop of forty soldiers to wipe out the tribe. |
| 1735 |
A larger fort was built in the area in 1735 and St. Denis remains as the French commandant until his death in 1744. |
| 1763 |
Natchitoches becomes a Spanish outpost and gradually became a major trading post and head of navigation on the Red and Old Rivers. The Spanish governors encouraged settlement and pioneers begin to settle in the area and establish plantations, taking grants from the Spanish Crown. El Camino Real, the King's Highway, winding through Natchitoches toward Natchez, brings hides, buffalo and silver from Mexico. Boats coming up the river bring tobacco, medicine, firearms and whiskey. Indians trade salt that is mined on local Bayou saline. |
| 1790 |
Beau Fort Plantation is built for Louis Barthelemy Rachal and his wife. It is one and a half story cottage with a long front gallery It will be sold to Narcisse Prudhomme in 1834 and to the Clotier family in 1928 |
| 1804 |
Fort Claiborne is established in Natchitoches. Named after William C. C. Claiborne, Governor of territorial Louisiana. It will protect U.S. interests on the present southwestern frontier. Garrisoned almost continuously until establishment of Fort Jesup in 1822. |
| 1805 |
When the Territory of Orleans is divided into counties most of the present-day Natchitoches Parish is part of Natchitoches Countywhile a is portion is in the Neutral Ground. |
| 1806 |
After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, a dispute arose between the United States and Spain over the Western boundary of the United States. In 1806 a ³neutral ground² treaty was signed setting up a 40-mile strip of land between the Rio Hondo (just west of Natchitoches) and the Sabine River, which was supposed to remain unsettled. In reality, this area (called The Free State of Sabine or No Man's Land) attracted many settlers and harbored a number of infamous outlaws and pirates such as John Murrell and Jean Lafitte. It was also the back door through which slaves were smuggled into the United States after their importation had been forbidden by the government. |
| 1820 |
The first permanent parish courthouse is built |
| 1820s |
When steamboats began to run cotton and other goods between New Orleans and Natchitoches in the 1820s, it was predicted that Natchitoches would grow almost as large as New Orleans. Two events then occurred which changed the course of Natchitoches' development. |
| 1832 |
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| 1832 |
In 1832 the Red River cut a new path through a bayou further upstream, leaving Natchitoches isolated and washing out a more direct course toward settlements to the east. |
| 1833 |
The Great Raft (of logs) is removed from the Red River between 1833 and 1838 by Henry Miller Shreve. Shreveport began to develop as the head of navigation on the Red River. The old riverbed, now called Cane River Lake, did not have enough water for commercial navigation, but provides the scenic beauty and recreational uses for which Natchitoches is known today. |
| 1864 |
The town continued its strategic and commercial importance. American troops camped at Natchitoches on their way to the Mexican War. Many used it as a stopping point as they moved west to settle Texas and Oklahoma. In the spring of 1864, after the fall of New Orleans in the Civil War, Shreveport was the capital of Louisiana. Union General BanksË Red River Campaign to capture this city left much ruin and desolation throughout the area. Many plantations along the river, as well as Grande Ecore, the city that replaced Natchitoches as a port, and the town of Campti were all burned during the retreat of the Union forces. Natchitoches has grown slowly in this century and the economy has diversified to include industrial products such as paper, plywood, and cotton seed oil. Agriculture has grown from just cotton to include soybeans, beef cattle, poultry, pecans, catfish, and alligators and crawfish. |
| 1884 |
A state normal school now known as Northwestern State University is founded in Natchitoches. |
| 1890 |
A red brick courthouse that still stands today is built by C. D. Stewart from a design by Favrot and Livaudais of New Orleans. The first contractor absconded with the money, leaving the parish to scramble to raise funds.. |
| 1939 |
The present courthouse is built by J. W. Smith Associates of Monroe, but without a courtroom, which it receives 20 years later in the form of an annex. |
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The Natchitoches Parish School System includes 16 elementary, middle and secondary schools. In addition The Laboratory Schools at Northwestern State University operate within the parish school system for trying new teaching methods and developing innovative educational programs. The schools have a comprehensive program to encourage the gifted student and special classrooms and teachers to assist students who have learning problems. Juniors and seniors may attend classes for credit at the Vocational Technical School or Northwestern State University. High school students participate in a full range of extracurricular activities including football and other sports. There is one Catholic parochial school in Natchitoches Parish, as well as two Christian Academies and a Pentecostal school to provide an alternative for students not attending public schools. All public and private schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the Louisiana Independent School Association. Currently the percentages of graduating seniors attending college are 56.72% for the public schools. Annual cost in public funds to provide schooling is $3,424 per student, with a pupil-to teacher ratio of 13.25:1. Parish enrollment is approximately 7,300 students. |
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Vocational training is available at Natchitoches-Central Area Vocational Technical School, a state-funded facility and in the vocational program of the parish schools. Vocational training includes welding, auto mechanics, small engine repair, business, LPN nursing, machine shop, drafting and instrumentation. Special educational courses are also organized to meet specific interests and needs. To assure that new and expanding businesses have a continuing pool of workers with the level of education and expertise necessary for their operations, the area’s colleges and universities, vocational/technical schools and high schools graduate trained and entry-level persons year round. Schools at all levels are augmenting their general education missions with programs explicitly connected with employment possibilities for their students. This is seen in secondary schools in career education curricula and programs such as adopt-a-school through which business contributes resources, curriculum guidance and, in some cases, instruction, counseling and the promise of jobs for graduates. Community colleges are increasing their industry-specific training and colleges and universities are developing partnerships with industry that involve human as well as technological development. |
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Education |
Within two hourËs drive of Natchitoches are eleven colleges or universities. Five of these offer doctoral degrees in the arts, sciences, engineering, medical and legal fields. These universities are nationally and internationally recognized as sponsoring extensive research activities. Louisiana State University -Shreveport 100 miles Louisiana State University -Alexandria 50 miles Grambling University 50 miles Louisiana Tech 48 miles Northwestern State University Natchitoches Centenary College 100 miles Baptist Christian College 100 miles LSU Medical Center-Shreveport 100 miles Southern Univ.-Shreveport/Bossier 100 miles Bossier Parish Community College 100 miles Northeastern State University 60 miles |
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Founded in 1882, Northwestern State University is a four-year liberal Arts college, which today is a modern, dynamic center of learning with state-of-the-art facilities for over 7,500 students and a faculty of 250. It is especially proud of its degree offerings in creative and performing arts. It has some of the finest facilities for performing arts in the South, including the A. A. Fredricks Creative and Performing Arts Center which offers five auditoriums and theaters seating between 100 and 1,500. A comprehensive athletic program provides opportunities for participation in intercollegiate and intramural teams for football, basketball, baseball, and other sports. The athletic facilities are excellent, and the general physical education program provides individualized training in health, sports, and outdoor recreation. The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and various specialized accrediting groups for the different academic departments. Graduate degrees offered include Masters of Arts in art, English, history and student personnel services; Masters in Education with emphasis in business and distributive education, counseling and guidance, early childhood education, educational administration/supervision, elementary teaching; Master of Music; Master of Science in clinical psychology and nursing and many others. Next to NSU is the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts. The Louisiana School is the nationËs first and only public, residential high school for juniors and seniors. It provides an intensive living/learning program with a state assessed fee of only $750 per year for room and board and seeks students from every parish in the state. |
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Education |
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Director - Bob Black 431 Jefferson St. Natchitoches, LA 71457-4699 Email - blackb@pelican.state.lib.la.us Branches - Eugene P. Watson Memorial Library Director -Ada D Jarred College Ave. Natchitoches, LA 71497 Email - www.nsula.edu/departments/watson_library/index.html Campus libraries - Alexandria (former England AFB), Leesville (Fort Polk), Shreveport. American Library Directory 1999-2000, R. R. Bowker |
