Natchitoches, Louisiana Totally Explained

Everything about Natchitoches Louisiana totally explained

The city of Natchitoches (NAK-uh-tush) is the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February 5, 1819. It is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. Natchitoches's sister city is Nacogdoches, Texas.
   The population was 17,865 at the 2000 census. Natchitoches Meat Pie is one of the official state foods of Louisiana. It is known as a regional delicacy of North Louisiana. See List of U.S. state foods .
   Natchitoches has long been known for its popular Christmas lighting festival which is held the first Saturday in December. The lights continue to brighten the Cane River until after New Year's Day. In 2006, the festival celebrated its 80th year of existence.
   Several motion pictures have been filmed in Natchitoches, including Steel Magnolias, The Man in the Moon, The Horse Soldiers, NBC's The Year Without a Santa Claus, The American Standard, as well as a Lifetime Television's series Scarlett.

History

Natchitoches was established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis. It is the oldest permanent settlement within the borders of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Natchitoches was founded as a French outpost on the Red River for trade with Spanish-controlled Mexico, with the French presence beginning as early as 1699. The settlement's site was established near a village of Natchitoches Indians which give the city its name.
After the Louisiana Purchase, Natchitoches experienced a population boom, and several plantations were built along the Red River. However, the course of the river shifted, bypassing Natchitoches and cutting off its lucrative connection with the Mississippi River. A lake was left in the river's previous location and became known as Cane River Lake. The lake runs through the city’s downtown historic district and Plantation Country and serves as the spring break training location for numerous crew teams such as Kansas State University, University of Kansas, Wichita State University, Murray State University and Washington University.

Geography

Natchitoches is located at (31.754123, -93.095085) and has an elevation of .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.1 square miles (65.1 km²), of which, 21.6 square miles (55.8 km²) of it's land and 3.6 square miles (9.2 km²) of it (14.21%) is water.
A long lake was formed from a portion of the Red River when it changed course, which is now known as Cane River Lake. Natchitoches is located about:

Alexandria 50 Miles
Shreveport 70 Miles
New Orleans, LA 250 Miles
Houston, TX 230 Miles
Dallas, TX 255 Miles

Little Rock, AR 260 Miles

Jackson, MS 230 Miles

Monroe, Louisiana 109 Miles

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 435 Miles

Geology

Soils in this area are a combination of leaf mold and red clays, sand and sediments. The area is part of the Chestnut Salt Dome.

Climate

Weather-wise, Natchitoches lies in a boundary region that separates the plains of Texas from the consistently humid Gulf Coast. This gives Natchitoches summers a heavy dose of both heat and humidity. Winters in Natchitoches are relatively mild, with measurable snowfall once every 5-10 years. Natchitoches averages of rain per year.

Economy

In the 1970's, Natchitoches experienced an economic downturn that resulted in a sixty-five percent vacancy in the commercial district. However, because of efforts to revitalize the city, vacancy is now around one percent.
   The Port of Natchitoches--a river port on the Red River--is located off of the east bound part of U.S. Route 84 just outside Natchitoches. The port exports lumber from stockyards onsite, as Forestry is a large industry in the area as well.
   The Natchitoches Regional Airport serves cities (via FBO) such as Baton Rouge, Dallas, Houston, Little Rock, New Orleans, Monroe, and Shreveport. It is also adjacent to Northwestern State University; together they offer state-of-the-art flight training. Currently the airport is being renovated so as to become one of the country's most advanced non-towered airports.
   The Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery is also based here. They handle over 6 species of fish and other wildlife.
   The city has to do little to promote its tourism industry, which brings a host of business during the holiday seasons of Christmas and New Year's. The Natchitoches Christmas Festival is a well known celebration of the holidays for locals.
   Since completion of Interstate 49 many business have either moved or have been built outside the city's central cityscape area. Gas stations and hotels have developed in this area and serve many of the Natchitoches Christmas Festival visitors.
   Pecans are a staple of the area with a pecan orchard located on the old Little Eva Plantation.
   Natchitoches is an economic hub for the surrounding communities of:

Ashland

Campti

Melrose

Natchez

Powhatan

Provencal

Robeline

Natchitoches was named one of the top six places in the United States to retire by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine in 1998.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,865 people, 6,113 households, and 3,631 families residing in the city. Estimated population in July 2006: 17,730. The population density was 828.5 people per square mile (319.9/km²). There were 6,731 housing units at an average density of 312.2/sq mi (120.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 43.72% White, 53.00% African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 1.30% of the population.
   There were 6,113 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.3% were married couples living together, 21.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.18.
   In the city the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 27.2% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.5 years. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.
   The median income for a household in the city was $23,111, and the median income for a family was $30,396. Males had a median income of $28,601 versus $17,859 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,642. About 26.7% of families and 34.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.0% of those under age 18 and 19.2% of those age 65 or over.

Cityscape

Though Natchitoches doesn't boast many multi-story buildings, it has however retained much of its European architecture. The city still has one of its original brick streets (Front Street) which the historical society protects from alterations. The city is a mesh of wrought iron, stucco and red brick. The city of Natchitoches has began a restoration project to repair the centry plus old brick Front Street. During this process workers will remove each brick one by one, number them, clean them, and then replace them back after utilities, drainage, and foundation has been repaired underneth. This project should be finished by the end of November 2008.

Tourism

The Cane River National Heritage Area is a 116,000 area which includes many sites such as Oakland Plantation, Melrose Plantation, Badin-Roque House, Magnolia Plantation, Kate Chopin House, Cane River Heritage Scenic Byway, Fort St. Jean baptiste State Historic Site, National Historic Landmark Districk (Old Courthouse Museum, Bishop Martin Museum, Landmarks in Time Exhibit), Los Adaes State Historics Site.
Natchitoches, a popular tourism area of the state, is equipped to serve visitors with 11 national chain hotels, and nearly 50 bed and breakfast inns, including the Steel Magnolia House

.
   Natchitoches attracts over one million visitors annually. The city is known as a retiree-friendly city. In 2006 Natchitoches was awarded the Great American Main Street Award for the effort the community has put into revitalizing and restoring much of the historical district.
   The cities tourism center is the downtown river walk. This includes Front Street which becomes Jefferson on the Northwestern State University end. Front Street which still retains original bricking is the jewel of the city. It overlooks the river walk and is bordered by an assortment of shops and boutiques. The city incorporates this area as the Historical District. The Historical Society maintains the area through regulations on changes and restorations. While visiting the area you may notice many unusual structures, these are many of the Natchitoches Christmas Festival lights. The city recently built a small Convention center located on Second Street, which holds many city events. Natchitoches has a mini "Walk of Fame" located in the Historical District of the city.
   The Bayou Pierre Alligator Park a large tourist attraction, where tourists may feed the alligators and dine and shop. The park also teaches many school children how to respect nature and the conservation of nature through its many habitats.
   Natchitoches is also home to a branch of the Kisatchie National Forest, with its many natural wonders.
   Opened December 2005 the Natchitoches Events Center is in the Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District. Located at 750 Second St. The facility boasts a meeting facility, a exhibit hall with three meeting rooms, a board room and full-size catering kitchen. As of March 2008 through September 2008, Front Street will be closed to vehicles due to the restoration of the historic brick street. Mrs. Iris G. Harper, Executive Director of Natchitoches Visitors Center, said that visitors may visit their temporary location on University Parkway at the old PJ's Coffee House across from The Louisiana School for the Math, Science & Arts. The number is 1-800-214-1714

Events

January

Fireworks(1st at 12:00 AM)

February

Mardi Gras Parade

Mardi Gras Magic Festival

March

Blooming on the Bricks Festival

Art Along the Bricks Festival

Ashland Spring Festival - Ashland

Sacred Places Tour

Brown Bag Concerts

Steak & Burger- benefiting local Boys & Girls Club

April

Jazz/R&B Festival

Rebel State Spring Festival

American Cemetery Tour

State Historic Area

Brown Bag Concerts

May

Green Market Festival

Cane River Festival

Brown Bag Concerts

June

Melrose Arts and Crafts Festival

Cane River Green Market

Natchez Heritage Festival - Natchez

July

Cane River Green Market

Celebration on the Cane

Natchitoches / NSU Folk Festival

September

Cane River Zydeco Festival

Marthaville Good Ole Days

Meat Pie Festival & Triathlon

Boogie on the Bricks - Follows every NSU home game

River Run- Motorcycle poker run sponsored by Indepenent Motorcycle Riders Association benefiting local Boys & Girls Club

October

Annual Natchitoches Pilgrimage

Smokin’ on the Red

Witch Way to Main Street

Boogie on the Bricks

Celebrity Chef- featuring native cruisine, local eateries and LA chefs, benefiting local Boys & Girls Club

November

Marathon Rowing Championship

Festival of Lights (Premiere of the Natchitoches Christmas Festival lights.) (Fest. Est. 1927)

Holiday Open House

December

Fireworks Every Saturday Night

Barge Parade

Christmas Festival

Holiday Tour of Homes

“Fete Hiver”

Christmas in the Park - Rebel State Historic Area

New Year's Eve

Healthcare and Medicine

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center is a 78-bed facility that includes 45 medical/surgical beds and a 112-bed skilled nursing home. Rehabilitation treatment is at the PRISM Center for physical, occupational and speech therapy, sports medicine, industrial medicine, wound care and more.

Education

Colleges and universities

Northwestern State University

Louisiana Scholars' College

Louisiana Technical College

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Natchitoches Parish School Board operates many public schools. They include:

Natchitoches Central High School

NSU Middle Laboratory School

Weaver Elementary

East Natchitoches Elementary

George L. Parks Elementary

L.P. Vaughn Elementary

Natchitoches Magnet School The State of Louisiana administers to the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts.

Private schools

St. Mary's High School is in Natchitoches.

Libraries

Natchitoches Parish Library (Matt DeFord art display on the second and third floors, an art exhibit in the back entrance foyer from the Natchitoches Art Guild & Gallery.)

Cammie Henry Research Center & Archives (Louisiana Books, rare books, NSU Archives, microfims, maps, oral history tapes, archival materials.)

Natchitoches Genealogy Library (French records dating from 1776, conveyances, mortgages, marriages. Natchithoches Parish Census records from 1820 to 1920. International Genealogical Index (IGI) records Natchitoches Times microfilm records from March 1903 to October 1996.

Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts

The Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts was named a Public Elite by Newsweek. * See Article

Notable people

The American author Kate Chopin, a short story writer and novelist, managed a plantation in Cloutierville south of Natchitoches in the late 19th century for a time after the death of her husband. Robert DeBlieux (born 1933), the mayor from 1976-1980, is known primarily for his work as an historical preservationist in downtown Natchitoches and the Cane River areas.
The 20th century American naturalist and preservationist Caroline Dormon lived in Natchitoches Parish. She was the driving force behind the establishment of the Kisatchie National Forest. George Doherty was a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Northwestern State University Demons from 1972-1974. The athletic offices are named in his honor. Grits Gresham was a nationally-known sportsman, outdoorsman, author, and host of ABC's The American Sportsman television series from 1966-1979. A noted environmentalist, he resided on Cane River Lake. Playwright and Hollywood screenwriter Robert Harling (born 1951) is a Natchitoches native. His Steel Magnolias is based on the life and death of his sister. Harling also wrote First Wives Club, Evening Star, and Laws of Attraction. Bobby Hebert, American football quarterback; New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame Donald G. Kelly is a prominent Natchitoches attorney who specializes in criminal law and retirement issues. He served in the Louisiana State Senate from 1976-1996. Jimmy D. Long is a former Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives who served from the Natchitoches-based district from 1968-2000. His younger brother, Gerald Long, is an incoming Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from a six-parish district also based about Natchitoches. Rickey L. Nowlin and Gerald Long are the first Republicans to represent Natchitoches Parish in the Louisiana House and Louisiana Senate since Reconstruction. They assumed their legislative seats on January 14, 2008. In 2007, Nowlin defeated Joe Sampite, a Democrat who served as mayor of Natchitoches from 1980-2000, for the right to succeed Representative Taylor Townsend, who failed in a Senate race against Gerald Long.
Ed Orgeron, American football coach W. Ray Scott (1923-2008) served as mayor of Natchitoches from 1960-1976, during which time he worked to expand and procure university status for Northwestern State University. He also expanded the city water supply from Sibley Lake. Trini Triggs (born August 8, 1965) is an American Country music singer who was born and reared in Natchitoches. He holds occasional small concerts on Cane River. Rev. Chris Self, noted cartoonist, was born in Natchitoches Parish Hospital on December 30, 1982.

Noted Events

Natchitoches received numerous New Orleans evacuees due to Hurricane Katrina. Many college students enrolled in colleges in New Orleans were transferred to Northwestern State University to continue their education. Steel Magnolias was filmed here, starring Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, and Olympia Dukakis, and The Horse Soldiers, starring William Holden and John Wayne.

Trivia

Several movies have been made in Natchitoches, most notably 1989's Steel Magnolias. The film The Man in the Moon, starring Reese Witherspoon and Sam Waterston, was also filmed in Natchitoches. According to Natchitoches residents, due to poor treatment by Steel Magnolias filmmakers, it was difficult to find locals willing to participate in the filming of Man in the Moon. 1959's The Horse Soldiers, starring John Wayne and William Holden was also shot in the area. More recently, a television pilot for the Lifetime Television Network, Scarlett, was filmed in the downtown historic district, as well as the independent film The American Standards and NBC Television movie The Year Without a Santa Claus.
   The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, a boarding school for academically gifted high school students from Louisiana, is located in Natchitoches on the campus of Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
   The Northwestern Campus is also home to the Louisiana Scholars' College, the state's designated honors college for the study of the liberal arts and sciences.
   Natchitoches was also the site of the 1973 plane crash that claimed singer Jim Croce's life. Croce had just performed a concert on campus for Northwestern State University students at Prather Coliseum.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Natchitoches Louisiana'.

External Link Exchanges

Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:

<a href="http://natchitoches__louisiana.totallyexplained.com">Natchitoches, Louisiana Totally Explained</a>

Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.