Please return your Natchitoches Trip Forms and donations ASAP.Established in 1714, Natchitoches is the oldest permanent settlement in what is today Louisiana (New Orleans was established in 1718). The Cane River meanders through the city past the site of Fort St. Jean Baptiste (with it’s recently renovated museum and historical re-enactors) and out into Creole Country where generations have created a unique culture with French, African, and Native American roots. Melrose Plantation, started in 1833 by a freed slave woman, bears witness to history and art. Restored around the turn of the last century, it became a haven to writers and artists such as Lyle Saxon and Clementine Hunter. Old oaks covered in resurrection moss create the feel of an ancient place. Several films were shot at Melrose because it is an impressive Louisiana plantation home.
The Natchitoches Meat Pie is an official state food in Louisiana. The best known retaurant that specializes in the Natchitoches Meat Pie is Lasyone Meat Pie Restaurant in downtown.
A recent visit to Natchitoches found the riverfront shopkeepers decorating for Christmas. The booths for the upcoming festival appeared by the river. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the old Cane River. Won’t you join us for a day of heritage and enjoyment as we make history come alive on the Cane River?
