Cane River

Historic Natchitoches Map.qxp_Layout 1 7/30/15 4:00 PM Page 1 Historic Natchitoches Natchitoches has been Traces of each era of Natchitoches’ 300 years are reflected in the 33-block National Historic Landmark District. Giving testament to Natchitoches’ unique intersection of cultures are numerous architectural styles, new and long-standing businesses, surrounding stately homes, prominently placed churches and a historic cemetery where many early leaders rest. welcoming visitors to the heart of the Cane River region for over three hundred years. As the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, its history is also a story of the development of our nation, of the challenges and successes of democracy, and of ever evolving American values. A historic downtown and friendly citizens are the setting for your visit. Nationally recognized as a Preserve America Community, a Distinctive Destination, and a Great American Main Street, Natchitoches is a genuine heritage destination. 1 Historic Front Street 1 Roque House 2 Historic Cane River 2 Bust of St. Denis 6 17 Lemee House 33 Northwestern State University 10 Nakatosh Hotel 18 Fort St. Jean Baptiste The Red River Campaign 4 Legacy of Catholicism 5 The American Transition 6 The American Cemetery 5 Kaffie-Frederick Hardware 3 Sompayrac Building 11 DeBlieux Building 4 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and 34 National Center for Preservation 26 Old Courthouse State Historic Site 19 American Cemetery Technology and Training (NCPTT) 27 Natchitoches Parish Courthouse Science, and the Arts 12 Location of 1866 Freedmen’s 20 First United Methodist Church 28 Old Masonic Lodge 13 Prudhomme-Rouquier House 21 First Baptist Church 29 Landmarks in Time Exhibit Trails 6 Ducournau Square 14 Tante Huppé House 22 Trinity Episcopal Church 30 Texas and Pacific Railway Depot Cane River National Heritage Trail 7 Blanchard Building 15 Bayou Amulet 23 Bishop Martin Museum 31 Roselawn 8 Prudhomme Building 16 Taylor House / Steel Magnolia House 24 Catholic Rectory 32 Tauzin-Wells Home Northwest Louisiana History Museum Historic District Trail A D E S T I N AT I O N 35 Louisiana School for Math, Bureau Office 36 Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery Since 1714 37 Grand Ecore Visitor Center U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 30 Business Sixth Street Street Fifth Street Church Street Fourth Street Fourth Street 6 emezie ? Visitor Center 17 Rue J Rue Amulet Rue Pine ey 18 14 15 16 13 Rue J son 4 12 effers effer 26 22 24 23 11 on 25 P Arts Center 28 10 3 South to P City Hall Church Street Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site Rue Nelken 21 Rue Trudeau P 20 Rue Touline Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau Rue Sid n F OR VISITOR INFORMATION: Events Center Central Fire Station Library Rue Percy P 5 8 7 9 Historic Front St. 29 Utility Service Servic Center Second Street 6 1 P 5 ? 4 3 RRue Washington 2 Rue Beau Port 1 P P Cane River National Heritage Area Office C A N E Keyser Ave. Bridge 1115 Washington Street Natchitoches, LA 71457 R I V E R Cover Art courtesy ©Cane River Art Corporation features renowned folk artist Clementine Hunter’s illustration of Zinnias. Hunter used Zinnias, her favorite flower in many of her paintings of life on Cane River. Fleur de Lis Stage L A K E 1 2 Church Street Bridge Williams Ave. ce Ln. Dr. Street Keyser Ave. 31 St. Mauri Adelaide t Sirod Stree Whitfield South to Cane River Plantations and Historic Sites Business 32 St. Clair Ave. 494 Stephens Ave. 1 Henry Ave. South to National Fish Hatchery and Alexandria Carver Ave. National Fish Hatchery location is 1 mile south Keegan Dr. 36 1 6 37 North to Grand Ecore and Clarence Cover image ©Cane River Art Corporation P rson Post Office 27 ypres s Texas Street Rue Po Rue C Jeffe Third Street ete Rue D Gate 6 Gate P Rue Pavie 19 Rue Buard Gate Rue Sibley American Cemetery et Rue Saint Denis Restroom d Stre P Univer Pocket Parks and Gardens Secon Gate Rue Ragan Parking Lot re P rkway Information sity Pa ? Rue Touline Campus Main Gate Rue Saint Denis Police Rue Lafayette 33 Fifth Street Rue Lafayette treet nue Rue Horne Boyd S al Av e 1 Catholic Cemetery Rue Trudeau Centr Caspari 34 Bossie r Stree t Northwestern State University Campus Rue IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND THE ALLIANCE OF NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS 25 Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception 3 49 9 Deterville’s Corner North to Shreveport Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc. is a not for profit organization that manages the congressionally designated Cane River National Heritage Area and works to protect, preserve, and promote the historic character and sustainability of the Cane River National Heritage Area region. 780 Front Street Natchitoches, LA 71457 1-800-259-1714 OR VISIT: www.CaneRiverNHA.org West to Historic Natchitoches Historic Sites 35 Cane River National Heritage Area Cane River National Heritage Area in northwestern Louisiana is a largely rural, agricultural landscape known for its historic plantations, its distinctive Creole architecture, and its multicultural legacy. History Plaques CANE RIVER N AT I O NA L H E R I TAG E A R E A Historic Natchitoches Map.qxp_Layout 1 7/30/15 4:01 PM Page 2 6 Ducournau Square 10 Dating to the turn of 20th century, the original building was just twostories with a bank on the lower level. Mid-20th and early 21st century renovations have altered its appearance. One of two commercial structures that include a carriage drive from the front into a rear courtyard, a feature primarily associated with French Quarter architecture in New Orleans. Damaged by fire, the building was renovated in the mid-20th century. 1 Roque House 4 Built around the time of the Louisiana Purchase, the Roque House is a Creole structure that, though carefully joined, contains no nails. Yves Pacale, a freed black man likely constructed the building. The house is named for its last occupant, Madame Aubert Roque, who lived there until 1941. The house was moved from downriver to this location in 1967. 2 13 7 Also known as the LaCoste Building, this building was constructed in 1850. The second floor was a dancehall called the Comus Club. The building is one of two in Natchitoches that retains its original carriage drive from the street into the rear courtyard. Bust of St. Denis Louis Juchereau de St. Denis, a native of Beaufort, Quebec, Canada, was the founder of colonial Natchitoches and served as an early commandant of the French Fort St. Jean Baptiste. St. Denis’ leadership and diplomacy were instrumental in the success of the fledgling colonial settlement. 3 Celebrate with us. Spring flowers, jazz, and Natchitoches meat pies are highlights of some of our many special events and holidays. The biggest fête of all is the annual Festival of Lights, held each December since 1926. The scenic riverfront and historic brick streets serve as the backdrop for festivals throughout the year. Carriage rides, boat rides, trolley tours and streets lined with flowers and ancient oaks make every day special in Natchitoches. 11 Originally constructed as a bank in 1840, the current twostory brick building is a product of pre-World War II remolding. It is often associated with the Ambroise Sompayrac family, a prominent French Creole family. 5 Kaffie-Frederick Hardware Store Adolph and Harris Kaffie, Jewish Prussian immigrants, opened for business in 1863. Their store has been in this building since the 1890s. Titus Fredrick became a partner in the middle of the 20th century. The store is the oldest continuously operated hardware store in Louisiana. 8 Prudhomme Building Considered the oldest building on Front Street, this structure has an original second-story façade. The cast iron, including a spiral staircase in the rear, dates to the 1850s. 9 Deterville’s Corner Located at the intersection of Rue Horne and Second Street, this is the only know location in Natchitoches that served as a place for selling slaves. It was named for Joseph S. Theodore Deterville, a local merchant. 12 Prudhomme-Rouquier House 22 Tante Huppé House Regarded as one of Natchitoches’ most significant residential expressions of the purely Greek Revival style, Tante Huppé House was built c. 1830. 15 18 Location of 1866 Freedmen’s Bureau Office Once located on the bottom floor of what was the Prud’homme family townhome on the corner of Rue Jefferson and Rue Touline; the Freedmen’s Bureau assisted former enslaved individuals in making their transition from enslavement to freedom. 17 Built by an Italian contractor in 1837, the Lemee House contains many Mediterranean influences. Alex Lemee bought the house in 1849. It served not only as his home, but also a branch of the Union Bank of New Orleans. 30 Built during President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration in 1939, this structure was initially built without a courtroom or judge’s chambers. It is suggested that this was due to the dislike of the local judge. Texas and Pacific Railway Depot The 1927 depot is inspired by Italian Renaissance and Spanish Revival styles. With separate entrances and waiting rooms, this is one of the few buildings in Natchitoches that demonstrates how segregation was consciously planned into architectural design. 33 23 Bishop Martin Museum 25 The Old Seminary was used to house and educate seminarians. Today it is a museum and depository for church artifacts and records dating back to 1724. It is named for Augustine Martin, first bishop of the Natchitoches Diocese. Denis and his wife. American Cemetery The cemetery was established early in the 18th century in association with Fort St. Jean Baptiste. Many of Natchitoches’ pioneering families are buried here. The oldest marker dates to the late 1700s, but the cemetery contains inhabitants of the early settlement, including St. Denis and his wife. National Center for Preservation Technology and Training Lee H. Nelson Hall was constructed in 1923 as a classroom building and gymnasium for the female students of the Normal College. After rehabilitation efforts, NCPTT located its offices and training facility here in 2001. 28 19 Northwestern State University The Louisiana Normal School, the state’s first teachers college, was established in 1884. It was later renamed Northwestern State College and 1970 became Northwestern State University of Louisiana Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site Taylor House/ Steel Magnolia House Lemee House Natchitoches Parish Courthouse The French colonial Fort St. Jean Baptiste evolved from a few small buildings used by the 18th century trade expedition led by St. Denis. An interpretive center and a replica of the fort offer visitors exhibits, live reenactments and demonstrations. Bayou Amulet This historic house is most famous for serving as a primary location in the 1989 movie Steel Magnolias. Today the house is a Bed and Breakfast. Trinity Episcopal Church 27 34 Once spanned by a wooden bridge, Bayou Amulet originally drained Lake Terre Noire (Sibley Lake) into the Red River (Cane River Lake). 16 First Baptist Church Natchitoches’ first Protestant Church, the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk led members in their first service in the courthouse on March 31, 1839. The building dates to 1857. DeBlieux Building This building was constructed around the turn of the 20th century to house the post office. Since then it has had many uses including a men’s store, hat shop, and hardware store. Its ornamental metalwork is notable. Sompayrac Building 14 History is alive for children and adults alike in Natchitoches. Stories of the place and its people are told in interpretive exhibits, museum, and visitor centers. Daily tours and reenactments offer you living histor firsthand. The Natchitoches Historic y Trail allows you to explore the region at your own pace. Three centuries of history are revealed for you here – making lifelong learning a part of every day. Celebrations and cultural events throughout the year highlight the homegrown heritage of the Cane River community. Seventeen members established the congregation of First Baptist Church in 1878, many years before the current building was erected in 1929. The building is a Romanesque structure with typical features such as semicircular arches. Built about 1790 by Francois Rouquier and his wife Marie Louise Prud’homme, this stood as the largest house in town. It is an impressive example of bousillage construction. The house first renovated in 1825, and recent restoration work was completed in 2002. Festivals and Family Fun Blanchard Building Rich in History First United Methodist Church Finished in 1953, the current building is the third church to serve as the sanctuary for its congregation. The first church, built in 1880, was located on Rue St. Denis. 21 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s collection of portraits and memorabilia celebrate the achievements of more than 300 legendary Louisiana athletes, coaches and other sports figures. The Northwest Louisiana History Museum explores the evolution of the unique cultural traditions from early native-American civilizations to the present. 20 Nakatosh Hotel 26 24 Catholic Rectory Built in New Orleans and shipped to Natchitoches in 1885, the Catholic Rectory displays architectural features of the Italianate and Second Empire styles, Baptismal records dating back to 1724 are housed here. Old Courthouse Museum Constructed in 1896, the old courthouse serves as the library for the Natchitoches Genealogical and Historical Association. 31 Natchitoches’ first Masonic Lodge, originally established in 1818, was housed in this 19th century building for many years. Today the building holds Lasyone’s Restaurant, famous for the Natchitoches Meat Pie. Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception The current structure of the Basilica was completed in 1892. The historic parish began as a ministry to Fort St. Jean Baptiste under the patronage of St. Francis. Old Masonic Lodge 29 Landmarks in Time Exhibit The Natchitoches Events Center is home to the Landmarks in Time exhibit and contains general information. This was also the site of Fort Claiborne, the American fort built in 1804 after the Louisiana Purchase. Roselawn 35 Completed in 1903, Roselawn is named for the beautiful rose garden planted by its first owner, Eliza Payne Williams. It is considered one of the finest examples of Queen Anne style architecture in Louisiana. 32 Whatever the length of your you. the city will always welcome ric Stroll streets lined with histo unique homes, browse for books and of gifts in the delightful shops enjoy a Front Street. Take a break to meal – you will find superb Louisiana cuisine in our manyd start a restaurants. End your day an s style. new one in unique Natchitochean Our accommodations include akfast extensive range of bed and bre al offerings in houses of historic significance. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts This is the nation’s second oldest public residential high school for gifted and talented students. The campus includes the restored Natchitoches Public High School and Natchitoches Trade School buildings. Tauzin-Wells Home Built in 1776 by Gabriel Buard, this is the oldest remaining home in Natchitoches. The building represents traditional Creole construction with its half-timbering and bousillage. Wildflowers in the front yard reflect the property’s tradition of an informal garden. Shop, Dine, and Ststaayy, 37 36 Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium The facility sits on the site of a historic Caddo village. The hatchery raises sport and endangered species of fish and includes an aquarium that houses native aquatic species and historic displays. Grand Ecore Visitor Center The center is located at Grand Ecore, a community about four miles north of Natchitoches, and commands a panoramic view of the Red River. The center features exhibits and walking trail.