Welcome to the City of Natchitoches, Louisiana
The City of Natchitoches is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana
Purchase. Natchitoches was established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis.
The French originally founded Natchitoches as an outpost on the Red River to
trade with the Spanish in Mexico. It is believed the French first arrived in
the area around 1699. Successful trading with area Indians prompted leaders to
establish a trading post at the head of navigation on the Red River. The site
was established near a village of Natchitoches Indians.
The Louisiana Purchase was the purchase of the French province of Louisiana by
the United States in 1803. It stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky
Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.
People settled in the Natchitoches area in large numbers after the Louisiana
Purchase. Several plantations were built along the river. Eventually, however,
the river changed its course, bypassing Natchitoches. What was once known as
the Red River is now Cane River Lake, a 30-something mile body of water that
runs from the City’s downtown historic district through Plantation Country.
Natchitoches Parish was created by the act of April 10, 1805 that divided the
Louisiana Territory into 12 parishes, including Orleans, Iberville, Rapides and
Natchitoches. Several parishes were subsequently organized out of Natchitoches
Parish.
Natchitoches Events Center
Located in the heart of the Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District,
the Natchitoches Events Center is a 40,000 square foot meeting facility
featuring a 15,000 square foot exhibit hall, three meeting rooms, board room
and full-size catering kitchen.
The building also houses the “Landmarks in Time” historical exhibit, a permanent
display that will be housed in the Events Center lobby, highlighting the
history of the Natchitoches area. The exhibit was funded by the Cane River
National Heritage Area Commission and supported by the La. Division of the
Arts, La. Division of Historic Preservation, Natchitoches Main Street Program
and the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission.
For more information about the Natchitoches Events Center, please stop by the
facility at 750 Second St., call (877) 238-7500 or visit us on the web at
www.natchitocheseventscenter.com
You are Visitor #
92545
to the New City of Natchitoches Website.
For Questions or Comments about this website please email us at:
webmaster@ci.natchitoches.la.us
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