No visit to Louisiana’s oldest permanent European settlement (est. 1714) is complete without spending a spell meandering along the streets of Natchitoches’s stately Historic District, and beautiful Cane River waterfront. But with more than 200 historic Victorian, Colonial, and Queen Anne architecture flanking both sides of the river, how’re you going to know what you’re looking at? The answer is to sign up for one (or more) of several walking tours on offer. So, tighten those laces, and let’s get started.
• To gain an overview of Louisiana’s oldest town and the Cane River region as a whole, a great place to start is with a Historic District Walking Tour. Offered Wednesdays through Saturdays at no charge, these tours begin from the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 780 Front Street. From there, local guides lead visitors through Natchitoches’ National Historic Landmark District, explaining the different cultures that influenced the area’s development—from pre-European contact through the present day.
• The American Cemetery Walking Tour, hosted by The Natchitoches Historic Foundation (NHF), visits the last resting places of notable people buried in Natchitoches’ American Cemetery—the oldest cemetery in the Louisiana Purchase. Guides introduce the lives of influential planters, businessmen, politicians, soldiers, and educators who have left their mark on Natchitoches and Louisiana at large. “It’s beautiful, fascinating and right in the historic district where you learn so much history from the Cane River Heritage staff,” said Paige Alost, director of the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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Established in 1737, Natchitoches' American Cemetery is the oldest surviving cemetery in the Louisiana Purchase.
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Gateway to Northwestern State University
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Stadium at Northwestern State University—home of the Demons
Tours begin at 11:30 am the first Friday of each month, weather and staff permitting. Free. Call (318) 357-2492 for more information.
• No trip to Natchitoches is complete without a visit to Northwestern State University. Commanding a hilltop site above the town center since 1884, NSU has the distinction of being the oldest continually occupied higher education site in Louisiana. Bring your history buffs to NSU’s Williamson Museum, which was established as a natural history museum for the Louisiana Normal School, and to the Cammie Henry Research Center & Archives, which houses collections of rare Louisiana books, historical scrapbooks, colonial documents and more.
To discover more tours, from garden walks to horse-drawn carriage rides, visit natchitoches.com/things-to-do/toursandattractions/
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