Natchitoches Historic District | |
.jpg) Church of the Immaculate Conception | |
   | |
| Location | Natchitoches, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°45′16″N93°05′32″W / 31.754330°N 93.092108°W /31.754330; -93.092108 |
| Area | 280 acres (110 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Colonial, Bungalow/craftsman, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000928 (original) 80001740 (increase) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 5, 1974[1] |
| Boundary increase | November 25, 1980[1] |
| Designated NHLD | April 16, 1984[2] |
Natchitoches Historic District (/ˈnækətɪʃ/NAK-ə-tish; named afterthe indigenous people of the area), also known asNatchitoches National Historic Landmark District, is ahistoric district encompassing the heart ofNatchitoches, Louisiana, the oldest permanent European settlement in what is nowLouisiana, and the oldest permanent European settlement in the wider geographic area involved in theLouisiana Purchase. It was founded by the French in 1714 and declared aNational Historic Landmark in 1984.[2][3]
The city of Natchitoches, when founded, was located on the banks at thehead of navigation of theRed River in northern Louisiana, roughly midway betweenAlexandria andShreveport. It was founded in 1714 by French explorers, who were seeking to firmly establish French claims to the territory against those ofNew Spain. As such, it eventually developed into a significant trading center, with goods flowing among the French, Spanish, and area Native American tribes. The city's oldest streets are laid out parallel to the river, and the long-distance road network was expanded after French Louisiana was ceded to Spain in 1763. The city remained an important regional trading center until the second quarter of the 19th century, when the Red River's course shifted eastward, leaving the downtown flanking the old channel, now known as theCane River. This put an end to major development in the city, and helped preserve much of its 18th-century character.[3]
The historic district extends along both sides of the old river channel, but only includes properties on Williams Street on the east side. It extends for several blocks (as far as Fourth Street) on the west side, between the Keyser Street bridge in the south and Texas Street in the north. It has more than 200 historic structures, including a significant concentration of 18th and early 19th-century buildings built using the French colonial construction technique ofbousillage.[3]
Instrumental in the establishment of the district was the historicalpreservationistRobert DeBlieux, who served asmayor of Natchitoches from 1976-1980.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help) andAccompanying 26 photos, exterior and interior, from 1973, 1979, and undated. (9.29 MB)
Media related toNatchitoches Historic District at Wikimedia Commons
