Louisiana: Natchitoches - Family Vacations Combine History, Plantations, and a Hollywood Connection.
Natchitoches is a city for a calming, comfy getaway perfect for mature family time. If you loved Steel Magnolias then this is the town for you, starting with the Landmark Historic District.
Here’s the scoop. Natchitoches was the first permanent European settlement in the territory. Today the threads of its beginnings as a French colony are still visible along with tree shaded streets, on restaurant menus, and with enchanting buildings. The city has a rich history dating from 1714 long before Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase. It is recognized as the bed & breakfast capital of Louisiana and home to the Cane River Creole National Historical Park which includes Oakland & Magnolia Plantations.
Recently my sister and I took a road trip with our mom (now 96). Along the way we spent a delightful time in Natchitoches shopping, sipping peach tea with pecan scones, and enjoying authentic Southern hospitality including scrumptious pralines. Our first discovery was Downtown Natchitoches. The main street and the adjacent neighborhood is part of the National Landmark Historic District and includes museums, trolley and boat rides, historic homes, cemeteries, bed and breakfasts, lovely restaurants, art galleries, antique shops, enchanting buildings, and a eclectic assortment of shops loaded with uncommon gifts and essentials. Just meandering along Front Street was most rewarding. Mom hadn’t been to Natchitoches in 40 years and was insistent on finding homemade fudge. She settled for pralines and a sunny bench.
One of our favorite shopping places, Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile Store - a destination within the destination. The store, established in 1863, is still owned and operated by the Frederick family. The old-style general store atmosphere is both delightful and educational. A large central skylight still helps illuminate the merchandise. Products are still displayed on and within original cases. There’s a working (circa 1890s) cargo elevator, and purchases are still made using antique cash registers. Shopping will be rewarding. In addition to nuts, bolts, dinnerware, cookware and traditional food items you’ll find delightful classic toys including lovely tea sets, retro fire trucks, and an array of awesome marbles including one-of-a-kind shooters. I found all items to be well-priced and I could not resist a classic broom and several 1950s style spatulas.
Bonus points: Checkout the top floor which becomes Christmas store during the holiday season. (The Kaffie Building 758 Front St. (318) 352-2803or
http://oldhardwarestore.com/)
Creoles, Cajuns, and Anglos. 
From locals we learned descriptives do make a difference when defining cultural origins. I am passing on what we learned. The term Creole originates from the Portugese crioulo, meaning "native to this place". Relating the term to 18th century Louisiana, Creole refers to locally born Spaniards, French and enslaved residents of the region. Soon after the Louisiana Purchase, the term was used to distinguish between natives and those who were Anglo-American. Not to be confused with Cajuns who are members of any of the communities in southern Louisiana formed by descendants of 18th-century Acadian immigrants or French Canadians. Wait for it! Cajun music combines blues and European folk music.
Seek the Hollywood connection. The 1989 film Steel Magnolias takes place in Natchitoches with movie locations scattered about the city. The film reflected both comedy and tragedy in a small southern town. The impressive cast included Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, and Olympia Dukakis. Addition film connections include The Horse Soldiers, and Man In The Moon. Soon to be released films include American Standard and The Year Without a Santa Claus. To view film locations climate-controlled streetcar tours as well as walking tour maps are available.
Any trip needs a plantation stop. Visit Yucca (Melrose) Plantation, any afternoon Tuesday to Sunday and glimpse life beginning in the early 1800s and spanning nine decades. Part of the National Historic Landmark complex in Louisiana Yucca (Melrose) was established by Louis Metoyer in 1795. Metoyer was the son of Jean Baptiste Metoyer, a French planter, and a freed African slave Marie Thérèse Coincoin. In 1847 it was sold to the owners of nearby Magnolia Plantation. As the plantation matured toward the end of the century an art colony was established at the plantation. Honored guests included William Faulkner, Lyle Saxon, and William Spratling.
Wait for it! It was at Melrose that famed African American artist Clementine Hunter (employed as a cook on the plantation) began painting her signature rural scenes depicting the South prior to mechanization of agriculture. (Yucca (Melrose) Plantation, south of Natchitoches at the junction of Highways 119 and 493 in the village of Melrose. (318) 379-0055) or
www.nps.gov/history/NR/travel/caneriver/mel.htm)
Visit Cane River Creole National Park. Magnolia Plantation (part of the Cane River complex) was established in 1753 and produced cotton for more than 250 years. Although the original main house was burned by federal troops in 1864 and was not rebuilt until the 1890s, the plantation is a remarkable spot to feel a sense of place. During its most productive years historians believe that at least 75 people lived at Magnolia. Typical for the era the slave cabins onsite were placed in rows to create a community. This village-like arrangement allowed resident slaves the opportunity to develop a unique culture thus enjoying unofficial rights that were denied to them by the government.
Wait for it! After Emancipation Magnolia’s slave cabins were turned into sharecropper cabins and inhabited until 1970 and therefore many of the buildings remain preserved giving visitors the opportunity to glimpse slave culture on a large plantation. Need to know. The Magnolia Plantation Home is privately owned and is open for tours from 1-4 P.M. daily. (Magnolia Plantation 5487 Hwy. 119 in Derry and Cane River Creole National Historical Park. (318) 356-8441 or
www.nps.gov/cari/index.htm)
45 Nights of Christmas Lights (late November until early January). Each year during the holiday season the city is aglow. Natchitoches Holiday Lights Festival includes Snow Fest, with snow tubing, live entertainment, arts, crafts and food vendors, parade, fireworks, laser show and the lighting of more than 300,000 holiday lights and animations. Bonus points: The festivities include “Christmas Downriver” at Cane River Creole National Historic Park with free Creole Christmas tours, educational programs, and musical events. Wait for it! Try snow tubing on Frosty’s Avalanche Slide at Snow Fest. (Get details at
www.christmasfestival.com)
Location on the planet. Located conveniently in north-central Louisiana, Natchitoches is about 70 miles south of Shreveport and 240 miles northwest of New Orleans.
Make it happen. Natchitoches CVB 781 Front Street Natchitoches, LA 71457. Toll-free 1-800-259-1714, (318) 352-8072 or
www.historicnatchitoches.comContent and images by Nancy Nelson-Duac Editor FTF. Copyright 2011.
