flown over Natchitoches. Historic Natchitoches...

FRANCE 1714-1763

SPAIN 1763-1801

UNITED STATES 1960-PRESENT

CONFEDERATE STATES 1861-65

UNITED STATES 1803-61

FRANCE 1801-1803

STATE FLAG OF LOUISIANA

CITY OF NATCHITOCHES

HHistoricistoric NNatchitochesatchitoches ®®300 years of flags that haveflown over Natchitoches.

September 2015

A Free Guide to Leisure and Attractions in Natchitoches, Louisiana

Courtesy of The Natchitoches Times

HHistoricistoric NNatchitochesatchitochesLouisianaLouisiana ®®

INSIDECANE RIVER ZYDECO FESTIVAL

NATCHITOCHES NATIVE RETURNS HOME

GIRLS LEARN VALUABLE SKILLS INSEWING CLASS

TOUR MAPS DRIVINGWALKINGNORTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY TOURSTEEL MAGNOLIAS TOUR

Cane RiverZydeco Festival& Poker Run

Entering downtown his-toric Natchitoches, visitorsfeel transported to anotherera.

Traveling along bumpybrick roads reminiscent ofpre-asphalt travel, younotice ornate ironwork onthe bridges and shops,horse-drawn carriagesaround the historic districtand locals who smile andgreet you with a friendlywave. Welcome toNatchitoches.

Founded in 1714 by LouisJuchereau de St. Denis, thecity of Natchitoches wasoriginally established as aFrench outpost on the RedRiver to facilitate trade withthe Spanish in Mexico.

The fort, which was to bediscovered, was built some-where along the west bankof the Red River near a vil-lage of NatchitochesIndians, a Native Americangroup whose tribal namemeans “Chinquapin-eaters.”

At the time of the estab-lishment of St. Denis’ fort,navigation of the Red Riverwas prohibited by a massivelog jam that was broken upduring a flood in the 1830s.

Thus, the Red Riverchanged its course, leavinga 36-mile-long oxbow lakecalled Cane River that runsthrough the downtownNational LandmarkDistrict.

Once a bustling riverportand crossroads,Natchitoches gave rise tovast cotton kingdoms along

the river. Affluent plantersnot only owned charmingcountry plantations, butkept elegant houses intown.

The Red River’s abandon-ment of Natchitoches iso-lated the community, pre-serving its historic build-ings and the deeply-ingrained traditions of itsresidents along the CaneRiver.

With its French, Spanish,Native American, Africanand Anglo-Saxon influ-ences, Natchitoches main-tains a colorful palette ofethnic tradition, hospitalityand pride in the past thatresidents share with visi-tors.

Photo Credit: Mark BillsPhotography

HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES September 2015

Ins ide . . .Ins ide . . .

For more information on local history and events contact:Natchitoches Parish Tourist Commission

781 Front Street; Natchitoches, LA 71457 (318) 352-8072 or 1-800-259-1714

Web site: www.natchitoches.net

‘Historic Natchitoches’ is a monthly publication of The Natchitoches Times

To advertise in this publication contact The Natchitoches Times

P.O. Box 448Natchitoches, LA 71458

On the CoverCane River Zydeco and Poker Run

Welcome to Natchitoches:Enjoy your stay in our historic town

but don’t forget our ... Red Beans & Rice with Sausage Southern Fried Catfish Platters

and for dessert our Cane River Cream Pie

Open Mon-Sat 7am-3pm for Breakfast & Lunch

Open later on Saturdays for NSU and City Events Meat Pie Restaurant

A Natchitoches Tradition Come join us and choose from our unique menu featuring a blend of Soulful Louisiana Creole Flavors.

622 Second Street • Natchitoches, LA • 352-3353

We’re famous for our award winning MEAT PIES and CRAWFISH PIES

1000 University Parkway, Natchitoches, LA

• FREE High Speed Wireless Internet • FREE Continental Breakfast • FREE 32” remote controlled flat screen TV w/Expanded Cable, HBO, CNN, ESPN

• FREE In Room Coffee Maker & Hair Dryer • FREE In Room Microwave & Refrigerator • Outdoor Swimming Pool • Close to Downtown Historic District

Across from NSU

N EWLY R ENOVATED ! 318-352-4426

Cane River Zydeco Festival........................................................Page 3

History of Front Street Bricks andMeatpies are a tasty treat........................................................Page 4

Natchitoches Native visits home........................................................Page 5

Maps, Walking Tours, NSU Tour and Cane River Tour.................................................Pages 7-10

Area Bed & Breakfasts......................................................Page 11

Local Restaurants.............................................Page 12 &13

Area Outdoor attractions & Parks......................................................Page 15

Fall Events......................................................Page 16

September 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES

Two headliner zydecoartists and their bands willheadline the

Cane River ZydecoFestival and Poker RunLabor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-5 on the downtown river-bank.

Koray Broussard andMarcus Ardoin will playconcerts Saturday.

The festival will begin at6 p.m. Friday when D.J.Dock Couty takes the stage.There will also be registra-tion for the poker run atthat time.

At 9:30 p.m. there will be aZydeco dance contest.

There is no admission onFriday.

Saturday activities beginat 9 a.m. with poker run reg-istration. The poker run

will leave the riverbank at11:30 a.m.

Gates open at 1 p.m. whenD.J. Doc Couty again takesthe stage.

Koray Broussard and hisband begin their concertthat will be from 4-7 p.m.

Marcus Ardoin will playfrom 8-11 p.m.

Admission Saturday is $7.For ticket and event infor-

mation contact MelvinHolmes at 354-0899 or 332-7455, Harman Winters at471-6899 or Ricky Jones at652-1500

For information call 1-800-259-1714 or visitwww.natchitoches.com

For Koray Broussard,Zydeco is a familyaffair. The Opelousas nativeis a third generation Zydeco

musician; his father John,uncle Jeffrey and grandfa-ther Delton are all notedplayers in SouthernLouisiana and beyond.Koray’s club-ready R&Bfusion has ensured itsenduring relevance bybeing both adaptive andconstant.

Ardoin is the new genera-tion of zydeco artists and heand his band the Da ZydecoLegendz often appear at thesame venue as Rockin’Dopsie. They play severalLouisiana festivals eachyear.

Sponsors are the mem-bers of the Magnolia StatePeace Officers AssociationCane River Branch.

Marcus Ardoin Koray Broussard

Cane River Zydeco Festival and Poker Run tobe held Labor Day Weekend on riverbank

ScheduleFriday:6 pm DJ DOC COUTY

Poker Run Registration9:30 pm Zydeco Dance Contest

Saturday9:00AM Poker Run Registration11:30 AM Leaves Riverbank1:00 pm Gates Open

DJ Doc Couty4-7 pm Koray Broussard8-11 Marcus Ardoin

The Natchitoches meatpie is a regional dish whoseingredients include groundbeef, ground pork, onions,peppers, garlic, oil, and a pieshell.

Natchitoches meat piesare often fried in peanut oilbecause of the oil’s highsmoking temperature.

A number of restaurantsin the historic district inNatchitoches serve meatpies, and frozen pies areavailable from grocers innorthern Louisiana.

It has a savory meat fill-ing in a crescent-shaped,flaky wheat pastry turnover.It is similar to a Spanishpicadillo beef empanada.Varieties are throughoutthe colonies of the SpanishEmpire.

This meat pie is not gen-erally available from otherethnic regions of Louisiana“The Picayune’s CreoleCook Book” published 1901by The Times Picayune ofNew Orleans contains noth-ing comparable toNatchitoches meat pies inits list of over a thousandrecipes.

Recently, Natchitochesmeat pies sold at food boothshave become popular at theNew Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival.

The recipe has evolvedover the last 300 years.Ground pork or porksausage is now blended intothe ground beef for addi-tional flavor.

Onions, bell pepper andwhen used garlic and pars-ley provide aromatics.Ground black pepper andcayenne pepper are added toget attention without beinguncomfortable.

Flour is added tobrowned meat and veg-etable mixture to dry, thick-en and loosely bind the fill-ing.

The meat filling can beused in other foods (e.g.tacos, tamales, enchiladas,

stuffed bell peppers) but theturnover crust is a definingelement.

Traditional size isapproximately 4 ounce (byweight) on 5”- 6” diameterpastry dough.

The filling should bemade the day before to allowflavors of the ingredients tomeld.

Filling, dough and toolsshould be chilled beforeassembly. Warm filling willcause the dough to disinte-grate.

In the first part of the20th century, meat pies weresold from home kitchens orfrom carts by street ven-dors.

By 1967, Natchitochesmeat pies were produced incommercial kitchens. Now,they may be ordered online.This progression hasallowed more people toexperience the memorablemeat pies and their famecontinues to grow.

The Meat Pie Festival,held in September, cele-brates the Natchitochesmeat pie.

The festival draws visi-tors from around the globeto sample the tasty pies.

The original FrenchColony in Louisiana,Natchitoches has evolvedfrom an important 18th-cen-tury trading post into avibrant cultural and histori-cal center, reflecting aunique blend of French,Spanish, American Indian,Creole, and American tradi-tions. The 33-blockNatchitoches NationalHistoric District encom-passes many of the placesthat played a central role inthe formation of this dis-tinctive cultural characterfor which Cane RiverNational Heritage Area isknown. At the heart of theDistrict lies Front Street.

Growth of the downtowndistrict steadily continuedthrough the 19th-century.New hotels, bars, lumber-

yards, and general storesbegan to spring up, with thearea assuming its uniqueappearance and status as acommercial center by theCivil War. In the early 20th-century, the district gaineda modern feel with the addi-tion of brick roadways,street lights, a landscapedriver bank, modernizedstorefronts, and gas sta-tions. Development andgrowth driven by increasedtourism in the 21st-centuryhas transformed FrontStreet into the colorfulblend of new and old tradi-tions that visitors and resi-dents enjoy today.

Many agencies and organi-zations formed over theyears to preserve the histor-ical and cultural characterof the downtown district.

Front Street, itself, hasundergone several preserva-tion and beautification pro-jects, with the most wellknown dating back to 1958when the members of thenewly-formed Associationfor the Preservation ofHistoric Natchitochesstopped plans to blacktopthe bricked street by literal-ly laying down in front ofmachinery.

The Association ofNatchitoches Women for thePreservation of HistoricNatchitoches was foundedin 1941 in an effort to protectand restore Lemee House, ahistoric site located indowntown Natchitoches,from being sold by the cityto a developer. The womenof ANWPHN leased thestructure from the city for aperiod of 99 years with theunderstanding that the

organization would restoreand maintain the home.From that point, LemeeHouse became the head-quarters of the first formalpreservation organization.

The women of ANWPHNmobilized when the stateattempted to remove thebeautiful downtown brickstreet and replace it withmodern asphalt. In protest,the ladies impeded themovement of the bulldozerssent to tear up the historicbricks.

APHN member MargaretEllen Sutton gave a littlebackground into the famousevent. As she tells it, thestate workers had orders toremove the bricks andarrived to find the APHNmembers in their “cos-tumes.” They promptlycalled Gov. Earl Long’soffice. He reportedly said he

had enough sense not to“fool with a bunch of hys-terical women.” Then theworkers packed up and wenthome.

In 2008, the City ofNatchitoches undertook arenovation project toimprove utilities, handi-capped accessibility, androadway safety. While per-forming work on the his-toric brick roadway, archae-ologists unearthed a varietyof artifacts dating back tothe 18th-century andNatchitoches’ colonialroots, proving that historyis integral to life in down-town Natchitoches.Images courtesy of:Northwestern StateUniversity of Louisiana,Watson Memorial Library,Cammie G. Henry ResearchCenter, Luke Frederick, andthe City of Natchitoches


History of Front Street Bricks

Nobody knowsNatchitoches better!

Visit our website:www.collinsandstamey.com

Collins & StameyR E A L E S T A T E304 College Ave. • 357-1262

5362 University ParkwayNatchitoches, Louisiana 71457

PHONE 318.352.7500FAX 318.352.7500

Meat Pie is tasty treat identified with Natchitoches

Carlton Clark, 79, ofVallejo, Calif., recentlyreturned to Natchitochesfor the first time sinceleaving the town as a boyin 1951.

Over the weekend ofJune 19, nine of his familymembers traveled fromdifferent corners of thecountry to spend a longweekend with him inNatchitoches, looking forthe farm where he and hisbrothers had spent theirchildhood.

Clark lived on his grand-father’s Natchitoches farmfrom about 1943-1951 withhis two brothers, Paul andAndrew, their grandfather,Willie, and Willie’s thirdwife, Sarah Jane MatthewsClark.

The farm was located offof what is now Eight MileLoop, in what was knownas the New Town area. Aschildren, the boys attend-ed the New Town School, atwo-room schoolhouse,and the old Central HighSchool, now the location ofBen Johnson Auditorium.

While the New Townschool is gone, records ofthe Natchitoches ParishPublic Schools confirmthat the New Town “col-ored school” was estab-lished in 1895.

Unable to find the exactlocation of the farm, theClark family visited thesite of St. Mark’s Churchand the adjacent NewTown Cemetery. His grand-father’s grave isunmarked, but they wereable to pay respects toSarah Jane Matthews,whose marker still stands

in the cemetery.With assistance from

Ginny Tobin and ShirleySmall-Rougeau at theNatchitoches Genealogicaland HistoricalAssociation, Clark wasable to visit withNatchitoches residents,Crawford Ficklin andJames Gay, who were

familiar with Willie andSarah Jane Clark and grewup in the New Town area.

The extended Clark fam-ily was also welcomed toNatchitoches and assistedin their search by severalother area residents,including Mary LinnWernet at the Cammie G.Henry Research Center atthe Watson Library atNorthwestern StateUniversity; Loletta J.Wynder, project coordina-tor at the Creole HeritageCenter at NorthwesternState University andJames W. Scarborough.

Joining Clark on the tripwere his daughter LeslieClark, her husband TomVillasenor and their chil-dren, Clark and Jasten, ofNovato, Calif.; his sonAndy Clark, wife Liz andtheir son, Cole, of FortWashington; and his latebrother Paul’s daughter,Deanna Clark, and herhusband Gennaro

Esposito of New York City.Clark was very happy to

see Natchitoches as athriving tourist destina-tion and returned homewith a bottle of ribboncane syrup from the CaneRiver Green Market and acopy the “Cane RiverCuisine” cookbook for hiswife, Elenora.

-Read more: NatchitochesTimes - Genealogists helpsman locate family farmand share memories withfamily


• Recognized in 2007 as a Preserve America Presidential Award Winner

• Listed as one of the Ten Bargain Retirement Spots by U S News & World Report

• Named as a 2006 Great American Main Street Award Winner by the National Trust for Historic Preservation

• N amed as one of the 2005 Dozen Distinctive Destination in the United States by the National Trust for Historic Preservation

www.natchitochesla.gov

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Close to Several Fine Dining Establishments (Mariners, Pirogue’s)Major Credit Cards Accepted, AAA, AARP, VIP Discounts Welcomed!

Located Highway 1 Bypass, Natchitoches, LA

Call (318) 352-1700 or Toll Free 1-800-800-8000 For Reservations

Natchitoches Native returns home after 60 years

Family members came from all over the country to visit Clark on his long weekendvisit home to Natchitoches

Clark was able to find hisMother’s gravesite.

Melrose is one of theunique plantations of theold South, its career mea-sured, not by years, but bygenerations. Its story willendure, for it is recorded notonly in fiction and firesidelegend, but on the indeliblepages of history.

The Association for thePreservation of HistoricNatchitoches has undertak-en the careful restoration ofthe eight structures compos-ing the Melrose complex.

In 1971, in the interest ofmaintaining Melrose as amonument to Louisiana his-tory, Southdown Land Co.,which had acquired theplantation, conveyed thesix-acre site and complex ofbuildings to theAssociation. In 1974, theCane River plantation wasdeclared a National HistoricLandmark.

The story of romanticMelrose Plantation beginswith the legend of MarieTherese Coincoin, who wasborn in 1742, a slave in thehousehold of LouisJuchereau de St. Denis, thefirst commandant of thepost at Natchitoches.

Marie Therese becamethe matriarch of a family of14 children—four black and10 of Franco-Africanblood—and the founder of aunique colony of people.

Along with several of herchildren, she was sold toThomas Pierre Metoyer,who later freed her andeventually all her Metoyerchildren. Between 1794 and1803, she and her sonsreceived a number of landgrants, the lands formingMelrose Plantation beingrecorded in the name of herson Louis.

Descendants of theMetoyers live along theriver today, a people proudof their heritage and cul-ture.

It was at Melrose that theMetoyers built the YuccaHouse, the African Houseand other structures. Itmust have been a tremen-dous undertaking for themto clear the land, buildroads and fences and raiseindigo, tobacco, cotton andother crops to achieve a suc-cessful plantation opera-tion.

Yucca (c.1796), the origi-nal main house at Melrose,incorporated local materi-als exclusively-heavy, hand-hewn cypress beams,uprights and sleepers, andwalls made of mud from theriver bottoms, mixed withdeer hair and Spanishmoss.

The African House(c.1800), a strange lookingconstruction reminiscentof the straw-thatched hutsfound in the Congo, wasbuilt as a combinationstorehouse and jail forrebellious slaves.

The Big House was con-structed on the Melrosegrounds about 1833, aLouisiana-type plantationhome, the lower floor ofbrick, the upper story ofwood. Twin hexagonalgarçonnieres and a kitchenwing were added later bythe Henry family.

In the economicupheaval of the 1840s, theplantation passed to whiteownership. It was boughtby Hypolite and HenryHertzog, who, in turn, lostit in the aftermath of theCivil War. In 1884, the plan-tation was acquired by

Joseph Henry.At the turn of the centu-

ry, Melrose became thehome of John Hamptonand Cammie GarrettHenry, the latter knownaffectionately as “MissCammie” to her Cane Riverfriends. In the succeedingyears Miss Cammie’spatronage of the arts andpreservation of local arti-facts made Melrose justlyfamous. Mrs. Henryreplanted and extended theplantation gardens, res-cued the colonial buildings,revived local handicraftsand accumulated herfamous library ofLouisiana books and mate-rials.

Artists and writers wereinvited by Mrs. Henry tostay as long as they wished,as long as they were work-ing on some creative pro-ject. Among the many whovisited and worked atMelrose were ErskineCaldwell, AlexanderWoollcott, Alberta Kinsey,Caroline Dormon, RoseFranken, WilliamSpratling, Gwen Bristow,Ross Phares and RuthCross. One warmly remem-bered personality whowrote for years at Melrosewas Lyle Saxon, whose“Children of Strangers”portrays the Cane Riverarea.

Melrose is one of theattractions on the annualTour of Historic Homes thesecond weekend inNovember.


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Unique,romantic story unfolds at Melrose


Formerly the resi-dence for 10N o r t h w e s t e r n

presidents, theOld President’sCottage was reno-

vated for theA l u m n iCenter in 1984.Built in 1927 ofF r e n c hN o r m a n d yarchitecture,the buildinghas been desig-nated a nation-al landmark.

The historical signifi-cance of Cane RiverCountry is undisput-ed. Because of thisheritage, the federalgovernment chose

Natchitoches as thesite for the NationalCenter forP r e s e r v a t i o nTechnology andTraining. The OldW o m e n ’ sGymnasium, NelsonHall, has beenrestored for the per-manent headquartersof the center.

Northwestern State hasbeen dedicated to prepar-

ing teachers for careers ineducation since its found-ing in 1884. One symbol ofthat legacy is the one-roomschoolhouse, which wasthe St. Nichols School,which was established insouth Natchitoches Parishin 1906. The school was inuse until 1924 and wasdonated to NSU in 1981.

The archives ofWatson Libraryand theW i l l i a m s o nMuseum inKyser Hall exhib-

it historical hold-ings from thelocal and region-al culture.C o n t r i bu t i o n sfrom citizens andhistorians repre-sent archaeologi-cal resources ofIndian and ante-bellum influ-ences.

NSU Demonsplay SouthlandConference foot-ball at TurpinStadium.

The Wellness,R e c r e a t i o nand ActivityCenter is locat-ed in the heartof theNorthwester nState campusand providesmore than10,000 square feet ofspace with weightand cardio machines,basketball courts,

racquetball courts, anarea for aerobics, ajogging track andmore.

Northwestern StateUniversity has beenan important part ofthe Natchitoches com-munity since it wasestablished in 1884.Three columns of theBullard Mansion thatoriginally stood on thegrounds, serve as theunofficial symbol of theuniversity.

Northwestern’s students and facultyshare diverse talents in drama andart with the community.

The Hanchey Gallery oftenexhibits the best works of itsfaculty and students.

Northwestern State University Tour

Chaplin Lake furtherenhances the historiccampus that servesmore than 9,000 stu-dents.

The A.A. Fredericks Fine Arts Center regularly featuresperformances by the Natchitoches/NorthwesternSymphony Orchestra and theatre department.


MELROSE PLANTATION, 1796, is aNational Historic Landmark. Thecomplex includes the Big House,African and Yucca houses, weavingcabin and original home of primitivefolk artist Clementine Hunter. Theplantation is rich in history. and cul-ture that began with Marie ThereseCoincoin, an owner who was a freedwoman of color. The cultural high-

lights of the site were furthered during the Henry years as Miss Cammieprovided living quarters for writers. Clementine Hunter, renowned folkartist, painted here while employed as a domestic servant. Her muralsadorn the walls of the African House and her work is displayed in a gallerywithin the Big House. Melrose serves as the annual location for the MelroseArts and Crafts Festival in September. Tours are available daily.

OAKLAWNPLANTATION ,1830, is therestored home of“Steel Magnolias”author RobertHarling. Thisbousillage, three-story structuredisplays Creolearchitecture common to Cane River Country. The 680-foot oak avenue is the third longest in the state.

CHEROKEE PLANTATION, 1839, is list-ed on the National Register of HistoricPlaces and was the site of the famousBossier-Gaiennie duel, that was fought onthe savannah at the rear of Cherokee.This restored raised cottage is an impor-tant Creole structure and is often featuredduring the annual NatchitochesPilgrimage in May.

BEAU FORTP L A N TAT I O N ,1790, was built onthe former site ofFort Charles. It isan early Creole-style home and fea-tures an 84-footgallery and coveredrear patio. Many

special occasions are conducted at Beau Fort.

OAKLAND PLANTATION, 1821, now partof the Cane River Creole National HistoricPark contains the finest examples ofCreole architecture. The first cotton in thestate was planted on this plantation.

THE BADIN-ROQUE HOUSE isone of five structures of its typeremaining in the United Statesand the only one of its kind inLouisiana. Badin-Roque is listedon the National Register for his-toric places and has been nomi-nated for National Landmarkstatus. It is owned and main-tained by the St. SeptemberineHistorical Society.

THE ST. SEPTEMBERINECATHOLIC CHURCH is locatedat Isle Brevelle and was foundedand built by SeptemberineMetoyer and his brother LouisMetoyer in 1803. St. SeptemberineChurch is the first church inAmerica established and main-tained by free people of color. In1829, when it was blessed as a mis-sion, it was given the name St.

Septemberine in honor of St. Septemberine. It was blessed asa church parish in 1856, and at that time, had four missionsattached to it: St. Anns on Old River, St. Joseph at BayouDerbonne, St. Anns, Spanish Lake and St. Charles, Bermuda.The church was used as a film site for Steel Magnolias.

MAGNOLIA PLANTATION,1830s, is one of only twoNational Bicentennial Farmswest of the Mississippi. Exceptfor the Big House, the complexis now part of the Cane RiverCreole National Historic Park.The original walls and founda-tion were reused after beingburned by General Banks in

1864. The two and one-half story structure has 27 rooms, including aCatholic chapel. The only cotton press still in its original location ishere along with the only row of brick slave quarters still standing inLouisiana. The plantation is closed to the public.

Auto Tour of the

Cane River


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The Historic DistrictWALKING TOUR

1. Natchitoches Visitor’s Center780 Front Street 352-8072 Monday-Saturday 9-5p.m.2. Bust of St. Denis Located on the riverside of the Front Street Circle the bust is made of bronze. Larry Crowder, of Fort Worth TX, created the sculpture. Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis founded Natchitoches in 1714.3. Roque House Located on Natchitoches Downtown Riverbank the house was originally built around the time of the Lou-

architecture. 4. Beau Jardin Located on the Downtown Riverbank Beau Jardin is the city of Natchitoches’ newly created garden and water feature. It features a winding brick staircase that leads to a series of stone landings surrounded by ironwork & brick walls. A popular wedding or reception spot.5. Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Museum 800 Front Street•357-2492 This museum celebrates the athletes, artists, writers, entrepreneurs and human rights leaders who embodied northwest Louisiana’s resilient spirit.6. Bricks of Front StreetLocated all along Front Street. During the administration of former Gov. Earl Long members of the Association for the Preservation of historical Natchitoches laid over the bricks to save them.

758 Front Street 352-2525Located in the oldest town in the Louisiana Purchase this store is the oldest continuously operated hardware store in Louisiana. Features hardware, housewares, cookware and kitchen supplies, classic toys and gifts.8. Spiral Staircase701 Front Street Located behind the Prudhomme building the famous spiral staircase was built in 1853 in Bordeaux, France and shipped to Natchitoches via the Red River (Cane River Lake) in 1856. 9. St. Denis Tomb PlaqueOn the Church Street side of the building it was erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution of Loui-siana in 1936. It marks the location of the tomb of the founder of Natchitoches Louis Juchereau de St. Denis.10. Prudhomme-Roquier HouseConstructed between 1790 and 1811, this home pre-dates most other surviving buildings in downtown Natchitoches. Remodeled in1825 to resemble the Feder-al or Greek Revival style, it was originally a French Creole building.11. Old Courthouse Museum12. Bayou Amulet originally drained into Sibley Lake) into the Red River (Cane River Lake). Because of the many mules once tied along its banks the stream was named “Bayou A Mule” and was later changed to Bayou Amulet

11

1. St. Augustine Catholic Church, La. Hwy. 493 at Melrose, Shelby’s wedding.2. Northwestern State University Field House, post game interviews.3. American Cemetery on Second Street between Demeziere and the railroad tracks, Shelby’s funeral.4. Lemee House, 310 Rue Jefferson, Ouiser’s house.5. Steel Magnolia House, 320 Jefferson, Eatenton house.6. Trinity Episcopal Church, 533 Second St., Truvy’s church.7. Private home, 301 Rue Touline, Mrs. Robeline’s boarding house.8. Chaplin House, 434 Second St., Aunt Fern’s house.9. Walk of Honor, corner of Second Street and Rue St. Denis.10. Blanchard Building, 700 block of Front Street, adjacent to Ducournau Square, Truvy’s No. 2.11. Riverfront behind Roque House, 800 block of Washington Street, Easter egg hunt.12. Private home, 515 St. Maurice Lane, Annelle and Sammy’s home.13. Private home, 453 Henry Blvd., Truvy’s house.14. Brookshire’s, Dixie Plaza Shopping Center, 318 Dixie Plaza on Keyser Avenue, shopping with Clairee and Ouiser.15. Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, 501 Keyser Ave., baby’s birth.16. Tauzin Plantation Home, 1950 Williams Ave., Clairee’s home.17. Odalie Lambre-Gwinn House, 1972 Williams Ave., Shelby and Jackson’s house.

Steel Magnolias Tour


Natchitoches residents were extras,including the late Norm Fletcher andLori Tate. Fletcher and Tate played thebridegroom’s parents. Robert Harling,author of “Steel Magnolias,” played theminister who married Shelby andJackson Latcherie.

Drum Eatenton (TomSkerritt) shoots at thebirds prior to the wed-ding reception for hisdaughter, Shelby(Julia Roberts).

The Steel Magnolias House on JeffersonStreet was used during filming as the homefor M’Lynn and Drum Eatenton. It isnow a bed and breakfast inn.

“Steel Magnolias” stars, from left,Julia Roberts, Olympia Dukakis,Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine,Sally Field and Daryl Hannah, por-trayed six remarkable friends in thesouthern town of Chinquapin.


Andre’s Riverview318-581-0287

612 Williams Avenue

Andrew Morris House318-352-9206422 Second Street

Cabin on Cane River318-527-9709614 Williams Avenue

Chez des Amis318-352-2647910 Rue Washington

Creole Cottage on Cane River

318-352-3957319 Rue Jefferson

Ducournau Townhouse318-471-4049752 Front Street

Good House318-228-8217314 Rue Poete

Green Gables 318-352-5580201 Pine Street

Jefferson House318-352-5834

229 Rue JeffersonJefferson StreetTownhouse318-352-3957230 Rue JeffersonJudge Porter318-352-9206321 Second Street

La Maison Louisiane 318-581-3138332 Jefferson Street

Parsonage 318-214-9607307 Percy Street

Pierson-Lee River House318-352-2005630 Williams Avenue

Queen Anne318-352-9206125 Pine Street

Rusca House318-356-7118124 Rue Poete

Samuel Guy House318-354-1080309 Pine Street

Steel Magnolia318-238-2585320 Rue Jefferson

Sweet Cane Inn225-226-8820926 Washington Street

The CottageGuest House214-908-1537824 Second Street

Vera’s Guest House318-609-0110907 Washington Street

Violet Hill318-357-0858917 Washington Street

Birds Nest on the Cane318-527-94281015 Parkway Drive

Cane RiverCottage318-663-8239228 Pratt Lane

Riverbend318-352-65003141 Highway 494

Starlight 318-352-37752228 Highway 494

The Cabins of Horseshoe Hills318-352-2920240 Bayou Pierre

Thorny Hill Cabin318-472-69032575 Posey Road

Area Bed & Breakfasts

5335 Hwy. 6 West Natchitoches, LA 71457

Tel: (318) 214-0700 Fax: (318) 214-9721

• 25” Remote Control Expanded Cable TV with HBO, CNN, ESPN • Suites Include Microwave, Refrigerator and Coffee Maker • Complimentary Continental Breakfast • Shoney’s and McDonald’s Nearby • Free Highspeed Wireless Internet Service • Outdoor Swimming Pool • Non-Smoking Rooms • 24 Hour Front Desk • Queen Size Beds • Free Local Calls • Meeting Room • 70 Rooms


Local Restaurants

Almost Home5820 Hwy 1 Bypass352-2431Sunday-Friday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.Down home southernmealsThis buffet style restau-rant serves southern stylefavorites. Dine on home-style chicken anddumplings, black-eyedpeas, mac and cheese,sweet potatoes whilegazing at a view of SibleyLake. $

Bon Ami530 Front Street352-1579Thursday-Friday 6-9p.m.TapasThis balcony restaurantserves small plates ofseasonal delights, wineand cocktails. Play a

game of pool, sit at thebar, at a traditional tableor lounge on a couch atthe only restaurant thatoffers outside balconydining in town. $$

Breakfast Nook105 Church Street352-4491Monday-Saturday7a.m.-2p.m.Sunday 8a.m.-noonBreakfast and BakeryThis quaint breakfastspot, located just offFront Street, serves morethan just breakfastincluding HomemadeSoups, breads, pastriesand hamburgers. Thisrestaurant has southernstyle favorites as well asvegetarian options. $

Cane River Bar and

Grill1125 WashingtonST352-2600Tuesday-Saturday11a.m.-9p.m.Sunday-Monday11a.m.-3p.m.Sandwiches andSeafood This riverside Bar andGrill is family owned andoperated. Known fortheir St. Louis style ribs,fresh seafood andpressed Cuban sand-wiches this restaurant hasoptional outdoor patioseating overlookingCane River Lake. $$

Canebrake Café584 Front Street238-3030Monday-Saturday

8 a.m.-5p.m.Coffee, pastries, lunchThis coffee house pro-vides a space to relax,read, and meet up withfriends. The social spotserves light breakfast inthe morning, toastedsandwiches from 11a.m.-2 p.m. and coffee anddeserts all day. $

Chef Wok311 South Drive356-0006Monday-Saturday10:30 a.m.-10p.m.Traditional ChineseThis Chinese restaurantprovides dine in and takeout options. Chef LarryZhang has over 40 yearsof cooking experienceand has been serving theNatchitoches communityfor 25 years and count-ing.$

Crawfish Hole119 South Drive352-2379Monday-Thursday 11a.m.-8:30p.m.Friday-Saturday 11-9:30p.m.

Sunday 12a.m.-8p.m.Open November-MayCrawfish, Seafoodand CajunThis southern style din-ing hall is set up for craw-fish. Long picnic tablesset up in rows have con-venient holes cut out inthe middle to toss shells.This restaurant providesseafood options forthose who want morethan boiled crawfish end-

less paper towels andbutter when dining inand take out options. $$

El Nopal117 South Drive318-214-0219Everyday 11a.m.-10p.m.Mexican$

El Patron109 South Drive238-3013Sunday-Thursday 11a.m.-9:30p.m.Friday-Saturday 11a.m.-10:30p.m.Mexican $

The LandingRestaurant and Bar530 Front Street352-1579Tuesday-Saturday11a.m.-10p.m.Sunday 11a.m.-9p.m. Seafood and SteakThis is a chic spot forlunch or dinner. Thisrestaurant is known fortheir Sunday Brunch from11a.m.-2p.m. served with complimentary cham-pagne. $$$

Johnny’s PizzaHouse312 Dixie Plaza228-8842PizzaRegional counter-servechain for basic and spe-cialty pizzas, plus muf-falettas and salads. $$

Lasyone’s Meat PieRestaurant622 Second Street352-3353Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.Soulful Louisiana CreoleThis casual place serves traditional Southern dish-es alongside signaturemeat-filled hand pies.

This restaurant has beenpleasing palates since1967. $$

Lucky Village929 Keyser Avenue352-8588 Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9p.m. Friday- Sunday11a.m.-10p.m.Chinese BuffetThis buffet style restau-rant has a wide variety ofAsian food. $$

Magee’s Patio Café536 College Avenue352-7200M o n d a y - S u n d a y10a.m.-9p.m.Sandwiches andSeafoodThis counter style patiocafé serves local favoritesincluding NatchitochesMeat pies, burgers,sandwiches and baskets.For desert they serveblue bell ice cream. Theyhave optional outdoorpatio seating. $

Maglieaux’s on theCane805 WashingtonStreet354-7767Monday-Thursday11 a.m-9 p.m.Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.Sunday 11a.m.-2:30 p.m.Italian and CreoleThis restaurant has puttogether a menu thatcombines Italian her-itage, and the Creole cul-ture of Louisiana. Someof the Italian recipeshave been handed downfor generations. $$$

Mama’s OysterHouse608 Front Street356-7874Monday-Saturday11a.m.-10p.m.Sunday 11a.m.-3p.m.Seafood and Creole

This Louisiana seafoodkitchen turns out dishesthat taste “just like mamamade it.” Known for theirfresh gulf oysters this restaurant has optionaloutdoor patio seating.$$

Mariner’s Restaurant5948 LA Hwy 1357-1220Monday-Thursday4:30-9:30 p.m.Friday-Saturday4:30-10 p.m.Sunday 11 a.m.-3p.m.Fine Dining/Seafoodand SteakThis family-owned, fami-ly-operated restauranthas reflected the Nicholsfamily’s attention todetail since 1983. Knownfor their atmosphere andview overlooking SibleyLake this restaurant hasoptional outdoor patioseating.$$$

Merci BeaucoupRestaurant127 Church Street352-6634Monday- Saturday10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.Sunday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.Cajun and AmericanThis local hot spot hasbeen around since 1991.Known for their ChurchStreet Salad and CajunPotato this restaurant has

optional outside patioseating. $$

Nicky’s MexicanRestaurant4108 UniversityPrkwy/LA-6318-352-1538Sunday-Thursday11a.m.-9:30p.m.Friday-Sat11a.m.-10p.m.Mexican $

Papa’s Bar and Grill604 Front Street356-5850Sunday-Thursday11a.m.-9p.m.Friday-Saturday11a.m.-10p.m.Papa’s Bar & Grillopened in September 1996. Papa’soffers a wide varietyincluding hamburgers,poboys, fried seafoodand USDA choice steaks.$$

Peggy’s HomemadePizza4116 UniversityPkwy318-356-9200Everyday 3p.m.-10p.m.Pizza $$

Pioneer Restaurantand Pub812 Washington352-4884Monday-Wednesday4p.m.-10p.mThursday-Sun11a.m.-10p.m.

Hamburgers andSeafoodThis local favorite servesa variety of po-boys,burgers, pizzas andseafood in a relaxedenvironment. This restau-rant has optional out-door seating and 19beers on tap. $$

Red’s Rib’s501 Texas Street214-0901Saturday-Thursday11a.mFriday 11a.m.-4:45p.m.Soul Food and BBQThis southern style spotis a --local favorite. Theyare known for their ribsand homemade BBQsauce.$

San Luis MexicanRestaurant302 South Drive354-6696Sunday-Thursday11a.m.-9:30p.m.Friday-Saturday11a.m.-10:30p.m.Mexican $

Trail BossSteakhouse301 South Drive38-352-2080Everyday 11a.m.-10p.m.Steaks $$


EXIT 138 of I-49

318-354-0010

• Award Winning Property • Newly Renovated • FREE Hot “On The House” Breakfast • FREE High Speed Internet Access • FREE Local Calls • FREE H BO & Expanded Channels • Pay-Per-View Movies & Video Games • In-Room Coffee Makers & Hair Dryers • FREE In-Room Microwave Available • FREE In-Room Fridge Available • Outdoor Pool & Fitness Center • Guest Elevator & Conference Room

1-800-HAMPTON (426-7866)

www.hamptoninn.com/hi/natchitoches

Mary Striegel taught agroup of girls valuablelife skills at “A Stitch inTime Sewing Camp” atTrinity EpiscopalChurch.

The girls made sewingboxes, needle books, pin-cushions, pillowcases,quilts and dolls.

While completing theprojects they learnedembroidery, hand stitch-ing, how to make and fol-low a pattern, pin and cut

matching pieces of fabric,iron, use a sewingmachine and use theirown creativity to decorateprojects.

Striegel taught thegroup the history of thesewing machine. She hada range of models thatshowed its evolution.

She taught them aboutearly sewing machinesthat were powered by atreadle mechanism.Pressing down on the

treadle with a foot, orboth feet caused a rockingmovement that spun alarge wheel on the treadleframe. It was connectedby a thin leather belt tosmaller driving wheels onthe sewing machine.

Striegal had examplesof early electricmachines. The first elec-tric machines developedby Singer Sewing Co.were introduced in 1889.By the end of the WorldWar I, Singer was sellinghand, treadle and electricmachines for sale. At firstthe electric machineswere standard with amotor strapped on theside, but as more homesgained power, theybecame more popular andthe motor was graduallyintegrated into the cas-ing.

Earlier models ofsewing machines camewith a smaller machinefor children. Girls wouldlearn how to sew usingthe machine helping theirmothers from a very earlyage.

Streigal explained tothe group how the spiritof the time affected thedesign of sewing machinemodels. She gave theexample of the singerSlant-O-Matic 500a. AfterRussia launched theSputnik in October of

1957 America went crazyfor “Space Age” style andSinger’s response was theredesigned sewingmachine, fondly called“The Rocketeer.” Sheshowed the girls the sleek,futuristic lines, space ageknobs, and rocket-motiflevers. Launched in 1961,the 500 series introducedthe top-mounted enclosedbobbin winder and anadditional “thread con-trol” lever.

The girls learned how touse basic current modelsand also the high-techprogrammable machinesthat can stitch patternsand monogram letters.

Sewing is a part ofwomen’s history. Beforesewing machines wereinvented women spentmuch of their time main-taining their family’sclothing. Middle-classhousewives, even with theaid of a hired seamstress,would devote several daysof each month to thistask. It took an experi-enced seamstress at least14 hours to make a dressshirt for a man; awoman’s dress took 10hours; and a pair of sum-mer pants took nearlythree hours. Most individ-uals would have only twosets of clothing: a workoutfit and a Sunday outfit.

Sewing machines

reduced the time for mak-ing a dress shirt or dressto an hour and the timefor a pair of summerpants to 30 minutes. Thisreduced labor resulted inwomen having morehours for their ownleisure and the ability toseek employment.

Industrial use ofsewing machines furtherreduced the burdenplaced upon housewives,moving clothing produc-tion to large-scale facto-ries. This movementdecreased the amount oftime clothing productiontook, which caused theprices of clothing to dropsignificantly.

Although women are nolonger bound to thedaunting task of sewingeveryone in the house-holds clothing knowinghow to sew is still a valu-able skill. Store boughtitems will never replacethe importance of hand-made items.

The pride felt in know-ing one can make cur-tains, pillows, quilts andclothes proves the valueof this skill. A quiltbought at the store meansmuch less than a hand-made quilt to many.

At least these girls willknow the meaning of thephrase “A stitch in timesaves nine.”


NATCHITOCHESPECANS, INC.

LITTLE EVA PLANTATION

Farm Fresh PecansPecan CandiesGift TinsUnique Gifts

CALL FOR A FREE BROCHURE

439 Little Eva RoadCloutierville, LA 71416318.379.0272

WWW.NATCHITOCHESPECANS.COM

January 2-October 14Thurs-Sat • 9-5 PM

Girls gain skills and learn history at Sewing Camp


LOCAL SPORTSNatchitoches Baseball andSoftball Association1001 E 5th Street318-356-8392

Natchitoches Youth Soccer Leaguevisit Facebook for moreinfo

CAMPING

Red River MidwayMarina175 J. E. Jones RoadNatchitoches, LA(318) 646-0097

Kisatchie National Forest229 Dogwood Park RoadProvencal, LA(318) 472-1840

GOLF COURSESNatchitoches Country Club9 hole golf course955 Louisiana 3191Natchitoches, LA(318) 352-5538

Northwestern Hills GolfCourse18 hole regulation lengthcourse Pool & Tennis Courts avail-able, call for more informa-tion.6604 Hwy 1Natchitoches, LA

(318) 357-6300

GYMSBasic Health Fitness120 South Williams AvenueNatchitoches, LA(318) 238-2501

Basic - Sibley 4278 University Parkway“Next to Sears” 318-238-3553http://www.basichealthandfitness.com

Natchitoches Health andRacquet Club400 University Parkway Ste CNatchitoches, La(318) 357-0936

NSU WRAC322 Sam Sibley Drive Natchitoches, LA318.357.5269

AREA FISHING

Black LakeSaline BayouCane River LakeSibley Lake

BOAT LAUNCHESCane River WaterwayCommission:Washington St. BoatLaunchOn Washington Streetacross from the UPS hub

Prudhomme’s Landing $Located at Point PlaceMarina

Shell Beach LandingLocated across the riverfrom Oakland Plantation

Spillway Boat LaunchLocated on Hwy. 484

Red River Waterway Commission:Natchitoches Boat LaunchTurn left onto HamptonRd. off 494 Gravel roaddead ends at boat launchparking.

Grand Ecore Boat Launch:Leaving Natchitoches, trav-el eastbound on Hwy. 6.Just prior to the Red RiverGrand Ecore bridge turnleft at the Corps ofEngineers Welcome Centeronto Tauzin Island Rd.Sibley Lake- Public Boatlaunching ramps are locat-ed on Highway 504, OakGrove Community, and onold Highway 1 at SibleyLake Marina.

PARKSDowntown Pocket Parks

Susan Harling RobinsonMemorial Park on the cor-ner of Pine and Cypress.

features an interpretiveplaque commemoratingthe life of Susan HarlingRobinson.

Jefferson Street Parkcorner of Jefferson andKeyser Ave.

Olive’s GardenLocated at the Samuel GuyHouse, 309 Pine StreetThis garden is named afterOlive Long Cooper, whotaught Art at NSU.

Dr. Mildred H. BaileyMemorial ParkLocated behind the head-quarters for the Natchitoches HistoricFoundation 550 2nd St

NSU ParkLocated on the corner ofUniversity Pkwy. and 2ndSt

Other Parks

Ben Johnson FoundationBasketball Courts616 MLK Drive

Breda Town 1320 Dixie StreetCity Park300 Amulet Street

City Pool311 Amulet Street

East NatchitochesRecreation Complex100 School Drive

Garrett Spray Park616 MLK Drive

Highland Park1117 Highland Park Drive

Richard R. Manning Park -“Manning Park”341 Shoreline Drive

McCain Children’s Park1536 Salter Street

Pierson and Mallet Children’s Park701 East Fifth Street

Raevon Waldrup MemorialPark130 University Drive

Professor Frederick M.Richardson Park –“Richardson Park”1717 Lake Street

H.J. Sudbury RecreationalPark – “Sudbury Park”201 FloraTodd Memorial Park500 Royal Street

Town South Park112 Hampton Drive

Ross Williams Park1401 Dean Street

Natchitoches is located right in the heart of sportsman’s paradise. The city participates in a wide range of sporting events fromhunting to baseball. Kisatchie National Park offer sportsmen a place to camp and take in the great outdoors.

SPORTS & OUTDOORS


Have an event you would like to see listed here. Call today!

318-352-3618

FALL EVENTSFALL EVENTS

BACK TO THE 50S CAR SHOWBACK TO THE 50S CAR SHOW

SEPTEMBER4th-5th Cane River Zydeco Festival & Motorcycle Poker Run - Zydeco dance competition, Zydeco music, food, fun, poker run and more on the Downtown Riverbank. $ 800-259-1714

18th-19th Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival - The festival celebrates the famous Natchitoches Meat Pie with a variety of homemade pies, musical entertainment, Meat Pie eating contest, kid activities and more on the Downtown River bank. Free. 318-652-0678 or 800-259-1714

BikeNatchitoches will have their next ride Saturday, Sept. 5 at 8 a.m. beginning at Oak-land Plantation. The ride will take between one- two hours depending on route.

Wings over Natchitoches will be Saturday, Sept 12 at noon at the Natchitoches Regional Air-port. The air show will feature AeroShell Aerobatic team and other dazzling acts. This event is free and open to the public.

OCTOBER2nd-3rd Back to the 50’s Car Show - Over 150 classic car show line the streets of Downtown Natchitoches. Live musical entertainment, dancing, food, kid activities and shopping. Free 855-342-7469 NatchitochesCarShow.com

9th, 10th-11th Fall Tour of Homes - Tour a dozen historic homes from the 18th century along Downtown Natchitoches and Cane River Lake. $ 318-581-8042 or 800-259-1714

17th Caddo Adai Pow Wow - Traditional Indian dances, Native American arts and crafts, food and more at the Adai Indian Cultural Center in Robeline, LA. FREE 877-472-1007.

31st Witch Way to Main Street - Celebrate Halloween in Downtown Natchitoches with local groups and retailers. Candy, games and contests for the kids. Free. 318-357-2746

31st Haunted History Tour - Held at the American Cemetery, walk through Louisiana’s oldest cemetery with guides dressed in period costumes telling the history of the American Cemetery. $ 800-259-1714

NOVEMBER21st Turn on the Holidays Festival of Lights - Musical entertainment, kid activities and a spectacular fi reworks show over Cane River Lake. Downtown Natchitoches. Free. 1-800-259- 1714NatchitochesChristmas.com

28th Fleur de Lis Arts & Crafts Show -A wide variety of unique, hand made items from more than 100 artists indoors at the Natchito ches Events Center. Free. 318-352-6068

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