By Charlotte Byus
Natchitoches was settled in 1714 on the banks of the Cane River, this makes the town the oldest settlement in the entire Louisiana purchase. What a beautiful town. Front Street winds around the river, every building is a historic site. Having lunch or dinner in any of the restaurants, bars/pubs or markets is a treat, just looking at the interiors will take your breath away. The shopping on Front Street, Second Street and all the side streets in-between is an adventure. From the Barber Shop to the General Mercantile Store (oldest general store in Louisiana), you will enjoy the owners and friendly shoppers too. If you have been to Savannah you will see resemblance and enjoy walking up and down the streets. Each shop is different in its own way with way too many good things to look at and purchase. I have absolutely no room for another item in this house on wheels but I managed to come back with several bags of goodies. And, to add to that, we did not walk through one antique shop, boy, what will power!
In town, try to visit the Louisiana Folk Life Center at Northwestern State University. Also, on the campus, the Williamson Museum and the Creole Heritage Center.
There are twenty-seven Bed & Breakfast homes in the area and one of them is the Steel Magnolia House, this is the home where the move was filmed. RR kept looking for Weezer. Did you know this was a true story written by a native of Natchitoches? Me neither.
There are several plantations to visit while you are there. They have two home tours a year, one in the Spring and one at Christmas Time. From the middle of November to the end of December, every weekend has several festivals and events, check it out. Every month there are festivals, Markets days and arts & craft days, like our Art Walks in Galveston.
There are several tours you can enjoy, the Steel Magnolias Tour, a walking tour of the historic town district and an auto tour of the Cane River area. On the Cane River Tour, there are seven plantations open and several beautiful churches you can enjoy.
No tour of Natchitoches would be complete without coming back via Hwy 6, through Toledo Bend Lake. We did make it home just after sun set, thank goodness, as both of us are blind as a bat at night driving.
Have a great week.
[9-18-2017]
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