Historic District

About the National Landmark Historic District

Downtown Natchitoches and the adjacent neighborhood is a National Landmark Historic District, that offers museums, trolley and boat rides, historic homes, cemeteries, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, art galleries, antiques, arts and crafts, books, libraries and more!

The thirty-three block Historic District of Natchitoches, which includes more than fifty centuries-old buildings, has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The reconstructed Ft. St. Jean Baptiste symbolizes colonial days in Natchitoches, while the mercantile buildings and houses with the cast iron grillwork galleries overlooking Cane River Lake are reminiscent of the days of the Cotton Kingdom and Natchitoches’ old river port.

Townhouses along Front and Jefferson Streets and beautifully landscaped interior streets served as second homes for the down-river planters who enjoyed “‘the season” in town or as comfortable domiciles during inclement weather.

These historic sites have also attracted the movie industry. Natchitoches is proud to be the home for the filming of Steel Magnolias, The Horse Soldiers and Man In The Moon. In 2005 and 2006, the movie industry returned filming soon to be released titles including American Standard and The Year Without a Santa Claus. Climate-controlled streetcar tours and walking tour maps are available upon request.

In June 2013, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana Regional History Museum opened in Natchitoches.  Located at 800 Front Street, hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 adults; $4 students, seniors and active-duty military; free, children 12 and under.

Developed and operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and the City of Natchitoches, the 27,500-square-foot museum complex provides a permanent home for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and its collection of portraits and memorabilia celebrating the achievements of more than 300 Louisiana athletes, coaches and other sports figures.

The Northwest Louisiana History Museum explores the evolution of unique cultural traditions from early native-American civilizations to the present. The building itself, designed by Trahan Architects of New Orleans, evokes the region’s rivers and plowed fields with sinuous molded stone interiors and earth colored exterior sheathing.