Cane River National Heritage Area

The Cane River National Heritage Area is a largely rural, agricultural landscape know both for its historic Creole-style plantations and structures and its unique people and culture. The area has been shaped by almost 300 years of events--large and small, difficult and joyous. Today it is home to a history and culture that has evolved from those events, and from the people who have lived them: the Europeans, the Native Americans, free and enslaved Blacks, the Creoles of French, Spanish, African and American Indian descent.

Located primarily in Natchitoches Parish, the Cane River Heritage Area includes five National Historic sites (including the city of Natchitoches' National Historic Landmark District), three State Historic Areas (including a replication of the original 1714 French fort), the Cane River Creole National Historic Park (two sites), and many historic plantations, homes and churches.

The central corridor of the area begins just south of the City of Natchitoches. It meanders south along both sides of Cane River Lake (once the Red River before it changed course) for 35 miles. While much of the roughly 45,000-acre heritage area is privately owned, many sites are open to the public.

P. O. Box 1201
Natchitoches, LA 71458
318-356-5555 - Commission Office
318-352-0383 - Cane River Creole Nat. Historical Park
318-356-8441 - Oakland Plantation Unit/Visitor Information
800-259-1714 - Natchitoches Parish Tourist Commission/Visit Info

By Car
Cane River Creole National Historical Park headquarters is at Oakland Plantation, 4386 Highway 494 in Natchitoches Parish. Take I-49 to Exit 127, the Flora/Cypress exit. Head east one and one-half miles on Highway 120. Cross over Highway 1 on to Highway 494. Proceed four miles on Highway 494 to Oakland Plantation.

Here are some of the activities that are offered at Mount Rainier National Park.

• Auto Touring
• Biking
• Boating
• Camping
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Backpacking
• Bird Watching
• Stargazing
• Kayaking

Recommended Activities
Visitation to Cane River Creole National Historical Park is currently by guided tour and reservation only. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

Melrose Plantation, 16 miles south of Natchitoches, is open for tours daily, 12:00-4:00 p.m.

The Kate Chopin House, located in Cloutierville, is open for visitation 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday.

Three fort sites are open for tours. Fort St. Jean Baptiste, a full-scale replication of the first permanent European settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, features a unique double thickness palisade and contains 12 structures and an outdoor oven.

Los Adaes National Historic Landmark was founded by the Spanish in 1721 to halt French expansion into Texas. The Spanish closed Los Adaes in 1773. Because the site has never been cleared or cultivated it remains rich in archeological discoveries.

Fort Jesup was built by the United States in 1822 on the historic San Antonio Road. At the time the U. S. claimed eastern Texas and Spain claimed western Louisiana. The fort stood in the middle of the disputed territory. The original kitchen has been restored and refurbished; the officers' quarters have been reconstructed for use as a visitor center.

Other points of interest include St. Augustine Catholic Church, Monette's Ferry, Rebel State Park, the Badin-Roque House, and Beau Fort plantation home.