This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Natchitoches’s Origins and Early French Fort History
Louisiana town of Natchitoches claims roots as the oldest in the state. The name derives from Caddoan words meaning paw paw eaters, with multiple translations noted. In 1715 a fort named St John the Baptist was built near the Natchitoches settlement to support French aims, named for Bienville and the nearest Indians. The piece ends by mentioning the meningeal worm parasite found in various animals.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Natchitoches Natchitoches
Natchitoches
Louisiana
Naccadoches
Chin
Louis Juchereau de Saint Denis
Cadillac
St. Denis
Mexico
Bienville
Natchez
de Tissenet
St. John the Baptist
Jean Baptiste le Moyne
Sieur de Bienville