Natchez

Natchez, located just five miles south of Natchitoches, is situated in one of the earliest-settled parts of Louisiana, where French, Spanish, English and African cultures converged. With a population of around 600, Natchez is among the state's most historically significant small towns.

Natchez's significance to black history makes it one of the stops on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, a collection of more than 20 sites telling the stories of African American contributions to the state's history, music, food and culture. Because Natchez is one of the oldest Creole communities in Louisiana, the entire city falls within the Cane River National Heritage Area run by the National Park Service.