The Cane River National Heritage Area is a

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

National Heritage Area In the United States, a National Heritage Area (NHA) is a site designated by Act of Congress, intended to encourage historic preservation of the area and an appreciation of the history and heritage of the site. There are currently 62 NHAs, some ...

in the state of

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. The heritage area is known for plantations featuring Creole

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

, as well as numerous other sites that preserve the multi-cultural history of the area. The heritage area includes the town of

Natchitoches, Louisiana Natchitoches ( ; french: link=no, Les Natchitoches) is a small city and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was name ...

and its national historic district. Founded in 1714, it is the oldest community in the territory covered by the

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

Cane River Creole National Historical Park Established in 1994, the Cane River Creole National Historical Park serves to preserve the resources and cultural landscapes of the Cane River region in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Located along the Cane River Lake, the park is approximatel ...

, including areas of

Magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendro ...

and Oakland plantations, also is within the heritage area. The park and the St. Augustine Catholic Church in

Natchez Natchez may refer to: Places * Natchez, Alabama, United States * Natchez, Indiana, United States * Natchez, Louisiana, United States * Natchez, Mississippi, a city in southwestern Mississippi, United States * Grand Village of the Natchez, a site o ...

have been included as featured destinations on the state's Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. The roughly Cane River National Heritage Area begins just south of Natchitoches and extends south and west for about 35 miles (56 kilometers along Cane River Lake and

Interstate 49 Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas st ...

to Monette's Ferry. Other sites in the heritage area include the Kate Chopin House and the state historic sites o
Los Adaes State Historic Site

Fort Jesup Fort Jesup, also known as Fort Jesup State Historic Site or Fort Jesup or Fort Jesup State Monument, was built in 1822, west of Natchitoches, Louisiana, to protect the United States border with New Spain and to return order to the Neutral Strip. ...

, an
Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site

External links

Official Cane River National Heritage Area websiteNational Park Service: Official Cane River Creole National Historical Park website

National Park Service: Cane River National Heritage Area
— ''NPS "Discover Our Shared Heritage" Travel Itinerary''.
National Park Service: Shared Legacies in Cane River National Heritage Area: Linking People, Traditions, and Landscapes

Louisiana Travel.com: Louisiana's African American Heritage Trail
National Heritage Areas of the United States Protected areas of Louisiana Geography of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana Louisiana African American Heritage Trail Louisiana culture National Park Service areas in Louisiana Tourist attractions in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana {{Louisiana-geo-stub