Natchez, Mississippi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Natchez, Mississippi
City
Pearl Street, Natchez
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  The Bluff City, The Trace City, The River City, Antebellum Capital of the World, Historic Natchez on the Mississippi
Motto(s):  "On the Mighty Mississippi"
Location of Natchez in Adams County
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Adams
Founded	1716 as Fort Rosalie, renamed Fort Panmure in 1763 Louisiana (New France)
Established	c. 1790 as the capital of the Natchez District Spanish West Florida
Incorporated	March 10, 1803 (222 years ago) (1803-03-10)
Area
• City	16.41 sq mi (42.49 km2)
• Land	15.81 sq mi (40.96 km2)
• Water	0.59 sq mi (1.53 km2)
Elevation	217 ft (66 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	14,520
• Estimate  (2022)	13,812
• Density	918.12/sq mi (354.48/km2)
• Urban	25,902
• Metro	53,611 (US: 200th)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	39120-39122
Area code(s)	601
FIPS code	28-50440
GNIS feature ID	0691586

Natchez (pronounced NATCH-iz) is a city in Adams County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in the county and also its county seat, which means it's the main town for local government. In 2020, about 14,520 people lived there.

Natchez is located right on the Mississippi River, across from Vidalia, Louisiana. It was a very important city before the American Civil War, known for its large cotton farms and busy river trade. The city is about 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Jackson, Mississippi, the state capital. It's also about 85 miles (137 km) north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Natchez is the 28th largest city in Mississippi. The city got its name from the Natchez people, a Native American group who lived in this area for many centuries.

History of Natchez

Natchez was started by French colonists in 1716. This makes it one of the oldest and most important European settlements in the lower Mississippi River Valley.

Early European Settlements

After the French lost the French and Indian War in 1763, they gave Natchez to Great Britain. The British government gave land in this area to officers who fought well in the war. These officers came mostly from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. They started large farms called plantations and brought their fancy way of life to the area.

In 1779, the area came under Spanish rule. After the American Revolutionary War, Great Britain gave the territory to the United States in 1783. However, Spain had taken Natchez from the British and didn't want to give it up.

In 1797, Major Andrew Ellicott of the United States claimed Natchez for the U.S. He raised the first American Flag there. This meant Natchez and other lands east of the Mississippi River became part of the United States.

Natchez as a Capital City

After the U.S. took control, Natchez became the capital of the Mississippi Territory. Later, it was the capital of the state of Mississippi. Natchez is much older than Jackson. Jackson became the new capital in 1822 because it was more in the center of the growing state.

Natchez was in a great spot on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. This made it a key place for trade and for different cultures to meet. Native American, European, and African cultures mixed here for two centuries.

The Natchez Trace and Trade

In the early 1800s, Natchez was important for the Old Southwest region. It was the southern end of the historic Natchez Trace. The northern end was in Nashville, Tennessee. After unloading their goods in Natchez or New Orleans, many boat crews would walk the Trace back home. This was because traveling north on the Mississippi River was very hard until steam-powered vessels were invented in the 1820s. The Natchez Trace was also important during the War of 1812. Today, the modern Natchez Trace Parkway still ends in Natchez.

Steamboat Natchez operating out of New Orleans

Slavery and Plantations

Before the Civil War, Natchez was a major city for the trade of enslaved people in Mississippi. It was second only to New Orleans in the United States. The main markets were at a place called the Forks of the Road.

Wealthy plantation owners lived in Natchez and built grand mansions. Their plantations were huge areas of land along the river. There, they grew large amounts of cotton and sugarcane using slave labor. Natchez was the main port for sending these crops to Northern cities and to New Orleans. From New Orleans, many goods were sent to Europe. Many of these beautiful mansions built before 1860 still stand today. They are a big part of the city's look and history. Farming was the main way people made money in the area until the 1900s.

The Great Natchez Tornado

In 1840, a terrible tornado hit Natchez. It killed 317 people and hurt 109. This tornado is still one of the deadliest in U.S. history.

The Civil War and After

During the American Civil War, Natchez was given up by Confederate forces without a fight in September 1862. After the Union won the Battle of Vicksburg in July 1863, many people, including formerly enslaved people, moved to Natchez. The Union Army set up a refugee camp in a natural pit called the Devil's Punchbowl. Many people in this camp faced difficult conditions.

After the Civil War, Natchez quickly recovered. This was because the city was not destroyed like many other places in the South. From 1870 to 1871, Robert H. Wood served as Mayor of Natchez. He was one of the first African American mayors in the entire country. Natchez was also home to other important African American politicians like Hiram Rhodes Revels and John R. Lynch.

Twentieth Century Changes

In the 1900s, Natchez's economy slowed down. Steamboat travel on the Mississippi River was replaced by railroads, which sometimes bypassed the river cities. Later, many local businesses closed, leading to fewer jobs. Even though Natchez is a popular place for heritage tourism because of its old buildings, its population has gone down since 1960. It is still the main city of the Natchez micropolitan area.

Geography and Climate

Natchez covers about 13.9 square miles (36 km²). Most of this is land, with a small part being water.

Climate in Natchez

Natchez has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.

People of Natchez

Population and Diversity

In 2020, Natchez had 14,520 people living in 6,028 homes. The city is home to a diverse population.

Education in Natchez

Natchez offers several options for learning, from colleges to public and private schools.

Higher Education

• Alcorn State University has a campus in Natchez. It offers programs in nursing and business, including a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. These programs help students get important skills for jobs in Southwest Mississippi.
• Copiah-Lincoln Community College also has a campus in Natchez.

Local Schools

The city of Natchez and Adams County share one public school system, the Natchez-Adams School District. It has ten schools, including:

• Susie B. West
• Morgantown
• Gilmer McLaurin
• Joseph F. Frazier
• Robert Lewis Magnet School
• Natchez Freshman Academy
• Natchez Early College@Co-Lin
• Central Alternative School
• Natchez High School
• Fallin Career and Technology Center

Natchez also has private and religious schools:

• Adams County Christian School (ACCS) is a school for grades PK-12.
• Cathedral School is also a PK-12 school. It is connected to the Roman Catholic St. Mary Basilica.
• Holy Family Catholic School, started in 1890, is a PK-3 school linked to Holy Family Catholic Church.

Media and Transportation

Natchez has its own newspaper, radio stations, and is part of larger TV markets. The city is also connected by several highways, a railway, and an airport.

Local Media

• Newspaper: The Natchez Democrat
• Radio:
• Television: Natchez is covered by TV stations from Alexandria, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi.

Getting Around Natchez

• Highways:
  • U.S. 61 goes north and south, following the Mississippi River.
  • U.S. 84 goes east and west, crossing the Mississippi River.
  • U.S. 425 goes north from Natchez after crossing the Mississippi.
  • U.S. 98 goes east from Natchez.
  • Mississippi 555 and Mississippi 554 are local highways.
• Rail: The Natchez Railway serves the city.
• Air: The Natchez-Adams County Airport is for general aviation. For commercial flights, the closest airports are Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and Alexandria International Airport.

Famous People from Natchez

Historic Places to Visit

Natchez has many historic sites that tell its long story.

Ancient and Early Modern Sites

• Anna site
• Grand Village of the Natchez

Antebellum Period Sites (Before the Civil War)

Historic Homes

Many beautiful homes built before the Civil War are still standing in Natchez.

Town Houses

These are historic homes located within the city itself.

Images for kids

• 

  Pearl Street, Natchez

• 

  One of the two official flags used by Natchez, this flag is used to represent the city.

• 

  One of the two official flags used by Natchez, this flag is used to represent the city seal.

• 

  Seal of Natchez, Mississippi

• 

  Location of Natchez in Adams County

See also

In Spanish: Natchez (Misisipi) para niños