Natchitoches Trace facts for kids
The Natchitoches Trace was a very old Native American path. It stretched from the mouth of the Missouri River all the way to a place called Natchitoches in Louisiana. Later, a different path called the Southwest Trail became more popular and took its place.
A Path Through Time
The Natchitoches Trace was an important trade route for Native Americans. It connected the area around the Missouri River to the Red River basin. From Natchitoches, another Native American path even led to Tenochtitlan, which was the capital city of the powerful Aztecs. Today, that ancient city is Mexico City.
The town of Natchitoches, Louisiana, became a very important trading spot. It was the first permanent settlement in the land that later became the Louisiana Purchase.
The path was named after the Natchitoches people, who were a group of Native Americans. They were part of the Caddo confederation. Even in the early 1800s, Natchitoches people still lived near Hot Springs, Arkansas. They likely visited the natural hot springs that are now part of Hot Springs National Park.
Early European explorers also used parts of the Natchitoches Trace. They followed it through what are now the states of Missouri and Arkansas. Later, American pioneers used much of this old path when they traveled to Arkansas and Texas. This is how parts of the Natchitoches Trace became part of the Southwest Trail. The two paths were most different south of the Arkansas River. The old Native American path went to Hot Springs and then followed the Ouachita River south to Louisiana. But the Southwest Trail usually led travelers toward Texas.
Where Did the Trace Go?
The Natchitoches Trace started at the mouth of the Missouri River. It then went through Wayne County, Missouri. This old Native American path was also one of the southern routes used by the Cherokee people and their enslaved Africans during the sad time known as the Trail of Tears.
In Arkansas, the path followed much of the Black River. It went all the way to where the Black River meets the White River, which is where Jacksonport is today. Roughly halfway along the path, it passed through Hot Springs. From there, the Natchitoches Trace followed the Ouachita River downstream. The Ouachita River is part of the Red River basin. It flows south into Louisiana's Black River, and then into the Red River, finally reaching Natchitoches, Louisiana.
