The site's importance was officially acknowledged in 1926 when Gerald Fowke of the Smithsonian Institution conducted the first scientific survey and map&nbsp;of the site. A graduate student and another researcher from the Smithsonian found evidence indicating that the site was part of the Hopewell tradition.&nbsp;Before this discovery, it was not known that the tradition was as widespread from the&nbsp;Ohio and Illinois area where it was first found.

Map of the park showing the location of the mounds, museum, and trails

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form

More Info

Website

The Marksville State Historic Site is a large, 42 acre prehistoric indian site located in Marksville, Louisiana. It consists of burial mounds surrounded by a 3,300 foot long semi-circle earthwork. A museum and trails are also at the site. The earthworks were built by the Marksville culture, which archaeologists consider to be one of the many cultures of the Hopewell tradition, sometime between 200 BCE to 500 CE. The site is a National Historic Landmark and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Marksville State Historic Site

A trail charting the approximate route of the Freeman-Custis Expedition (1806).

<div>The Natchez Trace Parkway follows the route of the Old Natchez Trace from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. It was started in 1938 and finished in 1993 with the completion and the 1994 opening of the Double Arch Bridge in Tennessee. The parkway has become a mecca for tourists everywhere. There are many places to visit along the parkway and many opportunities to enjoy the scenery. Bicyclists, motorcyclists, and motorists also enjoy using the route, which is friendly to all who use it. There is a speed limit of 50-miles-per-hour throughout all but one stretch of parkway, where the speed limit is lowered to 40 mph. And there are several places where one can get off the parkway and travel on the Old Natchez Trace. On and off the parkway, one can travel the route traversed by people such as Meriwether Lewis and General and President Andrew Jackson. </div><div> </div><div>The Old Natchez Trace was first used by foraging bison, and then Native Americans. Later travelers included&nbsp; European settlers, Kaintucks (who were mostly from Kentucky), slave traders, explorers, and soldiers. Many trading posts were active along the way. There are so many places to eat, shop, and visit. Many of them are listed on the Clio. The Natchez Trace was a major trade route until the coming of the steamboat and the ability to transport goods and services along the Mississippi River became much easier. But locals continued to use it, and it was later declared a national park. The Old Natchez Trace reached its peak of usage between 1785 to 1820. </div><div> </div><div>The Old Trace went through Choctaw and Chickasaw lands. There are also mounds that were created by Native Americans over the course of more than 2,000 years, especially in Mississippi. One of these is Emerald Mound, the largest along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Covering eight acres and 70-feet-tall at its highest point, it was occupied until 1600.; </div>

Formerly home to the Mississippi Crafts Center, this cabin now serves as one of four visitors centers staffed by National Park Service employees along the Natchez Trace Parkway. The second-longest parkway in the United States, the Natchez Trace Parkway is a recreational road that follows a historic route used by Native Americans and early settlers. The Parkway begins near Nashville, Tennessee and ends in Natchez, Mississippi, passing through Alabama along the way. A trail-head for the paved Ridgeland Multi-Use Path can be found behind the Visitors Center. The visitors center also offers maps along with a few small exhibits and information about explorers, settlers, and the Choctaw and other tribes that used the Natchez Trace. 

Parkway Information Cabin Natchez Trace Parkway 

The Grand Village of Natchez was located at present-day Natchez and was the main center of ceremonies for the Natchez Indians. The mounds were burial sites for notable Natchez but the village was abandoned following the spread of disease that resulted from contact with people of European descent as well as the attacks on the tribe by the French and others.&nbsp; The Grand Village of Natchez features three mounds that are eight feet high at the same location of the previous mounds that were demolished and rebuilt in accordance to the ceremonies and traditions the members of the tribe. The Great Sun's mound and the Temple mound have been excavated and rebuilt to their original sizes and shapes. The third mound is called the Abandoned mound. It was only partially excavated after three major archaeological excavations at the Grand Village. There are no further excavation planned for this site.&nbsp; The Natchez inhabited what is now southwest Mississippi ca. AD 700-1730. Between 1682 and 1729, the Grand Village was their main ceremonial center. During the period that the Natchez occupied the Grand Village, the&nbsp;French explored the region and began&nbsp;to create settlements.&nbsp;The relations between the&nbsp;French and Natchez were generally positive and focused on trader at&nbsp;first. As the French began to change their orientation from trade to the acquisition of land,&nbsp;relationships deteriorated and various disagreements led to violence. A state of tension turned to war in 1716 and again in 1723. In 1729, a pro-English element within the tribe attacked the French&nbsp;colonial plantations and military garrison at Fort Rosalie. The French retaliated in such force that the Natchez&nbsp;were forced to abandon this area.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians is a 128-acre site featuring three pre-historic Native American mounds. The complex includes a reconstructed Natchez Indian house, museum, and a gift shop. The vilage offers educational programs for school and adult groups and also hosts the annual Natchez Powwow that includes activities highlighting many different aspects of traditional Native American culture.

Grand Village of Natchez Indians 

The Highland plantation was born out of the death of William Barrow, Bennet Barrows father. William Barrow travelled to West Feliciana parish from North Carolina during the late 1700s. There he created his plantation Locust Grove in 1799. Upon William Barrow’s death in 1830 Bennet inherited the main house. Bennet then renamed the plantation highland and started buying land and slaves in mass quantity. He was often in debt and relied on his crops to help keep up with payments. The plantation had great success with production due to the fertile soil in the Feliciana parish. He produced cotton, sugar cane, and crops that would supply his plantation.               Highland also had around 200 slaves that kept Bennet economically sound. Barrow believed in keeping his slaves comfortable. He believed this made them more willing to work and less likely to disobey. He provided cabins and medical attention when his slaves needed it. Proper sustenance helped with heath and Meat was the prime diet of the highland slave’s food to help keep them strong. Sweets were also provided as well as corn meal and flour occasionally.  While he wasn’t extremely cruel, He did dole out punishments when his objectives weren’t met, or a slave disobeyed him. Bennet did however play games with his slaves as forms of punishment. He forced some to wash clothes and had the men wear women’s clothes as a form of embarrassment. Other times the punishments were severe, such as whipping or having a dog set lose on them. These severe punishment were held for slaves who ran away.               Bennet Barrow was a practical man looking to make money. However, he did have a weakness for gambling. He was the second largest stockholder in the St. Francisville racetrack until he sold it to Daniel Turnball of the Rosedown plantation. Barrow was constantly in debt from and his many purchases of land but was well respected in handling his money. He would constantly help his family and neighbors manage their finances. He was also involved in politics. He held office in many things including, overseer of his road district, overseer of the poor, and was a member of the grand jury and the police jury. Although, he was constantly getting fines for missing meetings that involved his jobs. Mostly he would watch politics to keep an eye on corruption, the annexation of Texas, and the question on slavery.               Currently the Highland plantation is called the Greenland plantation. The plantation is currently owned by Julie and Hal Pilcher. They revamped the buildings and grounds and opened it as a bed n breakfast. You can also use it to host events and weddings. They have tour that you can attend from 10am to 4pm. The plantation has also been used in Hollywood movies including “Jeepers Creepers III, North and South, and GI Joe II”.              Overall the plantation is a deeply rooted part of Southern American history. It tells a tale of the wealthy slave owners who resisted abolishment of slavery. While it wasn’t one of the most extreme plantations, it was very wealthy and quite big. At the death of Bennet Barrow, the plantation was worth 157,251.75. During our current time that would be around 4 million dollars. The plantation is well preserved and while it no longer looks exactly like the original house it showcases the opulence of the southern plantation owner in the 1800s.

The Highland plantation has been around for 220 years. It is an exemplary showcase of the traditional southern plantations in the West Feliciana parish in Louisiana. The plantation boasted high hospitality and comfort for those visiting. It was south of the mason Dixon line and was lush with economic benefits. The town was one of the most advanced, having regulated ferries, trains, and coach system which helped carry supplies throughout the south. Today you can still find the plantation. However, it has been remodeled to its previous opulence and holds a new name, the Greenwood plantation. 

The Highland Plantation

The Tunica-Biloxi Indian Reservation is located just South of Marksville, Louisiana. The tribal lands sit on approximately 1,717 acres of Trust and Fee Property in Avoyelles and Rapides Parishes. There are an estimated 1,226 enrolled Tunica-Biloxi tribal citizens. Roughly 42% of their citizens live on or in close proximity to the Reservation or designated tribal lands located in Central Louisiana. The Tunica-Biloxi are one of four federally recognized Native American tribes in Louisiana. They gained federal recognition in 1981. The Tunica-Biloxi are governed by their own laws that are inscribed in its tribal constitution, wherein they are given inherent sovereign powers recognized by the United States Constitution, the United States Supreme Court, and Congress.The modern traditional Tunica-Biloxi Powwow began in the 19th century as tribes began to move closer together in the American West. Dancers wear colorful dresses and move gracefully around a ring to a steady drumbeat that guides their movements. These traditions are passed down through generations. Today’s powwows feature competitions in various categories such as traditional, dance, grass, shawl, and jingle-dress dancing. Prizes are awarded for the individual categories. Religious dances and ceremonies are kept separate from those presented during a powwow competition. The Tunica-Biloxi Powwow is usually open to the public. It is a great chance for those outside to learn more about Native American culture. Powwows can usually last between several hours to several days.The Tunica-Biloxi tribe has partnered with Tulane University’s Linguistic Department to collaborate on the revitalization of the Tunica language. The Tunica Language Working Group (Kuhponi Yoyani Luhchi Yoroni- KYLY) are nearing completion of a new Tunica Language textbook. The Language and Cultural Revitalization Program (LCRP) features Tunica language instruction, teaching materials, research and scholarship opportunities, and cultural workshops. There is also the Tunica-Biloxi Museum. It houses the “Tunica Treasure”. It is a vast collection of Native American European trade items and artifacts that were deposited as grave goods by the Tunica from 1731-1764. The repatriation of the collection was the result of a landmark state appeals court decision that provided a precedent for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.

Located in Marksville, this expansive cultural complex is home to the Tunica-Biloxi Museum which contains a variety of exhibits drawn from artifacts dating back to the 18th century. The Tunica-Biloxi tribe is the successor to the historic Tunica, Biloxi, Ofo, and Avoyel tribes. These tribes were allied in the 18th century and became amalgamated in the 19th century through common interests and external non-Indian pressures. The traditional Powwows held by the tribe today express traditions that began over 20,000 years ago and have been passed down through generations. 

Tunica-Biloxi Cultural & Educational Resources Center

Ambrose Lecomte II founded Magnolia Plantation in
Natchitoches, Louisiana in 1830. He and his wife, Julia Buard purchased the
land to expand that family’s already plentiful cotton business. What is now
only 18 acres used to be 5,000, which led to the extensive use of slave labor
and huge amounts of profit. Magnolia Plantation’s success allowed for the
creation of two more sister plantations, which were established in nearby
Natchitoches with Magnolia as a sort of home base.&nbsp; The house was extensively damaged during the Civil War after
Northern forces took the home as a stronghold for Federal Troops. Ravaged by
the fighting, the main house was rebuilt in the exact style of the original in
1897. 

Magnolia Plantation grew into one of the Lecomte family’s
most successful agricultural ventures. It continued to serve as a cotton farm
until the 1970’s. In these years people were still hand picking cotton on
Magnolia. However, this would end by the 1980’s and the general store on site
would close in 1990. To preserve the location and prevent it from falling in to
ruin, it was purchased by the National Park Service in 1994. 

Aside from its purely historical acclaim Magnolia Plantation
also has a level of popularity within the occult community. It is deemed by
many to be haunted, and lots of these stories of hauntings may find their origins&nbsp;in
actual historical fact. 

Though the argument could be made the Lecomte family treated
their slaves humanely relative to the normalized treatment of the time, primary
source documents, including family journals, describe hunting escaped slaves to
the Texas border. There are also remaining artifacts like leg and arm stocks
that contribute to the idea that the slaves on Magnolia Plantation were
publicly punished, starved, beaten, and humiliated. There are 8 remaining slave
buildings. These brick quarters are split into two room units that were meant
to house entire family. Sometime 10 people lived in the tiny space with no bed or
proper luxuries, and only one fireplace between both rooms. 

There is also evidence of a voodoo element among the slaves
on Magnolia Plantation. Though this is not an unreasonable deduction
considering the Plantations location and the concentrated Creole population,
specific stories of voodoo witchcraft are no particularly well supported,
academically speaking. There are, however, tales of the Plantation Blacksmith
sneaking voodoo images into the designs of the Christian crosses he was
instructed to make for the family, and hiding voodoo symbols on the backs or
insides of this jewelry his masters would eventually wear. These crosses have been found and examined by historians, though we may never know the Blacksmith's intentions.&nbsp;

Magnolia Plantation was visited by the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures cast in 2009 to investigatd
the property’s supposed hauntedness. The public was open to visit the house at
that time. Today, the main house serves as a private residence and can be
viewed only upon request and approval. 

&nbsp;

Cane River Creole National Park is home to the former Magnolia Plantation House and all its outbuildings. The whole site encompasses 18 acres, which are open to the public to tour free of charge. The National Park includes a Blacksmith and plantation shops, cabins, a gin barn, and a former slave hospital. In the gin barn remains a wooden screw-type cotton press; it is the last of its kind remaining on its original grounds in the United States.

Cane River Creole National Historical Park

Oakland Plantation was built by Jean Pierre Emmanuel Prudhomme through a land grant from the Spanish government in 1789. As Prudhomme’s fortune quickly increased, so did the size of the plantation. Prudhomme passed in 1845, and Oakland Plantation has been passed through eight generations of the family. With each new generation, Oakland’s development and expansion continued. In 1868 the Prudhomme estate was divided between two heirs, Jacques Alphonse and Pierre Emmanuel. Jacques was given the land West of the River which included the main house and are now considered Oakland Plantation. Emmanuel took the land on the East side of the River and renamed it Atahoe.Oakland Plantation has 27 historic buildings on its property and give a clear picture into how plantations were more akin to small villages than farms. While Oakland focused on tobacco, indigo, and cotton they also grew food crops, poultry, and livestock. There were special buildings on the property called pigeoneers for raising pigeons. They also had shops responsible for carpentry and Blacksmithing. Many works of enslaved Blacksmith Solomon Williams can be seen. After the end of the Civil War, Oakland Plantation opened a general store where freed African Americans, sharecroppers, and tenant farmers could purchase items. The store remained open until 1983. The general store also served as a post office for about 100 years. Today, the general store houses several exhibits and a gift shop.In 1997 the core of Oakland Plantation was sold to the National Park Service. Families of the original enslaved workers remained at the property as tenant farmers and sharecroppers until the last families left in 1999. Oakland Plantation is currently being restored to its appearance circa 1960. The goal is to portray Oakland as a working plantation and offer insight into everyday lives of those involved in its over 200-year history.

A unit of Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Oakland Plantation was acquired by the National Park Service in 1997. The restored plantation offers a way to explore antebellum life and history from the perspective of the enslaved women and men who built and labored here and other workers as well as the owners and others who lived within the French-influenced region of the coastal South. The Plantation also depicts the life and times of founder Jean Pierre Emmanuel Prudhomme. 

Oakland Plantation  

The first permanent European settlement within Louisiana Purchase land, the area that later became the town of Natchitoches was founded in 1714 by Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis, a French Canadian. Juchereau St. Denis later became commandant of Fort St. Jean Baptiste de Natchitoches. A replica of this fort sits on this site. The fort is in the Cane River National Heritage Area, which is known for its historical sites like Fort Jesup and its excellent examples of Creole architecture. The term Creole refers to colonial settlers of Louisiana, particularly those of Spanish and French heritage. French settlers began using the word Creole (meaning "of the colonies") to refer to people born in Louisiana rather than those living in Louisiana who were born in France.Juchereau de St. Denis maintained a delicate, seemingly duel loyalty to Spain and France. He was responsible for the development of both New France (Louisiana) and Spanish Texas. Married to a Spanish woman, St. Denis declared his desire to become a subject of Spain. In January of 1743, he wrote a letter to Jean Frederic Phelypeaux, comte de Maurepas, at Versailles, resigning from his position as commandant of Natchitoches. He wished to retire to New Spain with his wife and children. However, because the Spanish believed him to be a secret agent of France, they forbade him from doing so. He died in Natchitoches on June 11, 1744.Among his descendants is the founder of the Knights of the White Camellia, Alcibiades DeBlanc (1821-1883). The Knights of the White Camellia was an organization formed after the Civil War for the purpose of keeping former slaves from voting and ensuring white men maintained their political power. Another of St. Denis’ descendants, Jefferson J. DeBlanc (February 15, 1921-November 22, 2007) was a fighter pilot during the Second World War. A Marine Corps pilot, he earned the distinction of ace during WWII and later received the Medal of Honor.Natchitoches was founded in 1714 by French-Canadian Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis while he was traveling on a trade mission to Mexico from Mobile, Alabama. He and his men built a small village and Denis left a small detachment there to guard it and to establish trading ties with the local Native Americans. The village was the first European settlement in the territory that would become part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The fort was held by the French until 1762, when England defeated France in the French and Indian War. France was then forced to cede the Louisiana colony to Spain. Spain occupied the fort but eventually abandoned it , and it was in ruins by the time of the Louisiana purchase. The replica fort was constructed in 1979.

Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site is a replica fort of a French military and trading outpost in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The original site of the fort is located a few hundred yards away. The original fort was built in 1716 by Sieur Charles Claude Dutisné, who was sent to Natchitoches with a French garrison to build a fort to prevent Spanish troops from marching from Texas into Louisiana. The fort eventually became a key trading center for the Native Americans, Spanish, and French in the Lower Mississippi Valley. Today, the fort is open to visitors from Wednesday until Sunday.

Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site

What is now the Los Adaes State Historic Site was the site of a Spanish mission established in 1716 as San Miguel de los Adaes. The purpose of the mission was to convert the Caddo Adai American Indians living west of Natchitoches and also an attempt to stop French expansion and influence into the region. In 1721, a new mission was built slightly to the east of the original along with a presidio to bolster the outposts military presence. Los Adaes was the capital of Spanish Texas from 1729-1770.The Los Adaes military outposts were built as a response to the French fort St. Jean Baptiste in Natchitoches. Even though the French and Spanish were rivals fighting for American territory, both outposts formed strong communal bonds. They would intermarry between the two and engage in extensive illegal border trade. Life at Los Adaes was difficult due to bad weather causing cop failures and supply shortages. Without trade with the French settlers, the Spanish residents of Los Adaes would have starved. The French territory west of the Mississippi River, including New Orleans, was ceded to Spain as a result of the losses in the French and Indian War. The change of territory erased the Los Adaes border, rendering the Spanish fort at Los Adaes obsolete. The fort officially closed in 1772, Los Adaes was abandoned in 1773. With the closing, the Spanish and American Indian inhabitants faced a forced migration to San Antonio Texas. Many families that are linked to the original inhabitants of Los Adaes still inhabit the Cane River Region.The American Indians who converted to Christianity still carry on the legacy of the original mission at the Church of St. Anne. Today, nothing remains of the mission or presidio that comprised Los Adaes. The site of the fort is considered to be an extremely important archeological site. The site was established as a State Park in 1979 and a small visitors center was built. The Los Adaes State Historic Site is staffed by the Cane River National Heritage Area and Los Adaes Foundation.

Los Adaes was the capital of Spanish Texas from 1729-1770 and was established as a mission to convert the Caddo Adai American Indian Tribe. The site remained in use until it was abandoned in 1773. Los Adaes was a site of Spanish, French, and Indigenous trade and is now part of the Cane River National Heritage Area. 

Los Adaes Historic Site

Home of the Wilbur Smith Research Library, the Museum of Regional History is Texarkana’s first and oldest museum. The museum houses a variety of exhibits that chronicle history of the East Texas and West Arkansas from the time of the Caddo. A highlight of the museum offers a history of native son Scott Joplin, widely-known as the “Father of Ragtime.”

Freeman-Custis Expedition (aka Custis-Freeman Expedition)

Marksville State Historic Site

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information