Colonial Natchitoches

About the Book

Written for the general public, Colonial Natchitoches: Outpost of Empires provides a detailed look at the colonial frontier experience at one settlement, the Natchitoches Post. First established by the French to trade with the Indians, the Natchitoches Post soon assumed the military function of protecting Louisiana from encroachment by the Spanish. In time, it grew into an area renowned for its tobacco. This book tells the small stories of life at this outpost—of the daily activities of the inhabitants, of their relationships with the neighboring Spanish, and of the role the post played in the lives of the Native American tribes of the region.

About the Author

Kathleen M. Byrd is trained as an anthropologist, receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She was state archaeologist for Louisiana for nearly fifteen years before accepting a position as head of the Department of Social Sciences at Northwestern State University (NSU) in Natchitoches. She has served on the Cane River National Heritage Area Commission, on the boards of several heritage and preservation organizations, and as university liaison to the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training. Now retired, she lives in the Natchitoches area with her husband, Robert W. Neuman, where they raise Appaloosa horses.