Natchitoches

Due west of Vicksburg, across the Mississippi, on the banks of the Cane River is the picturesque little town of Natchitoches (pronounced /'NAK-e-tesh), Louisiana.  The setting for the movie Steel Magnolia's, Natchitoches is one of the oldest permanent settlements in the Louisiana Purchase - dating back to 1714.

My arrival in Natchitoches was first met with frustration as there appeared to be no available tent camping.

However, having been in that position before, I stopped at a service station and asked a patron if he would be able to help me.  Not only did be oblige, but he led me down the road
to a nearby RV Park on the shore of Sibley Lake where his friend not only offered me a campsite, but a plate of rice and catfish as well - Gotta Love that Southern Hospitality.

The Cane River runs adjacent to Main Street in the old Historic District of
Natchitoches and provides the backdrop for the towns idyllic setting and attracts scores of week-end travelers.

Natchitoches is site of three historic plantations: the Oakland Plantation, Melrose Plantation and Magnolia Plantation.  All three are located over ten mile stretch of highway 437, beginning about eleven miles south of Natchitoches along the Cane River.

Following along the plantation route I was only able to visit the Oakland Plantation and the Melrose Plantation before running out time; the Magnolia Plantation will have to wait for another day.  

All three of the plantations have there own unique place in the history of the Cane River, but none more interesting than Melrose Plantation.

The oldest of the three plantations, the Yucca Plantation (as it was first known) was built by Louis Métoyer the son of Claude Thomas Pierre Métoyer and Marie Thereze Coincoin.

Marie Thereze Coincoin was a former slave who for nineteen years lived with a wealthy merchant, Claude Thomas Pierre Métoyer and bore him ten children before he bought for her the gift of freedom.

Original leased as a concubine, Marie Thereze remained in consenting liaison for ten years after he bought her freedom.  The relationship only ended when it was forcibly terminated by the church.

When Claude Thomas Pierre Métoyer bought Marie Thereze her freedom, he also gave to her 68 acres of land and paid her an annual allowance.  From this, relatively, humble beginning Marie Therese built estate of some 12,000 acres became a woman of considerable wealth and bought the freedom of all of her children.  In fact, the Métoyer went on to become one of the wealthiest families of color in the nation.

Despite her success she remained a frugal woman and, therefore, we owe the existence of Melrose Plantation to her son Louis Métoyer, who acquired the property in 1796, built first the Yucca House and later (in 1833) the Melrose.