Natchitoches, Louisiana

A little known fact is that one of the original capitals of Texas was not in Texas, at least in the part that now falls within that state's political borders. Los Adaes, a mission located near Natchitoches, Louisiana, was the Spanish provincial capital of Texas from 1729-1770. As with many of Spain's efforts at settling areas north of the Rio Grande, the establishment of this mission was motivated by French encroachment. I passed by the state park where Los Adaes is located almost two years ago on my way to the Alligator Park, and made a mental note to return later and tour the mission. Memorial Day provided that opportunity, so I packed the car with lots of water and sunscreen and headed east.

Unfortunately, state parks, at least the ones that protect historical sites, were not a high priority for the Louisiana government when the Great Recession forced budget cuts, so Los Adaes is now open by appointment only. I knew this before going, but what I didn't realize was that appointments are only made for groups of at least ten. So I had to settle for a photograph from outside of the gate this time:

Fortunately, we were near Natchitoches, where it is easy for history buffs to find a plan B, C, and D. Natchitoches (pronounced "Nackadish") is Nacogdoches' sister city. Both are about equidistant from the Texas-Louisiana border, both have a university, and both are rich in history. Natchitoches, however, seems to have done a much better job of preserving and capitalizing on its colonial past. Whereas in Nacogdoches an Auto Zone stands on the site of the original mission, and very little in the architecture is reminiscent of its Spanish past, Natchitoches' French heritage is everywhere to be seen:

An example of this is the replica of Fort St. Jean Baptiste, located near the historic downtown. The museum is small but informative, although I think they could use a less constipated-looking mannikin:

The main attraction is the replica itself, which effectively recreates the eighteenth-century fort. It is a short walk from the museum. Here it is at first glimpse:

Notice the small garden plots to the left of the path. It was at about this point that we heard a musket shot that one of the historical interpreters was demonstrating for a tour group. The fort becomes more impressive as you approach it.

And what fort would be complete without a cannon?

Here is the chapel:

And here is a close-up of its weathervane in the shape of a rooster, the symbol of the French people:

Apparently they often do cooking demonstrations in the outdoor oven:

They also reconstructed the barracks, officers' quarters, and other buildings as they would have looked in the eighteenth century:

Here is the interior of the store or commissary. The black fur is bear, the brown is buffalo, and the tan is deer.

Here is a selection of sabot (wooden shoes), which were the footwear of choice throughout Europe before the Dutch appropriated them as their national shoe.

Notice the French word for water, "eau."

I assume that this dining room belonged to the commandant or other high-ranking official:

Fort St. Jean Baptiste is more than just a plan B when it comes to exploring Spanish colonial history in the area. As I mentioned above, the Spaniards were often motivated to establish missions and other settlements out of fear of French incursion, so it is no wonder that Los Adaes is less than twenty miles from St. Jean Baptiste. Although their nations were rivals, the two outposts often engaged in illegal trade with one another and established a good working relationship. One of St. Jean Baptiste's commandants was Louis Juchereau de St. Denis, who explored East Texas and even married the daughter of a Spanish official in Mexico. 

Natchitoches is also worth visiting for other reasons. The Cane River Trail includes several Creole plantations, including the one where Kate Chopin lived (although unfortunately her home has recently burned down). Steel Magnolias was apparently filmed in the area. Although the climate is a little hot and humid for humans, it's perfect for some beautiful gardens:

I plan to go back again when the weather cools.