Location
For a museum celebrating this region's special history, the city of Natchitoches represents an inspired location. Founded in 1714, Natchitoches is the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. The city's historic, 19th-century commercial district, which is protected from alteration, is adjacent to the banks of Cane River Lake, the 35-mile-long oxbow lake that was formed from a portion of the Red River. The lake has given its name to the Cane River Creoles, the multi-cultural people of color who have historically lived in this area, and the Cane River National Heritage Area, which includes numerous preserved plantations and notable sites.
