NATCHITOCHES PARISH
Parish Offices
200 Church Street
Natchitoches 318-357-2714
http://npgov.org
Chamber of Commerce
373 Second Street
Natchitoches 318-352-6894
https://www.natchitocheschamber.com
One of Louisiana’s largest parishes in geographic terms, picturesque Natchitoches Parish is home to the leading City of Natchitoches and tiny rural villages. Transportation efficiencies include Interstate 49 and US Highways 71 and 84, which anchor a network of state highways to ensure quick commutes to regional destinations. Situated in west-central Louisiana, the parish features the natural beauty of the Red River, Cane River Lake, and Kisatchie National Forest. From its agricultural roots, the parish has developed a diverse economy that includes major employers Northwestern State University and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center along with manufacturing, retail, and tourism industries.
Services
Natchitoches Parish provides state-of-the-art healthcare services to a regional population, anchored by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. Since the parish built the facility in 1956, the medical center has continually expanded and improved to meet nearly every medical and healthcare need close to home. Today, the 95-bed acute-care hospital combines with supportive services that include The Courtyard of Natchitoches Nursing Home, Natchitoches Assisted Living Retirement Community, North Natchitoches Medical Clinic in Campti, and PRISM comprehensive rehabilitation center. Natchitoches Regional Medical Center also serves as a proud partner to the Northwest Louisiana Cancer Center. Emergency medical personnel work closely with the hospital’s emergency department physicians, who treat more than 20,000 patients each year. NRMC provides a long list of general and specialized services that include cardiology, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, ophthalmology, obstetrics, radiology, pulmonology, family practice, and behavioral health. Since 1997, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center has been affiliated with Christus Health, a Catholic-based health system dedicated to dignity, integrity, excellence and compassion. One of the extensions of NRMC is the Louisiana Extended Care Hospital of Natchitoches, a long-term, acute-care, specialty hospital designed for medically complex patients who require intense treatment for an extended period of time. In addition to extended long-term acute care for patients transferring from hospital intensive care units, this facility offers hospice, home health, and community-based services. The Cane River Surgery Center is another premier resource, providing comprehensive general and specialized surgical care including laparoscopic surgery. Louisiana Extended Care Hospital of Natchitoches provides comprehensive, integrated treatment to patients recovering from conditions ranging from cardiovascular and neurological disorders to infectious diseases and trauma.
Educational resources are equally impressive, beginning with the progressive Natchitoches Parish School System, where the Laboratory Schools at Northwestern State University operate within the parish school system, introducing new teaching methods and developing innovative educational programs. High school students can earn college credits at Bossier Parish Community College, the Louisiana Technical College, or Northwestern State University and gifted students can attend the Louisiana School of Math, Science and the Arts—listed by Newsweek magazine among the “Public Elite” high schools. Parents can also select from several private or parochial schools within the parish. Higher education opportunities close to home begin with Northwest Louisiana Technical College, providing a full range of two-year transfer programs as well as relevant career programs in hands-on fields. The premier institution of higher education is Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches, which serves more than 10,000 students who are enrolled in a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The University also provides community outreach programs, a Small Business Development Center, and continuing education.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Natchitoches Parish will discover a wonderful quality of life encompassing cultural enrichment, colorful celebrations and festivals, premier outdoor recreation, commercial conveniences, and the intimacy of small-town life. This diverse region brought together the traditions, talents, and culture of Native American, French, Creole, African American, and Anglo ancestors. Steeped in historic significance, the parish is home to the Cane River National Heritage Area and within its boundaries, the Cane River Creole National Historical Park. Here, the history and culture of Louisiana Creoles continues to be interpreted and showcased, including the Magnolia and Oakland plantations. The term Creole was given to those “born in the New World” to differentiate them from native Europeans. More than any other group, the Creoles embodied the unique cultural blend for which Louisiana is so famous.
Throughout the parish, the small Town of Campti and sleepy rural villages like Goldonna, Clarence, Natchez, Powhatan, Provencal, Robeline and Ashland preserve unique historic treasures and a close-knit community spirit with strong generational ties. Major attractions like the Adai Indian National Cultural Center and Briarwood: the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve are popular with tourists, historians and horticulturists. Beautiful Cane River Lake is the heart of the parish, winding through downtown Natchitoches where eclectic shops, boutiques, antiques, and galleries line the historic district. Delicious food is synonymous with Cane River country, from Nakatosh Coffee and world-famous Natchitoches meat pies to signature Creole, Cajun and Southern cuisine.
Natchitoches Parish is well-known as a recreational paradise, beginning with the vast Kisatchie National Forest that features 12 miles of hiking trails, 20 miles of Kisatchie Bayou canoeing, 50 miles of multiple-use trails, and a 17-mile national scenic byway with breathtaking vistas. The Longleaf Vista Recreation Area commands views of the 8,700-acre Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, a popular destination for hikers and equestrians entering along the Backbone Trail. Kisatchie Bayou Recreation Area offers picnicking, swimming, fishing and canoeing on the bayou as well as hiking, biking, and horseback riding on the Caroline Dormon Trail. Covering 2,000 acres, Sibley Lake features a 38-mile shoreline in an area that offers fishing, hunting, boating, skiing, camping, and picnicking. The National Red Dirt Wildlife Management Preserve is especially popular with hunters. Developed recreational amenities include golf courses, tennis courts, and a National Shooting Range. For spectator sports excitement, the Northwestern State University Demons keep fans cheering on 15 intercollegiate teams. Families will love attractions like Alligator Park, filled with music, great food, and hundreds of alligators as well as a feeding zoo, bird sanctuary, reptile habitat, Turtle Town, the Jungle, and many other sights. Even the Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery is a first-class adventure, with 16 tanks of native fish, a spectacular aquarium, and environmental education programs. For the finest of country living surrounded by progressive amenities, few places can rival the appeal of Natchitoches Parish.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
Natchitoches
318-352-2772
https://www.natchitochesla.gov
Chamber of Commerce
318-352-6894
https://www.natchitocheschamber.com
The parish seat of government is also the hub of commerce, healthcare, education, culture, and recreation for the surrounding rural communities. In fact, more than half of the parish population lives within the City of Natchitoches. Distinguished as the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, Natchitoches blends historic charm with modern amenities for a rare quality of life. Even the city’s social mix is a study in contrasts. Natchitoches is praised as a wonderful place to retire and yet the community is vibrantly alive with youthful energy from the presence of Northwestern State University. Residents gather frequently for seasonal celebrations like the Natchitoches Christmas Festival and many other popular events that draw regional and even national and international visitors. Hundreds of people from around the world have enjoyed the city’s Haunted History and Christmas by Candlelight Tours. The historic downtown district, beautiful Cane River, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, and a wonderful university campus combine with welcoming neighborhoods in one of America’s most delightful home towns.
