N Is for Natchitoches

I wish it weren't so, but Natchitoches, a university city in northwest Louisiana, has a personal connection beyond one of the city's tourist attractions, Steel Magnolia was filmed there, and a deep linkage to my grandmother's family.  No, one of my trips had to end with a visit to the Indian Mounds.

I needed solace . . .

Approximately 1500 years ago, the Natchitoches Indians inhabited what is now Natchitoches (Nack-a-Tish), Louisiana. The Natchitoches Indians were part the Caddo Nation (which also included the Doustioni, Ouachita and Yatasi).

Louis Juchereau de St. Denis founded the actual city of present-day Natchitoches in 1714.  It is the oldest permanent settlement within the borders of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.  (Wikipedia)

Even thought the U.S. Constitution did not provide for the government to purchase land, President Thomas Jefferson convinced Congress to approve the purchase of l, 828,000 sq. miles (2,140,000 sq. km) from Napoleon Bonaparte of France for $11,250,000.  President Thomas Jefferson pursued this purchase because he worried about the port of New Orleans (as the Louisiana Territory kept flipping between France and Spain).

The Louisiana Purchase (Vente de la Louisiane) included all or part of 15 present-day U.S. states (and two Canadian provinces in present-day Canada) and doubled the size of the U.S.  The Louisiana Purchase is about 23% of the size of the U.S. today.  (Upon completion of the sale, Bonaparte said, " This accession of territory affirms forever the power of the Untied States.)

In the movie, Steel Magnolias, the setting is "Chinquapin." There is no such place in Louisiana.  "Chinquapin" refers to a type of fish the "Naktosh" (Natchitoches) Indians preferred.  Their name means "chinquapin eaters."  The movie also mentioned a festival of lights in Natchitoches.  The festival does exist, is very elaborate, and draws visitors from all over.

Since the Cane River, about 36 miles long, flows through Natchitoches, the play of festival lights on the water touches a magical chord in a beautiful city with unbelievably gorgeous homes in the historic district, around Northwestern University (part of the University of Louisiana system), and along the river.

A few years ago, Lalita Tademy, an African-American, quit her executive position at a major Silicone Valley company in California to research her roots, then wrote Cane River.  Some of my grandmother's people had lived in the Natchitoches area.  When I read the book, I was pleased to see my ancestors (Oubre) came off rather well, even for the pre-Civil War times (just as my grandmother had said).

One of my nieces attended Northwestern University. Wendy died in a horrific single-car accident the weekend she would have graduated.  A friend of my hub's worked for the Louisiana State Police.  He said it was the second worst accident they'd ever seen.

To say the accident devastated me would be an understatement. Hub and I lived in Honolulu at the time.  I pretty much cried the entire trip to Jackson, Mississippi, where we picked up the rental car, and the long miles to the funeral. Wendy so loved Northwestern University, I had to make a pilgrimage there a few days after the funeral.

After several slow drives in and around the university, the historic district, and along Cane River, I returned to the Indian Mounds, parked the car, got out, and walked around.  It was one of those beautiful Southern mornings when birds chirped and flowers smiled.  I stood before one of the Mounds and felt comforted through my tears.  Wendy had so loved the Mounds.

I almost didn't choose Natchitoches for today's letter, for the ending has a sad note, but decided, no, any chance to hug a loved one is a good one.  You already know that life's fleeting and treasure those around you, but, please, taste my salty tears and take another moment to hold your loved ones close and whisper 'I love you.'

One of the gracious homes in the historic district.  (Wikipedia)

Judge Porter House, a five-star bed and breakfast in historic district. (From their web site.)

Poster from 2011 Festival of Lights (Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce.)

Cane River (part of Red River, actually).  (Photo from unknown source.)

Cane River by Lalita Tademy (Courtesy of Amazon)

Indian Mound (Photo courtesy of LSU as I couldn't fine a photo at Wendy's Northwestern.  But they look the same, actually.)

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