Small town living at its best!
-
11/10/2019
Natchitoches is a great small town in central Louisiana, with several claims to fame. It is the oldest permanent European settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, having been founded in 1714 by the French. In addition to all the history of the area (which also includes plantations, a Civil War campaign, and the Louisiana Maneuvers), Natchitoches is also famous for several movies filmed there, including John Wayne's "Horse Soldiers" and most famously, "Steel Magnolias".
Natchitoches has all the usual advantages of small southern towns, such as a fairly laid back way of doing things and extremely friendly population; and additionally the advantages of small Louisiana towns in particular, including excellent food and a rich culture.
With Northwestern State University located right in town, there is a mix of population including a large number of retirees brought in by the warm climate (not to mention frequent favorable reviews in magazines as a great place to retire), but also a large population of college students.
There is a lot to do if you like the outdoors, history, or both. Located within Natchitoches is a full reproduction of the original French palisade fort, and associated museum. The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest La History museum is also located near the downtown area. Just outside of town is a Corps of Engineers visitor center that has a museum with rotating exhibits, and there are another half dozen museums within an hour's drive or less on subjects such as the Civil War (several nearby battlefields exist), native Americans, the Louisiana Maneuvers, the timber industry, and possibly soon an African American museum as well. There is a National Park nearby with a focus on the plantations of the region, and there are number of historic homes both in and near the town, some of which are open for tours or are run as bed and breakfasts (of which there an unusually large number in town). The town is nationally famous for its Christmas festival, Christmas lighting, and fireworks on the Cane River; and there are a number of other festivals year round as well. These include the Meat Pie Festival, Jazz Festival, a film festival, and numerous others. There is also a large classic car show annually, and occasionally a very high quality (and free) airshow for such a small town and airport. There are two lakes in town (Cane River is actually a long river-like lake), and many others throughout the region, including the very large Toledo Bend Lake not far to the West. Hunting and fishing are excellent throughout the area, and there is a good amount of public land available, including several nearby wildlife refuges and a large National Forest (which has good camping, horse and hiking trails).
Downsides include relatively high crime for its size (although it is better than most Louisiana towns in this regard, which is admittedly a low threshold). Other problems are that there is not always a large variety of good jobs available. Outside of the university and healthcare, there is a Alliance Compressors, and Pilgrims Pride, which are two of the larger employers. Beyond that there are good jobs in the nearby oil and gas fields, and throughout the region in the timber industry (although both oil/ gas as well as timber are subject to frequent and unpredictable boom/bust cycles that do not always align with the national economy at large). The only other real downside is the very poor public schools for those that have children. This is offset however by a number of very good private schools, as well as a very home-school friendly environment.
Overall, as someone who grew up nearby (Natchitoches was the closest town of any size), I would recommend it to almost anyone. I traveled the world during fourteen years in the military, and have visited all fifty states, and nearly thirty foreign countries. I could have gone anywhere to settle down permanently, but I chose to return home. Many of the negative reviews are from those who have never been anywhere else and naturally the grass always seems greener, and that is understandable. Also, if you want big city shopping, or you are a big time partier/drinker that needs lots of bars and such, then yes Natchitoches is probably not for you. If you value a small town approach to life that is great for a family, and has a lot going for it, then you could do a lot worse than to settle here. Come and visit, you might decide to never leave!
Daniel | Marthaville, LA