1699Government
Natchitoches was founded as a French outpost on the Red River for trade with Spanish-controlled Mexico; French traders settled there as early as 1699.
1714Government
Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St.
1803History
It is the oldest permanent European settlement within the borders of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.
1805Government
The United States Government established a federal fur trade factory here in 1805.
1818History
It was removed to Sulphur Fork, Arkansas in 1818.
1819Government
The city was incorporated on February 5, 1819, and is the oldest permanent settlement in the land acquired by the Louisiana Purchase.
1856Government
Johnson (1856–1933), state senator and mayor.
1864Military
Alexandria was destroyed by Union troops in 1864, but both Union and Confederate troops were responsible for severely damaging plantations along the river during the war, includ...
1871History
Cunningham (1871–1952), attorney, state judge, state representative
W.
1901Sports
Peyton Cunningham (1901–1971), attorney and member of the Louisiana House
George Doherty was a former football player
Caroline Dormon, a naturalist and preservationist
Steve Dow...
1903Sports
== Notable people ==
Jack Berly (1903–1977), a Major League Baseball pitcher
Curtis Boozman (1898–1979), served two terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives.
1917History
Jack, judge from 1917 until his death in 1924
Andrew R.
1934Sports
Williams (born 1934), NSU and Louisiana Tech football coach
J.
1953Military
Robert Wooley (born 1953), Louisiana insurance commissioner
== In popular culture ==
Multiple movies have been filmed here, including:
The Horse Soldiers (1959), starring Wi...
1956Government
NRMC was established in 1956.
1960Culture
=== 20th century ===
As the parish seat, Natchitoches suffered from the decline in agricultural population through the mid-20th century, and grew at a markedly lower rate after ...
1962Government
The municipal water supply comes from nearby Sibley Lake, a formerly drained wetland dammed in 1962, which also offers fishing and boating.
1965Disaster
==== Notable events ====
Natchitoches was the site of a gas pipeline explosion on March 4, 1965, that killed 17 people.
1973Infrastructure
In 1973, singer-songwriter Jim Croce was killed when his plane crashed as it was leaving Natchitoches Regional Airport.
1982History
Cane River (1982), Horace B.
1998History
In 1998, Natchitoches was named one of the top six places in the United States to retire by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine.
2004Culture
This unit has been deployed twice to Iraq, first as part of the 1-156TH Armor Battalion in 2004–2005, and then as part of the 2-108TH CAV SQDN in 2010.
2005Disaster
Natchitoches received numerous New Orleans evacuees due to Hurricane Katrina (2005).
2006Military
In 2006, Natchitoches was awarded the Great American Main Street Award for the effort the community has put into revitalizing and restoring much of the historic district.
2010History
=== 2010 census ===
As of the 2010 census, 18,323 people, 6,705 households, and 3,631 families were residing in the city.
2018History
By 2018, that number had increased to 50.
2019Culture
In 2019 the festival celebrated its 93rd year.
2020History
== Demographics ==
=== 2020 census ===
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,039 people, 6,222 households, and 2,773 families residing in the city.
2022History
In April 2022, the city council added Juneteenth as an official city holiday.