Recovered Hometown Heritage newspaper manuscript, submitted October 29, 2009. The event dates below are historical; exact newspaper issue date not recorded here.
It seems autumn is primetime for the Natchitoches Historic Foundation. NHF is offering the public several opportunities to discover Natchitoches heritage in the next few weeks.
Autumn Preservation Events
This Saturday, Oct. 31, the Natchitoches Historic Foundation is holding its annual Haunted History Tour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The tour will focus on some of the more dramatic events in Natchitoches history. Local actors will portray the people that were central to these events at stations around American Cemetery. In many cases, these stations will be located near the graves of those being portrayed. An interesting bonus for this year’s tour will be a station featuring members of a paranormal investigation team, who will report their findings from the Chez de Amis house on Washington St. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and will be available at the American Cemetery.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, NHF is sponsoring another community cemetery cleanup day. Scotty Williams, a student in the NSU Master of Arts in Heritage Resources (MAHR) program, is organizing the event. The public is invited to come out and learn the best ways to clean and maintain gravemarkers. The event will be held at Catholic Cemetery, which is located between Rue Fifth and Rue Sixth from 8 a.m. til noon. All cleaning materials will be provided by the Natchitoches Historic Foundation along with a free lunch. There’s a video at natchitochespreservation.ning.com that demonstrates how fun and informative these events are.
Recognition and Scholarships
The next day, on Sunday, Nov. 8, NHF will hold its annual Natchitoches Preservation Fall Gala beginning at 5 p.m. NHF will recognize the winners of its Ann Williams Brittain, and Robert Knipmeyer Awards. The awards memorialize two of Natchitoches’ strongest preservation advocates and are given to recognize those making significant contributions to local heritage.
The winner of the Mildred Hart Bailey Scholarship will also be announced at the Gala. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student in the NSU MAHR program. In return, the student undertakes a local preservation project on behalf of NHF. Last year, student Dean Barnes worked to assess, document, and prepare archival storage recommendations for NHF’s 19th century collection of mourning apparel.
The Gala is open to the public and is the perfect opportunity to learn about NHF’s activities and meet its people in a relaxed environment. The food and beverages are always wonderful as well. NHF is holding the event at its headquarters this year, located between the Second Street firehouse and First Baptist Church. For more information, visit the organization’s website at historicfoundation.org.
What Remains
The Natchitoches Historic Foundation continues to organize preservation activities more than sixteen years after the events described in this column. Its current calendar advertises walking porch tours and Christmas tours of homes for December 2026, while its Mildred Hart Bailey Memorial Scholarship supports graduate students undertaking preservation projects. The organization’s work still connects public participation with care for the city’s historic places, even as particular events and award recipients change. Natchitoches Historic Foundation · 2026 tours and events.
Updated October 2026
Article Catalog CardView the manuscript record, provenance & surviving materials
| Artifact | Newspaper manuscript and original cemetery-cleanup photo caption. |
|---|---|
| Institution | Natchitoches Times; Natchitoches Historic Foundation. |
| Evidence | October 29, 2009 email submission and associated original photo attachment. |
| Role | Columnist and community heritage communicator. |
| Status | Archival republication; print edition and image review pending. |
Critical Questions + Add to the Record
Application here: Community events and awards show whose efforts local preservation organizations celebrated, and which contributions deserve further documentation.
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