People

Traveling in groups provided safety to early travelers on the Natchez Trace.

NPS

Whether famous, infamous, or anonymous, travelers of the Natchez Trace relied heavily on this wilderness road. The Trace was a road home, a path of exploration, and a link to the growing population of the Old Southwest. Over time, new roads and population centers were developed and steamships carried people and supplies upstream. The Old Trace fell out of use. Reestablished as a unit of the National Park Service in 1938, the Natchez Trace Parkway was completed in 2005. The route still serves as a connection between population centers, and allows modern travelers to explore and discover the history and culture of earlier generations.

 

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  Women 50% Plus

  Women: Essential and Respected

  From the historical American Indian tribes to the establishment of the Natchez Trace Parkway, women have been respected and essential.

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  Captain of Spies!

  John Gordon: Impressive House and Life

  Gordon moved his family permanently to the Duck River site in 1812 and shortly thereafter went to fight the Red Stick Creek Indians.

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  Andrew Jackson a Complex Man

  Some Loved Him, Others Hated Him

  Jackson's army widened the Trace on the way to New Orleans. After becoming president, he changed the the area by removing the native tribes.

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  Meriwether Lewis

  His Last Days

  In September of 1809, Lewis began his journey to Washington, D.C., to document and defend his spending of government funds. He died here.

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  Traders from the Northeast

  Kaintucks, the Boatmen Who Walked Home

  They floated in flatboats to Natchez, MS and New Orleans to peddle their goods. Then they walked home.

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  Chickasaw People

  A Dynamic People Across the Centuries

  People of the Chickasaw Nation are learning about their heritage to carry on their traditions.