What Natchez is known for

The Natchez region is mainly known for its historical and cultural significance. This area used to be more of an economic hub when steamboats went up and down the Mississippi River. Though it is not as booming as it was before, there are now many historical sights that people can visit. One of these historical landmarks is Longwood--an antebellum house (or plantation house) that began construction in 1860. The original owner, Dr. Haller Nutt, started building it on the eve of the Civil War. He likely wanted to start it sooner rather than later because he could use enslaved people to construct his house for much cheaper than paying people to build it. 

The reason Longwood is unique from the other antebellum homes from that time is that it is built in the shape of an octagon with a red dome on the top that makes it look like it has a crown. The mansion has 32 rooms, and each room has its own balcony. The house was never finished because construction workers were needed to fight in the Civil War, and after the war, Nutt did not have the funds to continue construction.[3] Visitors come from all over to see this monument of the Civil War time period and other antebellum houses in the area. 

In the surrounding areas of Natchez, there are many outdoor activities available. Some of these activities include hiking, camping, fishing, and mountain biking. Most visitors come in the summer months (June-August) to enjoy being outside. Generally, visitors come to visit family and can enjoy touring historical sights and other outdoor activities. The Natchez region is known for its production of cotton and sugarcane crops. Other crops such as okra, broccoli, watermelon, cantaloupe, and eggplant are also grown there, but cotton and sugarcane are the most prominent crops.[8]

Geography

The Natchez region includes the southern half of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana (a parish is another name for a county—though the term is only used in Louisiana) and all of Adams County, Mississippi. This region includes Sicily Island (Louisiana) and Alcorn (Mississippi) in the north part of the region, Dewey Wills Wildlife Management (Louisiana) area to the west, Fort Adams (Mississippi) to the south, and Homochitto National Forest (Mississippi) to the east. 

Though there are many different wildlife management areas in the Natchez region, such as Bayou Cocodrie Wildlife Refuge and St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge, the Natchez region's most significant geographic landmarks is the Homochitto National Forest. Here, there are many opportunities to hike, mountain bike, camp, fish, and go on picnics. The 191,839-acre forest is a big draw to tourists and locals alike. The Homochitto National Forest is home to many wild animals and plants. In this area, there are big animals such as black bears, deer, and cougars; but there are also smaller animals such as opossums, otters, beavers, and raccoons.[7] This region is also known for its wildflowers and flowering magnolia trees. Magnolias have an important role in that they are both the state flower and the state tree.[5] 

The Natchez region has an average temperature of 75.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity is usually between 70% and 80%. In the average year, the Natchez region can expect about 59 inches of and some years, they get snow, though generally very little, and it does not stay long. In the summer months (June-August), there are roughly 14 hours of sunlight, and in the winter, there can be as low as 10 hours of sunlight per day. Peak season is in the summer, though admittedly, there is not a very large difference in amount of people visiting from summer to winter.[6]

History

Around 900 AD, the Natchez Native Americans settled in the Natchez region of Louisiana and Mississippi. The Native Americans lived there for thousands of years by themselves. In 1716 French colonists explored the area, and they found they liked it right by the Mississippi River. The French settlers wanted to remember the people who had initially been there, so they named a city after the Natchez people. In the 1700s, the city of Natchez was an essential part of trade along the Mississippi River and soon became the capital of Mississippi. About 100 years after Natchez became the capital, Jackson, Mississippi, was established enough to become the new capital and took that title from Natchez. [1]

In the 1800s, there was a huge draw to this area because of the good farmland and the proximity to the Mississippi River. Steamboats would stop in Natchez and trade, buy, and sell goods that kept the thriving city a major contributor to the growing Mississippi economy. With the promise of good trading and fertile land, many Mississippi and Louisiana farmers and wealthy plantation owners relocated to this area to have better farming conditions to help their businesses flourish. Mostly these farmers grew sugarcane and cotton to trade and sell up the river. Still today, these are the crops most produced in this area.[1] 

When railroads were introduced to people wanting to buy and trade products, this area suffered because it depended on the steamboats coming up and down the Mississippi River. Even still, people were drawn to this area for the fertile land. Because many of the early settlers were wealthy, they had large antebellum homes built to house their families and the enslaved people that worked at the house. Many of these antebellum homes are now open for show, and people can take self-guided tours through them, though some still have families living in them. After railroads became a popular way to travel and transport today, the general population of Natchez and surrounding areas are predominantly Caucasian with African American and Native American minorities. [1]