Nestled on the banks of Louisiana's Cane River and founded in 1714 as a French colonial settlement, Natchitoches boasts brick streets, venerable architecture, and a charming ambiance that draw visitors from around the world. Nearby, a magnificent plantation country and the Creole community of Isle Brevelle amplify the area's allure. This stunning gallery of photographs by Phillip Gould, along with edifying articles, documents the varying cultures of the Cane River region, one of the state's oldest and most historically French areas.
The book opens with a look at Natchitoches proper and its breathtaking architectural gems, including stately churches and elegant homes. Gould also captures the life pulsing behind these impressive facades. A blues band performs its monthly gig at Roque's Grocery. A child prepares to be baptized in the Cane River. A young couple celebrates their marriage in high style. Through Gould's lens and an enlightening history by Richard Seale, Natchitoches yesterday and today comes alive.
Accompanied by revealing commentary from Robert DeBlieux, Gould next trains his talented eye on nearby majestic plantations and on the tiny town of Cloutierville, once home to writer Kate Chopin. Finally, the book spotlights the nearby Creole settlement of Isle Brevelle. Harlan Mark Guidry, one of the many descendants of Isle Brevelle now living throughout the United States, narrates the story of this unique cultural treasure.
NATCHITOCHES AND LOUISIANA'S TIMELESS CANE RIVER offers passage through an extraordinary world where people, heritage, and history are inseparably intertwined. Natives and tourists alike will relish the journey.
