| The Grand Village of the
Natchez Indians is a National Historic Landmark administered by the
Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Natchez,
Mississippi. The site was the main ceremonial mound center for the
Natchez Indian tribe during the French colonial period in the
Natchez area (1682 - 1730). Today, the Natchez Indians are known
through archaeology and through the wealth of colonial documents
written by French priests, explorers, merchants, and military
personnel. |
French
trade items on exhibit at the
Grand Village |
|
The Grand
Village museum, accredited by the American Association of Museums,
interprets the interaction between the Natchez Indians and the
French. Museum exhibits include French and Native American
artifacts. Museum educational programs for school and adult groups
explore the Natchez Indians’ history, culture, and archaeology. The
programs also focus on the French colonial
experience. |
The site presents a
number of educational public events during the year, including
storytellings, living history reenactments, a Museum Discovery Week
for children, Summer Film Series, and the annual Natchez
Powwow.
The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians is a popular destination
for French and Canadian tourists. During 1997, approximately two
thousand French tourists visited the site. Experienced tour guides
who speak French are available through local organizations such as
the Natchez Convention and Visitor Bureau (1-800-647-6724). The
Grand Village museum also offers a French language version of its
information brochure. |
| Archaeological remains indicate that the Grand Village was
occupied from around A.D. 1200 until 1730. The site was not a
"village". Instead, the mound center served as a ceremonial place.
The Natchez chief, called "The Great Sun", lived in a house on top
of one of the mounds. The majority of the Natchez tribe lived
scattered around the countryside on family farms. The people
gathered periodically at the Grand Village for religious and social
events. Because the Grand Village was the home of the chief, the
French colonial leaders often visited the site to conduct business
with the tribe. |
|
Drawing of
the Natchez Great Sun by Antoine Simon Le Page du
Pratz |
| The first well-documented
French contact with the Natchez Indians occurred on March 26, 1682,
when the La Salle Expedition met members of the tribe along the
banks of the Mississippi River in the vicinity of the modern city
of Natchez, Mississippi. After La Salle, French traders and
soldiers traveling the Mississippi River began stopping at the
Natchez landing to trade with the tribe. In 1698, the celebrated
French-Canadian naval officer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville
established an alliance with the Natchez Indians. The French built
Fort Rosalie, named in honor of the Countess of Pontchartrain, in
1716 on the Mississippi River bluff at Natchez. The fort served as
the nucleus of a colony that helped secure France’s hold on the
Lower Mississippi River Valley.
During the 1720s, the
French colony at Natchez, backed by the Company of the Indies,
experienced a period of growth. However, misunderstandings between
the French and the Indians led to a series of conflicts. Another
problem for the French was the continued presence of English agents
in the Natchez area. England and France were at war in Europe and
the two countries competed for Native American allies in the
Mississippi River Valley. The Natchez tribe was soon divided into
pro-French and pro-English factions. The French colony lost its
most influential Indian ally when the Great Sun died of old age in
1728. The pro-English faction of the tribe gained control and led
the Natchez Indians in a revolt against the French in November
1729. In the war that followed, the French forced the Natchez
Indians to leave their homeland. By the mid-1730s, members of the
tribe that escaped capture by the French were adopted by other
tribes, including the Chickasaw, Cherokee, and
Creek. |
Map of the French colony at Natchez, circa 1720
| Following the war, the
French were unable to rebuild the colony at Natchez. However,
France maintained a small military garrison at Fort Rosalie until
1763, when the English took control of the Natchez area under the
terms of the Treaty of Paris. Today, the Fort Rosalie site is owned
by the National Park Service. The fort site is not developed;
however, an interpretive center is planned as part of the
development of the Natchez National Historical
Park. |
The Grand
Village of the Natchez Indians
administered by the Mississippi Department of Archives and
History
400 Jefferson Davis Boulevard
Natchez, Mississippi
USA 39120
Free
Admission
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday; Sundays 1:30 - 5:00
p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day
For information call: 601-446-6502
|