Natchitoches, Louisiana

===20th century===
As the parish seat, Natchitoches suffered from the decline in agricultural population through the mid-20th century, and grew at a markedly lower rate after 1960. The mechanization of agriculture had reduced the number of workers needed, and many moved to cities for jobs. By the early 1970s, the town's businesses were declining, along with many area farms, and buildings were boarded up.

In the mid-1970s, Mayor [[Bobby DeBlieux]] and other preservationists believed that attracting tourists to the area, based on its historic assets of nearly intact plantations and numerous historic buildings, could be a key to attracting visitors, reviving the town, and stimulating new businesses. Over the years, he worked with a variety of landowners and local people to gain support for designating a historic district in the city. He also supported making a national park out of the working area of [[Magnolia Plantation (Derry, Louisiana)|Magnolia Plantation]], which had many surviving outbuildings from the 19th century, and from [[Oakland Plantation (Natchitoches, Louisiana)|Oakland Plantation]], both downriver in the parish.<ref name="thompson">[https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/22/us/reaping-what-was-sown-old-plantation-landowner-tells-her-family-s-truth-park.html Ginger Thompson, "Reaping What Was Sown On the Old Plantation; A Landowner Tells Her Family's Truth. A Park Ranger Wants a Broader Truth."], ''The New York Times'', June 22, 2000. Retrieved May 3, 2018</ref>

By the end of the 20th century, the mile-long French colonial area of downtown, which lies along Cane Lake, was designated as a [[National Historic Landmark District|National Historic District]]. Many buildings were adapted as antique shops, restaurants and souvenir emporiums. To accommodate tourists, the town had 32 bed-and-breakfast inns, the highest in the state.<ref name="thompson"/> By 2018, that number had increased to 50.

The plantation country surrounds Cane River Lake. The markedly intact downriver Magnolia and Oakland plantations were designated as [[National Historic Landmarks]], and are part of what has been developed as the [[Cane River Creole National Historical Park]],<ref name="thompson"/> which was authorized in 1994,<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/cari National Park Service: Official '''Cane River Creole National Historical Park''' website]</ref> with the support of US Senator [[J. Bennett Johnston]]. He was a cousin by marriage of Betty Hertzog, the last of the family to live in the great house at Magnolia.<ref name="thompson"/>

Tours and interpretive programs at both sites continue to attract visitors, especially as they grapple with telling the difficult history of slavery and its aftermath at the plantations. They also cover the contributions of blacks and [[Creoles of color]] to the community.<ref name="thompson"/> In April 2022, the city council added Juneteenth as an official city holiday.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holdiness |first1=Timothy |title=Natchitoches adds Juneteenth as official holiday |url=https://www.ktbs.com/news/natchitoches-adds-juneteenth-as-official-holiday/article_fa654994-c595-11ec-ba36-27583a26769f.html |access-date=26 August 2023 |work=KTBS |date=26 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

Since the late 20th century, the 35-mile [[oxbow lake]] has served as the spring-break training location for numerous university [[Rowing (sport)|crew]] teams,<ref name="lake"/> from universities such as the [[University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)|University of St. Thomas]], [[Kansas State University]], [[University of Kansas]], [[Wichita State University]], [[Murray State University]], [[University of Central Oklahoma]], and [[Washington University in St. Louis]], as well as [[Northwestern State University]]. In the spring of 2018, LSU, Alabama, Texas and Georgia were also represented. Tourists interested in sports often visit in this period to watch the sports teams.<ref name="lake"/>

Over the years, the city and parish have improved conditions with a riverbank stabilization project and a water pump project to improve water levels in the lake. This directs water from Hampton Lake into Bayou Possiant, which feeds Cane River Lake.<ref name="lake">[https://natchitochesparishjournal.com/2018/03/22/nine-college-rowing-teams-using-cane-river-this-month/comment-page-1/ "Nine college rowing teams using Cane River this month"], ''Natchitoches Parish Journal'', March 22, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018</ref>

In March 1965, nine children were among seventeen people killed in a natural gas pipeline explosion.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gas Blast Kills Seventeen in Louisiana |url=http://www.gendisasters.com/louisiana/53/natchitoches-la-gas-pipeline-explosion-mar-1965 |access-date=21 November 2020 |publisher=The Corpus Christi Times |date=4 March 1965}}</ref>

Natchitoches was the site of the 1973 plane crash that claimed the life of singer-songwriter [[Jim Croce]]. Croce had performed a concert on campus for [[Northwestern State University]] students at Prather Coliseum. He was killed less than an hour later in a plane headed to [[Sherman, Texas]]. The crash may have been a result of the pilot suffering a fatal heart attack.<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/jim-croce-five-others-die-in-plane-crash-19731025 "Jim Croce and five others die in plane crash"], ''Rolling Stone'', October 25, 1973</ref>