For three decades a single entity has helped to set the bar for historic preservation efforts and tourism in Natchez — courtesy of Uncle Sam.

Thirty years ago Sunday then President Ronald Reagan signed into law a bill establishing the Natchez National Historical Park.

From its early beginnings as primarily a well-maintained antebellum house, the National Park Service has slowly and methodically forged its own place is Natchez’s history by telling all of Natchez’s history.

The National Park Service was among the first groups focus heavily on adding balance and realness to Natchez’s tourism offering rather than merely a glossed up Gone with the Wind version.

The National Park Service tells all of Natchez’s history.

With the expansion that includes the William Johnson House and the site of the original Fort Rosalie, the group is poised to tell all of Natchez’s history from the early French through the Civil War.

Along the way the Natchez National Historical Park has become what we’ve often dubbed a jewel in Natchez’s crown.

The Park Service in Natchez is involved in many, many community projects and invests in the community through its payroll and the hiring of local services.

Natchez is a far better place and our history is immensely better preserved with the National Park Service helping to lead the charge.

Congratulations on 30 years in Natchez, and here’s to 30 more.