On Wednesday, the Fort Rosalie unit of Natchez National Historical Park on South Canal Street will open to the public. Completion of the original French fort on Aug. 3, 1716 is why the City of Natchez is celebrating its 300th birthday this week, and why the week’s historical focus will be on the Natchez Indians and the early French colony at Natchez.

The tricentennial week will kick-off at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Hotel Vue with a presentation by Dr. Vin Steponaitis of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill entitled, “Fort Rosalie: A History in Maps.”

At 9 a.m., Wednesday, Hutke Fields, the Great Sun of the Natchez Indians, will perform an opening ceremony at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, followed by Jim Barnett, the former Director of the Grand Village. There will also be children’s activities. Rain moves this event to the Natchez Visitor Reception Center (NVRC) at 640 S. Canal St.

At 1:30 p.m., Dr. Emily Clark of Tulane University and Dr. Erin Greenwald of the Historic New Orleans Collection will make presentations on colonial Natchez at the NVRC. Book signings from all speakers will follow at The Natchez Shop within the NVRC, which features tricentennial merchandise.

Also at 1:30 p.m., National Park Service (NPS) Junior Ranger activities will be taking place in the NVRC courtyard that focus on the 2016 NPS Centennial.

From 1-4 p.m. archeologists from the NPS Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) will be on-site at Fort Rosalie to interact with the public and discuss their current excavations.

Until August 5, the public is invited to view a special exhibit in the lobby of the NVRC that celebrates SEAC’s 50 years working in National Parks. It features video of the excavations at Fort Rosalie and a 3-D rotating electronic display of artifacts.

The grand opening for Fort Rosalie will take place at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the site, including an invocation in honor of the Catholic church that was at the fort, with remarks from NPS dignitaries, Congressman Gregg Harper and Sen. Roger Wicker. Visitors for all Fort Rosalie activities should park at the NVRC, with limited drop-off on Green St. Rain will move the event to the NVRC.

The Melrose and William Johnson House sites will close to the public at 3 p.m. on Wednesday; Melrose tours at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m. will be free to the public.

Fort Rosalie will be open to the public every day from dawn until dark, with visitors invited to stroll the grounds and enjoy the picnic tables but asked to stay away from the edge of the bluff and the earthworks. Dogs are welcome if kept on a leash. Removal of any artifact is a crime.

On Aug. 8, work will begin on the log cabin, followed by the arrival of wayside exhibit panels along the sidewalks in coming months. For more information call 601-442-7047.

 

Kathleen McClain Bond is the superintendent of the Natchez National Historical Park.