People

Traveling in groups provided safety to early travelers on the Natchez Trace.

NPS

Whether famous, infamous, or anonymous, travelers of the Natchez Trace relied heavily on this wilderness road. The Trace was a road home, a path of exploration, and a link to the growing population of the Old Southwest. Over time, new roads and population centers were developed and steamships carried people and supplies upstream. The Old Trace fell out of use. Reestablished as a unit of the National Park Service in 1938, the Natchez Trace Parkway was completed in 2005. The route still serves as a connection between population centers, and allows modern travelers to explore and discover the history and culture of earlier generations.

 

Trace the History of Many Peoples

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  More than 50% of the Population

  Women: Essential and Respected

  From the historical American Indian tribes to the establishment of the Natchez Trace Parkway, women have been respected and essential.

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  Traders from the Northeast

  Kaintucks, the Boatmen Who Walked Home

  They floated in flatboats to Natchez, MS and New Orleans to peddle their goods. Then they walked home.

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  Chickasaw People

  A Dynamic People Across the Centuries

  People of the Chickasaw Nation are learning about their heritage to carry on their traditions.

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  Significant Influencers

  African Americans from the Trace Area

  Photograph shows Hiram R. Revels (1827-1901) who was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate, and represented Mississippi.

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  An Opportunity Seized

  Early Influential Men from the East

  When opportunity was seen, European men moved in to claim land they considered wilderness.

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  Many Tribes Called this Area Home

  Chickasaw, Choctaw, Natchez and Others

  The tribes in the area along the Natchez Trace have a rich heritage. More than 30 tribes call this area their homeland.