Natchez National Historical Park

Natchez National Historical Park is a national park in Mississippi consisting of several historic sites spread across Natchez and its surroundings. It preserves the Melrose mansion, the William Johnson House, Fort Rosalie, and the Forks of the Road, which together document different chapters of the region's past.

The park was established in 1988 to protect several sites that tell the story of different periods in the Mississippi Valley. Fort Rosalie, built by French settlers in 1716, shows the colonial era, while later additions reveal how control shifted between nations and how society evolved over time.

The William Johnson House shows how a free Black businessman lived and worked, running barbershops and properties before the Civil War. His personal journals reveal the daily routines and social challenges of someone with such an unusual status in that era.

Visitors can explore the sites daily, with information and guided tours available at various locations throughout the park. It is helpful to wear comfortable shoes and plan extra time since the different historic places are spread across a larger area.

The Forks of the Road section marks the location of one of the largest slave trading markets in the American South, operating from the 1830s until the Civil War. This memorial preserves a difficult chapter that was deeply important to the nation's past.

Location: Adams County

Inception: October 7, 1988

Website: https://nps.gov/natc

GPS coordinates: 31.54333,-91.38306

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:41