Natchez Trace

The Natchez Trace is a road from Natchez in Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. It was of great commercial and military importance from the 1780's to the 1830's. The route grew from a series of Native American trails that were used by the French, English and Spanish in the 18th century.

Originally it was only traveled northwards from Natchez to Nashville. For the return trip southward, American frontiersmen used flatboats to float goods all the way to New Orleans. The Natchez Trace came to be used in both directions with U.S. expansion into the Old Southwest. It was made a post road in 1800 and was improved by the army.

Andrew Jackson marched over the Trace to New Orleans in the War of 1812. With the coming of steamboat transportation, however, the road passed into decline.

The Natchez Trace Parkway and Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail memorialize and generally follow the old Natchez Trace. Meriwether Lewis Park and Ackia Battleground, which is now called Chickasaw Village, both former national monuments, were incorporated into Natchez Trace Parkway in 1961.