Thursday, June 5, 2014 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Village auditorium The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians will present an illustrated talk by Jim Barnett titled “The Portage of the Cross: A Forgotten French Colonial Landmark on the Lower Mississippi River” in the museum auditorium at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, 2014. Admission is free and seating is limited. In French colonial times, the Portage of the Cross was one of the most important landmarks on the Lower Mississippi River. By following a system of bayous, canoe travelers could shorten their river journey by about thirty miles. For those heading upriver, this shortcut saved many hours of laborious paddling. Indian guides informed the French about the portage and voyageurs placed a wooden cross on the river bank to mark its location. During times of high water on the Mississippi, travelers could float their canoes through the shortcut. The portage and the Mississippi’s nearby junction with the Red and Atchafalaya rivers made the place an attractive location for Indian villages, first occupied by the Houmas and later by the Tunicas. Today, traces of the portage can be found within the walls of Angola State Prison. Barnett is director of the Historic Properties Division of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. He came to Natchez in 1981 following graduation from the University of Arkansas, where he received an M. A. in anthropology. Barnett is the author of two books, The Natchez Indians: A History to 1735 and Mississippi’s American Indians. We urge everyone to come and bring a friend (or two). This will be an informative and entertaining program. Call 601-446-6502 for more information.
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 20:18:14 +0000
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