The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 necessitated that the Americans protect their
newly-acquired property, much to the chagrin of the French and Spanish creoles in
northern Louisiana, which saw these "depraved Americans" as a threat to their way
of life. The conflict between the American new-comers and the "old inhabitants"
along the Red River could be seen with the establishment of Fort Claiborne.
With the original fort of Natchitoches, St. Jean Baptiste, in ruins, the United States
established a new garrison to the north of town. Fort Claiborne, named after the
territorial governor, became a quite substantial locale as it continued to be occupied
for close to fifteen years. Here, the Indian Agent Dr. John Sibley signed treaties with
Caddoan, Coushattan, and other tribes - including the famous Caddo chief,
Dehahuit - to begin the process of westward removal. It was also at Fort Claiborne
where the Red River expedition of 1806 by Peter Custis, Thomas Freeman, and
Captain Sparks was launched.
However, the creole parishioners of Natchitoches sued the American government to
remove the fort, since they believed that the fort was built on communal property
that was overseen by the church, which was located at the fort's southeastern
corner. The suspicion that the Creole community had against the Americans was
evidenced by the abandonment of the original cemetery at the location of Fort St.
Jean Baptiste. The Catholic Creoles removed their dead from the cemetery once
protestants began their burials at the newly renamed "American Cemetery."
Fort Claiborne thus had an active but relatively short life. After the signing of the
Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819, which firmly established the border between New Spain
and the Louisiana Territory, the Mexican Revolution of 1821, and the American push
into North Texas, the U.S. government established Fort Jesup along the Spanish
Road (Camino de Real) northwest of Natchitoches.
Today, the old location of Fort Claiborne has been reclaimed by the Natchitoches
citizens. The site is now occupied by the convention and visitor's bureau, Louisiana
museum and hall of fame, the events center, the Main Street office, and other city
service buildings. The only reminder of the old fort is its guest house, which sits at
the corner of Second and Lafayette Streets.
newly-acquired property, much to the chagrin of the French and Spanish creoles in
northern Louisiana, which saw these "depraved Americans" as a threat to their way
of life. The conflict between the American new-comers and the "old inhabitants"
along the Red River could be seen with the establishment of Fort Claiborne.
With the original fort of Natchitoches, St. Jean Baptiste, in ruins, the United States
established a new garrison to the north of town. Fort Claiborne, named after the
territorial governor, became a quite substantial locale as it continued to be occupied
for close to fifteen years. Here, the Indian Agent Dr. John Sibley signed treaties with
Caddoan, Coushattan, and other tribes - including the famous Caddo chief,
Dehahuit - to begin the process of westward removal. It was also at Fort Claiborne
where the Red River expedition of 1806 by Peter Custis, Thomas Freeman, and
Captain Sparks was launched.
However, the creole parishioners of Natchitoches sued the American government to
remove the fort, since they believed that the fort was built on communal property
that was overseen by the church, which was located at the fort's southeastern
corner. The suspicion that the Creole community had against the Americans was
evidenced by the abandonment of the original cemetery at the location of Fort St.
Jean Baptiste. The Catholic Creoles removed their dead from the cemetery once
protestants began their burials at the newly renamed "American Cemetery."
Fort Claiborne thus had an active but relatively short life. After the signing of the
Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819, which firmly established the border between New Spain
and the Louisiana Territory, the Mexican Revolution of 1821, and the American push
into North Texas, the U.S. government established Fort Jesup along the Spanish
Road (Camino de Real) northwest of Natchitoches.
Today, the old location of Fort Claiborne has been reclaimed by the Natchitoches
citizens. The site is now occupied by the convention and visitor's bureau, Louisiana
museum and hall of fame, the events center, the Main Street office, and other city
service buildings. The only reminder of the old fort is its guest house, which sits at
the corner of Second and Lafayette Streets.
| St. Jean Baptiste Los Adaes Fort Claiborne Fort Jesup Fort Towson Fort Washita Fort Belknap Fort Phantom Hill Fort Griffin Fort Richardson Fort Sill |
| Fort Claiborne |
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| An 1814 map depicts the location of Fort Claiborne along the San Antonio road (once, the Camino de Real). (Library of Congress) |
| In 2005, James Rosenthal documented the Fort Claiborne guest house for the Historic American Buildings Survey. This is the only extant building that remains of the fort. |
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