The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum will host its next Lunchtime Lagniappe program on Friday, August 15, 2025, featuring Dr. Kathleen Byrd. The event will take place from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches.

Dr. Byrd’s presentation, Natchitoches 1803–1840, will explore the city’s unique experience following the Louisiana Purchase. Unlike many rural French communities of the era, Natchitoches’ frontier position and early establishment of a military fort, Indian agency, and federal trading post made it a hub of political, cultural, and economic activity.

During this period, frontier tensions nearly led to war, Native American alliances prompted trade agreements and a Grand Council, and migration brought hundreds of travelers westward into Texas. Dr. Byrd will share these stories and more, providing insight into a transformative era in the city’s history.

Byrd, who retired as director of the School of Social Sciences at Northwestern State University, also served as Louisiana’s state archaeologist.

The program is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch to enjoy while they listen.

For more information, visit the FLASH Facebook page or call (318) 357-2492.