Natchitoches is actually one of the oldest towns in the state and most of the downtown area never had major fires that befell the French Quarter in New Orleans in the early 1800's so Natchitoches' buildings tend to be a bit older in age. It is still a small town on the edge of Interstate 49 and it has a deep southern charm available readily in the B+B industry that has grown in the town. Hurricane Katrina went mostly to the east of the town and it suffered only some high wind damage that took down a couple old trees but no one was hurt and property damage was minimal.