Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site in Natchitoches "Nack-a-tish", Louisiana is a fascinating historic attraction where you can step back into the early 1700s and experience life on the frontier of French colonial Louisiana.
One of our favorite parts of homeschooling is taking learning beyond the books—and our visit to Fort St. Jean Baptiste did exactly that.
This self-guided historic site brought 18th-century Louisiana to life as we explored the reconstructed French fort, walked through period buildings, and learned how soldiers, traders, and families lived on the frontier. Each student was given a guidebook at check-in, allowing them to move at their own pace, read primary-source information, and truly experience history instead of just memorizing it.
We talked about:
French and Spanish influence in early Louisiana
Trade relationships with Native American tribes
Daily life, military structure, and frontier survival
How geography and waterways shaped settlement
The hands-on atmosphere sparked curiosity, thoughtful questions, and meaningful conversations—exactly what we strive for at Pear Tree Academy. Visits like this help our students connect the past to the present and understand history as a lived experience, not just a timeline.
These adventures are a core part of our learning philosophy: real places, real questions, real understanding. We can’t wait to see where our next adventure takes us 🌿📚