The French in Texas

The post the plaque calls Fort Saint Louis is better known as Le Poste des Cadodaquious, the French rendering of Kadohadacho, a name Caddo peoples used for themselves and their homeland. A Nasoni group lived nearby, so some called it Le Poste des Nassonites. Bernard de La Harpe founded it in 1719 on the Red River's south bank and left late that year, handing command to Louis Juchereau de St. Denis. It was a trading station more than a fort, supplying expeditions in 1742 and 1750. Spain tried to revive it in 1770, and the Nasoni soon left.

What the plaque says

The French in Texas Were explorers and traders for about a century. Claimed coastal Texas early as 1685 when La Salle established his Fort Saint Louis colony. Another Fort Saint Louis, among Nassonite Indians, a few miles northwest of this marker, was founded in 1719 by a French captain, Benard de La Harpe, who came up the Red River. This fort was a center for trade with the Cadodacho (Caddoes) of northeast Texas and the Wichita, Tawakoni, Tonkawa and other tribes of North Texas. Over 250,000 French and Caddo Indian artifacts have been found near here-- including two millstones used in a flour mill near the fort. Although Spain claimed Texas earlier and during the time of La Harpe, this did not discourage the French; they traded as far south as the mouth of the Trinity until Louisiana was ceded to Spain in 1762. The chief French influence in east Texas was the Cavalier Saint Denis (1676-1744), who controlled Red River area of Louisiana, frequently coming into Texas. At first he prospected for silver and gold, as Spain had done. Later he found trading with the Indians was very profitable. The French had no policy against trading guns to Indians; partly for that reason they were more popular than the Spainards. (1966)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Museum of Regional History — 0.2 mi
  Texarkana's oldest museum, in an 1879 brick building on State Line Avenue, with Caddo pottery, one of Scott Joplin's pianos and a research library of city directories and photographs.
• Atlanta State Park — 18 mi
  A shoreline park on Wright Patman Lake, leased from the Army in 1954, where Caddo ancestors farmed the Sulphur River and wagon traces such as the Bobo Ferry trace still cross the woods.

More markers nearby

• World War I Memorial — steps away
• First Disciples of Christ in Texas — steps away
• Texarkana — 0.3 mi
• Scott Joplin — 0.3 mi