Union County
EL DORADO — The Preservation Society of the South Arkansas Historical Foundation has announced that Jack Elliott, retired archaeologist with the state of Mississippi (Department of Archives and History) will make a presentation to the Preservation Society at 5:15 p.m. on Monday in the Newton House Museum, 510 Jackson St., in El Dorado and is free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
EL DORADO — The Preservation Society of the South Arkansas Historical Foundation has announced that Jack Elliott, retired archaeologist with the state of Mississippi (Department of Archives and History) will make a presentation to the Preservation Society at 5:15 p.m. on Monday in the Newton House Museum, 510 Jackson St., in El Dorado and is free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
Elliott’s presentation is titled “Colonial Natchez.” The Fort of Natchez — known successively as Fort Rosalie, Fort Panmure and Fort Sargent — was established in 1716 and abandoned about 1800, according to Patrick Hotard, executive director of the SAHF.
During this period it was garrisoned by French, British, Spanish and American troops. Established as a center for defense and trade on a frontier, it became the center of a growing settlement area when about 1790 the city of Natchez was surveyed adjacent to the fort with the city serving as the first capital of (1) the Spanish Natchez District, (2) the territory of Mississippi and (3) the state of Mississippi.
The Fort of Natchez epitomizes the colonial history of Mississippi in which the core of what would become the state evolved around a frontier outpost. The process is comparable to that seen at Jamestown, Virginia and Arkansas Post.
Elliott is a retired archaeologist with the state of Mississippi. He received both of his degrees in anthropology and geography from Mississippi State University and worked for state government for 25 years prior to retiring in 2010.
He is the co-author of “Cotton Gin Port: A Frontier Settlement on the Upper Tombigbee.” He is a four-time recipient of the Halsell Award for articles published in the Journal of Mississippi History.
The Preservation Society is the support organization for the SAHF and society membership forms are available at the SAHF offices. The Newton House was constructed circa 1849 and is a premier example of antebellum Greek Revival architecture. Tours are available and may be arranged by calling 870-862-9890. Like us on Facebook (Newton House Museum, El Dorado). The web site for the SAHF is www.soarkhistory.com.