For 62 years, The Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches has been using autumn to transport history lovers back to a time of romance and amazing architecture with the Annual Fall Tour of Homes.

The event, Oct. 14-16, covers the Landmark Historic District and Cane River areas. It gives sightseers the opportunity to explore the most beautiful historic homes in Natchitoches Parish with three guided tour options and is in conjunction with APHN’s anniversary celebration of 75 years.

CANDLELIGHT TOUR This tour is only available Friday from 7 until 9 p.m.

• Trinity Episcopal Church 533 Rue Second Built in 1857, the Gothic-Norman church is the oldest religious structure in Natchitoches with 22- to 28-inch thick masonry walls. A unique exhibit of Clementine Hunter’s religious paintings will be on view in the sanctuary. A tasting of old Natchitoches recipes, to celebrate APHN’s anniversary, will be held in Trinity Episcopal Church Courtyard.

• Fair Woods Cottage 840 Rue Second One of three remaining Natchitoches houses noted for French Creole design was built in 1835. It is a two-story example with Greek Revival features with six outside doors and six fireplaces. The cottage was restored in 2008 by the Natchitoches Historic Foundation and is on the National Register.

• Cunningham Law Office 550 Rue Second Another example of Greek Revival style, headquarters for the Natchitoches Historic Foundation, was built in 1860. It is the repository for the Mildred Hart Bailey Collection of selected Clementine Hunter paintings representing more than 50 years of the artist’s life.

TOWN TOUR Saturday only, this all-day tour takes place from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

• Lemee House 310 Rue Jefferson Circa 1837, this old Natchitoches home was built by the team of Soldini and Triscini and has been a residence, a bank and, since 1941, headquarters for APHN. It will host an exhibit of rare early Hunter works from the Ann and Jack Brittain Family Collection.

• Jeanne’s Country Garden 300 Rue Jefferson This is considered to be the most significant wood-frame commercial structure in the Historic District. Built in 1895, the building has been a general store, carpet showroom and home to the current flower shop for more than 40 years. An exhibit of Hunter’s floral paintings will be displayed.

• Soldini House 240 Rue Jefferson Built by Soldini and Triscini in 1847, this Italian Renaissance Revival home was purchased by J. H. Williams Sr. in 1916 and has remained in his family for five generations. This year the family celebrates 100 years in the home and will share rare Hunter originals.

• Jefferson Street Townhouse 230 Rue Jefferson This 1918 colonial Revival bungalow was home to the Pierson family for more than half a century. The Piersons return to share their Hunter original artworks. The current owners will display the Melder Family Collection, including a Hunter wedding painting.

CANE RIVER COUNTRY TOUR This tour is available Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

• Murphy-Pratt Place 2701 State Hwy. 494 This river house, on tour for the first time, was built in 1911 by the Pratt family on land given by Mrs. Pratt’s father, owner of Cherokee. Framed by live oaks, it is recognizable as the romantic setting of the 1991 film “The Man in the Moon.”

• Cherokee Plantation 3110 State Hwy. 494 Built before 1839, Cherokee was constructed of cypress, mud and Spanish moss. It has its original six fireplaces, floorboards and windows. Eighteen hand-hewn cypress columns support exterior galleries on three sides. The owner’s extensive collection of Hunter originals is highlighted by a painting of the house.

• St. Charles Borromeo Chapel 4078 State Hwy. 494 This 1909 chapel is a mission of St. Augustine Catholic Church. It is the only known instance in the U.S. of a white mission sponsored by a church where members were primarily people of color.

• Oakland Plantation 4386 State Hwy. 494 The Prudhomme family home from 1821 until 1998, Oakland Plantation is now a part of Cane River Creole National Historic Park. Many original outbuildings remain and are on tour along with the plantation house. It was the location of the 1958 John Ford film “The Horse Soldiers,” starring John Wayne.

• Melrose Plantation 3533 State Hwy. 119 Louis Metoyer established the plantation, a National Historic Landmark, circa 1796. For the first half of the 20th century, Cammie Henry attracted to her plantation numerous authors, historians and artists to live, work and collaborate. Cleaning up after the artists inspired a Melrose maid, Clementine Hunter, to pick up leftover brushes and paints and begin painting. The complex contains nine buildings, as well as Hunter’s little cottage.

– Bonnie Culverhouse

TICKETS:

Single Tour – $25 per person Double Tour Package – $40 per person Triple Tour Package – $50 per person (Best Value) Children’s (ages 6-12) Tickets – $5 per tour/child Children under 6 attend free Tickets are available at each home or online: www.melroseplantation.org/ fall-tour-destinations.