South Ape Yard
An area at the intersection of Jefferson Street and University Boulevard (formerly College Avenue), the South Ape Yard was the gathering place for African Americans who came to Natchitoches from the agricultural communities to the south. Located on the railroad line near the Johnson Mercantile store and the Southern Compress Cotton Mill, this area was a busy Saturday destination for rural folks who caught the train, rode horses, or came in buggies to Natchitoches to conduct business, get supplies, and socialize.
Jefferson Street at University Blvd., the area known as the South Ape Yard.