NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Natchez Historical Society and Dr. Robert Prospere have agreed to contribute a combined $2,850 toward a state historical marker commemorating Fort Valeur, a wooden stockade associated with the 1729 Natchez uprising against French colonial rule.
The marker is planned for a site on Jefferson Boulevard near the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) administers the state historical marker program and will review the application for the marker.
The proposed site for a state historical marker commemorating Fort Valeur is in the median on Jefferson Davis Boulevard, across from Camelot Apartments. The location is circled in red. Image source: Google Maps.
Following the November 1729 Natchez uprising, French colonial forces, aided by Indigenous allies, captured the Grand Village of the Natchez and used it as a base for military operations against Natchez people who had taken refuge in a wooden stockade known as Fort Valeur, according to historians.
The monthlong siege resulted in the release of hostages held by the Natchez as a result of a negotiated truce by Choctaw Chief Alibamon Mingo. The conflict ultimately led to the displacement of the Natchez people from their ancestral homeland in February 1730, historians note.
Today, homes and businesses cover the site of Fort Valeur, but in 1730, the area was a battlefield.
The Natchez Historical Society plans to contribute $2,350 toward the proposed marker, while Prospere, a retired dentist, will contribute $500.
“The Natchez Historical Society Board is honored to support this historical marker for Fort Valeur,” said Society President Virginia Benoist. “This is a significant Native American site in Natchez that would highlight an important chapter of the region’s history and offer an opportunity to enhance public understanding of our Native American heritage.”
The idea for the marker originated with Lance Harris, executive director of Visit Natchez and former director of the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.
“I’m grateful to the Natchez Historical Society and Dr. Robert Prospere for helping bring this project to fruition. The story of Fort Valeur is an important but little-known part of the history of the Notchee people and the development of Natchez. This historical marker will help bring that history to light for local residents and visitors alike. I appreciate everyone whose contributions are helping us share this important part of our past.”
Mayor Dan M. Gibson expressed gratitude to the project’s supporters and highlighted the historical significance of the site.
“Natchez is a city with a rich, complex, and deep story, and every chapter deserves to be recognized,” he said. “Commemorating Fort Valeur allows us to honor our Native American heritage and provide residents and visitors with a more complete understanding of our city’s origins.”
According to Caleb Ellison, MDAH program manager, the application for the marker is scheduled for review by the agency’s board in January 2027. If approved, the marker would be manufactured by Sewah Studios in Ohio and could arrive in Natchez in about six months.
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