William Bartram was America’s first native-born naturalist artist.  In 1773 he set out on a four-year journey from Philadelphia through the Carolinas and the Gulf South to Louisiana and the Mississippi River. Along the way he recorded his observations of the native people, plants and animals by writing and drawing in his journal. He reached Louisiana in 1775 a year before the American Declaration of Independence, 28 years before the Louisiana Purchase and 37 years before Louisiana became the 18^th state in the Union. He spent only a few months in Louisiana reaching his western most point of exploration when he crossed the Mississippi to “Pointe Coupe”, in present day Pointe Coupee Parish. From this place Bartram reversed his path arriving back home in Philadelphia in early 1777. He later organized and drew from his journals to publish his book “Travels” in 1791. The book found a significant readership in American and Europe and is still in print today.

In celebration of the City of Baton Rouge’s Bicentennial Anniversary, the William Bartram’s Louisiana Trail Conference will take us back to 18^th Century Louisiana where we’ll learn about the history and natural world of West Florida as well as Bartram’s contributions to art and literature.