Bill to elevate Natchez historic sites advances in US Senate

WJTV-TV Jackson

Bill to elevate Natchez historic sites advances in US Senate

By Miracle Jennings

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WJTV) - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) announced a committee passed her legislation to designate the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians in Adams County and Historic Jefferson College in Natchez as affiliated areas of the National Park Service (NPS).

The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and Jefferson College Affiliated Areas Establishment Act (S.3878) was among several measures advanced by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee during a business meeting on June 10, 2026. The bill is now available for consideration by the full Senate.

"This is an important step forward for Natchez, Adams County, and Mississippi," said Hyde-Smith. "The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and Historic Jefferson College are irreplaceable landmarks within our state's story. Connecting these sites to the National Park Service will bring more resources and visibility to their preservation for generations to come."

The bill would make the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians eligible for preservation, protection and interpretation resources as an affiliate area of the Natchez National Historical Park. The bill also directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish Jefferson College as an affiliated area once the Secretary determines it meets the necessary criteria.

The bill, which is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), also directs the NPS to establish boundaries and develop management plans for both affiliated areas within three years. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, working in partnership with the NPS, would oversee management of the sites.

According to Hyde-Smith, the bill does not authorize the NPS to acquire property within the affiliated areas or assume responsibility for their operation, maintenance or day-to-day management.