French explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis arrived into a well-established Caddo village in 1701 as part of an expedition to explore the region and begin trade relations with the American Indians. In 1714, during a return trip, St. Denis constructed a barrack and storage house to support the Indian trade in the Natchitoches Indian village along the Red River, signaling the founding of the town of Natchitoches.