The 1989 film Steel Magnolias was shot almost entirely in Natchitoches, and it cemented the town's image for a generation of Americans who had never heard of Cane River or the oldest settlement in the Purchase. Robert Harling wrote the play based on his family's experience at a Natchitoches beauty salon; Herbert Ross directed the film with Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, and Julia Roberts. Filming locations include Trinity Episcopal Church, the Henry Cook Taylor home, the NSU campus, and several private residences in the Historic District. A self-guided film trail and seasonal walking tours still draw visitors who came for the movie and stay for the history. The Natchitoches Film Trail includes markers at key locations — pick up a brochure at the Visitors Bureau on Front Street.