2011 - Mississippi Part Two

 

Storm damage

Leaving Jackson, we headed north on the Natchez Trace Parkway.  We had to detour around a 10-mile section that was closed to remove down trees from the recent rash of tornados in this area.  Our next stop was Tishomingo State Park about 40 miles north of Tupelo.  It is another very nice Mississippi State Park with about sixty sites on a small lake.  All the sites are fairly level with 50 amp power and water.   We were on site 6 which was a little small for us.  The coach took up the entire pad and we ended up parking the jeep in the site next to us.  Sites 24 through 60 appear to be newer and are larger.  The best site is #48 with a great view down the lake, followed by #13, then #14 – fyi in case anyone is coming this way.  The park also has a lodge (closed right now), cabins, and a beautiful large swimming pool.

Tupelo National Battlefield

Yesterday we drove into Tupelo to visit the Tupelo National Battlefield.   Along the way we stopped at the Natchez Trace Visitors Center where we got out National Parks Passport stamps for the Trace and for the Tupelo and Brices Cross Roads Battlefields.  The fact that the stamps were there should have been a clue to the size of the two battlefields.  Tupelo was the smallest National Park site we have ever seen.   It was just a corner park, about 500 feet square, with a flag pole, a monument, and two old artillery cannons.   We drove right by, expecting a visitor’s center or at least a parking lot.  We ended up parking in a medical office parking lot and walking.  Needless to say, we didn’t stay too long. 

We then visited Elvis’ birthplace in Tupelo.  It was a little bigger than the battlefield, with a small museum, the house where he was born and lived for about ten years, and the church he attended as a child.  It was very nice but probably not worth the $12 each we paid to get in, but we did stay there longer than at the “battle field”.  

 

 

On our way back to the campsite, we went to Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield.  Again, another corner lot with a flag pole, monument, and two cannons.  However, the local historical society had additional signs up regarding battlefield events, a confederate cemetery, and even a small privately run visitors center.    So, for the day, we got three stamps and saw a lot of the Mississippi countryside.  All in all, a nice day.

 Today I planned to do a 6-mile canoe trip down Bear Creek.  But it was canceled as we had a severe thunderstorm move through last night and apparently some trees were down along the creek.  Our power went out sometime during the night but it came back on around 6 a.m.  Everything looks fine around us.   It’s a little cooler today, only in the 70s at 11 a.m.  It’s a very nice change from the 90s we have had for over a week now.   

Tomorrow we head to Memphis.