2011 - Mississippi

We entered Mississippi on May 17^th.  We had planned to stay at the military campground at Camp Shelby just south of Hattiesburg but it was full.  So we went to Paul B. Johnson State Park, about five miles south of Camp Shelby.  We were so glad we did.  It was a beautiful campground, 50-amp power, water, and sewer, right on the lake, for $24/night.  After we checked in, I found out a non-premium site not on the water would have been just $14/night with the senior rate.  As we were staying just two nights, we stayed where we were.  But we have taken advantage of the senior rate at all the MS state parks since then.

The next day we went to Camp Shelby to visit the Armed Services Museum.  We were very impressed with the exhibits.  The facility has over 22,000 square feet and all the space is efficiently organized to display the artificats in a logical and interesting way.  The exhibits covered U.S. Armed Services involvement, particularly Mississippi forces and units from all over the country that trained at Camp Shelby, from the 1798 Spanish-American War up through the current war on terrorism including Iraq and Afghanistan.   There were a lot of weapons, uniforms, displays with sound and lighting effects, personal stories, medals, etc.  Outside were monuments dedicated to various divisions and a nice static display of aircraft, tanks, and other vehicles.  We thought we would be there for no more than an hour but it was over three hours before we finally left.

The next day we drove to Natchez.  Our first stop was Natchez National Historic Park where we toured the Melrose Mansion.  This magnificent mansion has all original furnishing back to the 1800s.  The first owner was forced to sell to satisfy Civil War debts and only took clothing, personal papers, and a few family items when he left.  Then the property remained empty for several years until the new ower’s son and his wife moved in.  She stayed in the house without making any changes except for adding a bathroom.  Everything else stayed exactly the way the original owners had left it.  The only “new” items in the house are replacement draperies, wallpaper, and floor covering, all in the original patterns.  It was truly beautiful.

We then did a walking tour of Natchez, visiting St. Mary’s Basilica with its beautiful Tiffany stain glass windows, and admiring the many historic buildings and homes.  We walked along the Mississippi river bluffs amazed at the size and swift currents.   We were a little surprised to see that much of the city is quite run down with sidewalks and streets really needing repair.  It was very quiet too and we didn’t have much to choose from for a dinner restaurant.    We planned to spend the night in a Walmart parking lot but it was too hot.   We had to have electricity to run the A/C if we were to get any sleep that night.  So we drove about ten miles up the road to Natchez State Park.  This time we paid just $13 for 50 amp power and water.  Great bargain.

 

The next morning we jumped on the Natchez Trace,  a 444 mile National Scenic Byway that runs from Natchez in the south to Nashville, TN in the north.  The Trace was originally Indian hunting paths, then later a trail for farmers and traders who had floated crops and products down the Mississippi to New Orleans to return to their homes.   Due to the strong currents of the river, the flatboats only traveled down the river where they were then sold for lumber.  The trail from Natchez to Nashville was the most direct route.  It is a beautiful drive, winding through forests and farm lands, no commercial traffic, and no commercial signage.  There are many historical stops along the way and even a couple of overnight campgrounds (no hookups).  We started in Natchez and then jumped off in Jackson, the state capital.

Plugging the levee leak

We stayed at the Lefleurs Bluffs State Park right in the city of Jackson.  It was a great location, on a small lake, concrete pads, 50-amp power, water, all for just $13/night.  And we really needed the 50-amps for our A/C as the temperatures climbed into the high 90s with high humidity.  The next day we visited the Vicksburg National Battlefield.  Here the Union and Confederate forces met to determine which side would control the Mississippi River.  In May 1863, after the Union army was unable to breach the city’s defenses, General Grant ordered a formal siege of the city.  The siege lasted until July 4, 1863 when Confederate General Pemberton surrendered to General Grant.   Vicksburg remained an occupied city from July 1863 until 1877.  

After the 16-mile auto tour of the battlefield, we went into historic Vicksburg to see the effects of the Mississippi River flooding.   It is unbelievable how wide the Mississippi River is now and how much water the levees are holding back.

While in Jackson, we visited the Old State Capitol building which is now a museum devoted the history of the building and how the legislative process works.  Although the building is quite large, the exhibits were very small.  As we were the only visitors in the whole building, it was very quiet.  The next day we visited the new Capitol and were very impressed.  It is the 34^th state capitol we have visited and one of the most impressive.  It was completed in 1903 with an initial cost of $1,093,641.  By comparison, the restoration in 1979-1982 cost $19 million.  The eagle on the top of the building is solid copper coated with gold leaf, 8 feet high, with a 15-foot wingspan.   There are three domes, the main one in the rotunda rises 180  feet, with two other stain-glass domes over the House and Senate chambers.   The ceilings in the hallways of both the third and fourth floors are all stain glass; glass cylinders in the corridor floors of the fourth floor allow light to pass through the floor and illuminate the stain glass panels in the ceiling of the third floor.  Very ingenious.