Natchez, Mississippi

Good morning from a chilly Vicksburg, Mississippi. We have ice covering the mud puddles this morning, and the high this afternoon when we arrive in Memphis is only predicted to be 40. I know that’s not cold for you Montana folks, but it sure feels cold in a trailer!

We got a slightly later start than planned yesterday leaving New Orleans. Teressa and I had to make a quick trip back to the French Quarter to pick up a few extra items, and since it was pouring down rain at the time, we took the truck. Driving isn’t a problem in the Quarter, as most streets are one way and it is laid out in an easy grid. Parking is the challenge. I had to drop Teressa off and then circle for a while before picking her up. We finally hit the road around 10:30. The first 50 miles of interstate was all causeway, concrete pillars rising 30 feet above the swamps of southern Louisiana. Even though we stuck to the Interstate, it was slow going – the concrete slabs had ridges between them that shook the truck and trailer pretty good. We stopped for gas and a late lunch at a Cracker Barrel just before entering Mississippi.

When we finally arrived in Natchez at 3:30 in the afternoon, we were faced with a dilemma – keep driving north to Vicksburg for another 90 minutes, or violate my nighttime driving rule and stop for a couple of hours in Natchez to see the Melrose Mansion operated by the National Park Service. We stopped, and were very glad we did. A Greek Revival style home, the Melrose mansion was completed in 1849 and is an excellent example from the Antebellum period (the period between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars). Four massive columns grace the front of the house, and a two-story colonnaded porch spans the entire rear elevation. The home was owned by John McMurran, a northerner who married into a rich southern family. His father-in-law gave him the 133 acres of land to build the home.

Melrose and the other large mansions around Natchez are not plantation homes, as we had assumed. The large plantations were located in southern Mississippi where the soil was better. The Natchez mansions were trophy homes for the rich plantation owners and their families to showcase their wealth. Guests were only allowed on the lower floor of the home, and nobody other than family ever stayed the night. The tour guide indicated that all the movies you see about southern hospitality were made up in Hollywood. These were very private people who only interacted with others in their same social circles. The mansions around Natchez were saved from Sherman’s plundering during the Civil War, largely because the townspeople were friendly to the Union, letting Grant use many of the homes for his campaign against Vicksburg. And it appears that many of those here in the south still haven’t forgiven the people of Natchez!

The tour ended at 5:00, and we traveled in the dark on good roads another two hours into Vicksburg. It took a little longer than planned, as I couldn’t cross three lanes of traffic in .3 miles to make our exit when we arrived in town, so we ventured across the Mississippi into Louisiana and back just for fun! Our RV park is run by the Ameristar Casino here in Vicksburg, and cost a whopping $22 per night plus two free breakfast buffet coupons. As long as you stay out of the casino, it is a great deal!