Travel experiences, memories and stories about exploring this great planet of ours

Natchez, Mississippiby Leaf McGowan Photos © 2005 Leafworks    Grand Village of the Natchez Indians400 Jefferson Davis BoulevardNatchez, MS 39120601-446-6502 A religious structure once stood atop the Temple Mound and housed bones of previous chiefs (called Suns). A sacred perpetual fire was kept in the Temple’s inner sanctum, symbolic of the sun, from which the [...]

Photos © 2005 Leafworks    Magnolia Grill49 Silver StreetNatchez, MS 39120601-446-7670http://www.magnoliagrill.com/Rating: 4 stars The Magnolia Grill is a nice little hole-in-the-wall restaurant right on the shore of the Mississippi River, conveniently located just angled across from the Isle of the Capris casino in historic Natchez, Mississippi. Apparently a favorite of locals and the longest operating [...]

Natchez, Mississippi“UNDER-THE-HILL” In the 1830′s and 1840′s, the waterfront streets of Under-the-Hill Natchez were notorious, spilling over with boatmen, slave dealers, merchants, tavern keepers, warehousemen, and the riffraff that gave the landing its bawdy atmosphere. Under-the-Hill sat on a small strip of land that ran for several miles along the river below the town’s bluffs. [...]

Forks of the Road Located one mile east of downtown Natchez at the junction of Liberty Road, St. Catherine Street, and D’evereux Drive (Hwy 61). The site is nothing more than a empty field behind a church with a series of Mississippi Department of Archives and History historical markers established by the Natchez Juneteenth Committee. [...]

Sunday, 19 June 2005 Natchez, Mississippi by Leaf McGowan After walking around the William Johnson house, we took a foot tour of the downtown area of Natchez following the trolley route that the trolleys take from the visitor center. We walked down State street, past the old town jail. Then up to the The First [...]

Natchez, Mississippi William Johnson House“The Barber of Natchez”Our first stop off was the newly opened (February 2005) National Park Service monument “The William Johnson House”. I remembered fondly when co-workers of mine at the the Southeastern Archaeological Center talked about excavating this site. Now its a developed site. It’s nice seeing the full circle of [...]

   EMERALD MOUNDmile: 10.3 on the Natchez Trace ParkwayAncestors of the Natchez built this ceremonial mound about 1400. The nation’s second largest of its type, it covers nearly 8 acres. Only Monk’s Mound in Cahokia, Illinois, is larger. This 8 acre mound, constructed from a natural hill, was built and used from about 1300 to [...]

Natchez, Mississippi One of the oldest and most historic cities in the Deep South – is the beginning point of the cherished and loved Natchez Trace Scenic Parkway. This beautiful, scenic, and historic town gives the tourists a glimpse of what life was like when Cotton was King. Natchez has over 500 structures dating to [...]

Natchez Trace ParkwayWe entered the Trace parkway around Port Gibson (Historic District) and went for a scenic ride down to Natchez State Park from there. Beautiful lush green trees and pristine wilderness well preserved along this “tourist-only” 444-mile byway – beautifully maintained and well kept. It took 67 years to construct.    The Natchez Trace [...]