Wandering America: Just A Little Horsing Around

We completed our final outing with Mike and Peggy on this trip yesterday with a tour about Natchez, Mississippi. Natchez is a quaint little town with a lot of southern charm located along the Mississippi River. It was founded in 1716 which makes it the oldest city on the Mississippi. The first route into Natchez was the Natchez Trace, originally a buffalo trail and later used by Native Americans and early settlers. Flatboat men brought their cargo downriver to Natchez where they sold their goods and boats and then walked or rode wagons north toward home on the Trace.

Speaking of the Mississippi River, here’s the “Mighty Mississip” looking north from downtown Natchez.

We began our tour by visiting Natchez Under The Hill where all that trading took place many, many years ago. Today it is home to an old paddlewheel boat that has been converted into the Isle of Capri Casino.

Next we parked the truck and took to hoofing, literally, around town by taking a carriage tour of Natchez. Our hosts were James and Norma Jean. If Norma Jean could talk, she wouldn’t need James since she’s made this trip so much that she knows the way by heart.

There are many Antebellum homes located in and around Natchez and the tour passes by several of them as well as many other historic sites. One of the more stately homes is Stanton Hall which was built in 1858 at a cost of $83,000.

We enjoyed the fact that most of the old historic homes in Natchez have been restored to their former glory. Also, it was nice to find some nicely manicured backyards along the way as well.

St. Mary’s Basilica was built in 1842 and is still an active church today.

After our carriage tour we visited the Barber of Natchez Museum which was home to William Johnson, a freed slave. His homestead is now a National Historical Site.

Well, true to life, there’s no way the Evringhams and Pattersons are going to miss an opportunity to eat, so this time it was the Pig Out Inn (come to think of it, Pig Out is exactly what we did at Nikki’s the night before). Anyway, before Bill’s Bar-B-Que in Kerrville, Texas, the Pig Out Inn was our very favorite BBQ joint, even better than Blues City Café in Memphis, however, Bill’s slightly noses out the POI. But, POI remains at the top of our list as number one-point-five.

After lunch, we took a short drive to Melrose Estate which is another antebellum home. The home was being restored so it was no where near as beautiful as it was when we last visited four years ago.

After a busy day, we returned home to sit outside and enjoy some freshly squeezed margaritas, warm sunshine, and good friends. We’ve enjoyed traveling with Mike and Peggy and have had a grand old time, hope to do it again sometime. This morning they will be heading northeast up the Natchez Trace Parkway while we head southeast toward Fontainebleau State Park on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain. Take care, you guys, see ya in about seven weeks in the great state of Maine where the Kopper Kettle and Capt’n Mike’s awaits us.

And last, but not least, this is for Randy. There’s no fence around it, so someone must care! See you guys tomorrow in beautiful Bonifay, Florida.