Activities

Farmer's Grocery /  by Will Jacks

Farmers Grocery Restaurant – Located on Highway 1 in Grace, Mississippi, Farmers Grocery serves up delicious Delta cuisine in a casual atmosphere.  Daily lunch buffet, Monday – Friday. Open for breakfast,lunch and dinner Monday – Saturday and lunch on Sunday.

According to Mississippi Delta-based writer Boyce Upholt, in addition to steaks, burgers, sandwiches, and catfish, Farmer’s Grocery Store in Grace has “perfected a recipe that is pure Delta: the deep-fried tamale. . . . They’re crisp at first, and then the batter gives way to a soft, fragrant interior of corn and beef and spice."

http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2013/the-hot-tamales-of-issaquena-county/

 

Historic Downtown Como /  by Will Jacks

 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Southern Literary Trail for native son Stark Young, downtown Como is known for its unique charm, downtown eateries (including the world famous Como Steakhouse), bed & breakfasts, MS Blues Trail markers, historic churches, stately homes, locally owned shops and the nationally recognized Emily J. Pointer Public Library. About 45 miles south of Memphis just off I-55, Como offers a chance to get away from it all and relish the feeling of a small town friendly atmosphere.

Emily J. Pointer Public Library

104 Main St.

Como, MS 38619

(662) 526-5283

http://www.firstregional.org/como.html

 

Scenic Drive from Sardis to Batesville /  by Will Jacks

Take MS-315 S from Sardis where a two lane black-top snakes through the gripping landscapes of rural Panola county. Camp at a campground, picnic, swim or find a spot to boat, hunt, fish, go birding or walk a trail on some of the 98,000 acres at Sardis Lake. Continue on MS-35 S to Batesville where the charming Batesville Square is brimming with shopping, festivals and local excitement from a weekly farmer's market in the summer to the Polar Express train during the holiday season.

Panola Partnership

150A Public Square

Batesville, MS 38606

(662) 563-3126

http://www.panolacounty.com

 

Mississippi Freedom Trail /  by Will Jacks

This collection of markers commemorates people, places and events of the Civil Rights movement. While marker locations span the entire state of Mississippi, several key markers are located in the Mississippi Delta region, where the Civil Rights Movement was sparked with the murder of Emmett Till. Markers in the Mississippi Delta include the Fannie Lou Hamer Gravesite in Ruleville, the Amzie Moore Home in Cleveland, the home of Dr. T.R.M. Howard in Mound Bayou, and the Bryant's Store/Emmett Till marker in Money. Plans are underway for the unveiling of a new marker honoring civil rights activist Unita Blackwell, former mayor of Mayersville and the first African American female mayor in the state of Mississippi. For a full list of marker locations, visithttp://www.visitmississippi.org/sitepages/history-and-heritage#civil-rights.   

Town of Friar's Point /  by Will Jacks

Founded in 1836 along the Mississippi River, Friar's Point was once the largest cotton shipping center south of Memphis. The historic port town remains the only place in Coahoma County with public access to the banks of the Mississippi River and is one of a few public access points to the river in the entire Mississippi Delta region. Friar's Point continues to be a point of interest for music and literary enthusiasts who travel the Delta. Blues legend Robert Johnson is said to have played in front of Hirsberg's Drugstore and made reference to Friar's Point in the song "Traveling Riverside Blues." The town has been written about by famous Mississippi writers Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner. It also is the birthplace of country music legend Conway Twitty.

 

Catfish Museum & Visitors Center /  by Will Jacks

http://www.belzonims.com/thecatfishcapitol.htm

The Catfish Museum and Visitors Center is housed in an old railroad depot.  Indoor exhibits feature hand crafted displays by Mississippi artisans using paper relief, ceramics, metal and wood carvings, a video also explains the various aspects of catfish farming including constructing ponds, hatching eggs and seining. Outdoors a flower sculpture made of spawning cans welcomes visitors as they arrive.  Hatching tanks and seining nets complete the display by the entrance.  Last, but not least, is a miniature catfish pond featuring a 40 foot catfish fountain. "King Cat" reigns.


The Catfish Museum & Visitor Center is opened Monday -Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.  Admission is free.

 

Museum of the Mississippi Delta /  by Will Jacks

https://www.museumofthemississippidelta.com/

The Museum of the Mississippi Delta is at the crossroads of Delta history and art. The museum boasts a room dedicated to the agricultural history of our region with photographs and farming implements on display. A Civil War-era cannon and a model of the battle of nearby Fort Pemberton are featured in the Leflore County Military History exhibit, focusing on the effect of various wars on Greenwood and its citizens. Peek into the past to view life in the early Mississippi Delta, from colonial trade beads to the history of King Cotton and on to contemporary regional art.

 

Bridging the Blues /  by Will Jacks

Established in 2012, Bridging the Blues is an exciting series of music, food, and cultural events in late September and early October. Events take place in various locations throughout the Mississippi Delta region, as well as Memphis and Arkansas. Bridging the Blues offers a wide range of experiences seven days a week, including shows at local juke joints, small town arts festivals, and the International Conference on the Blues at Delta State University. Drawing thousands of tourists from around the United States and the world, Bridging the Blues is anchored by the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas, and the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival along the Mississippi River in Greenville, Mississippi.

Doe's Eat Place /  by Will Jacks

http://www.doeseatplace.com/

Doe's Eat Place was established in 1941 by Dominick "Doe" Signa and his wife Mamie. Doe's Father moved to Greenville in 1903 and opened a grocery store in the building that now serves as the restaurant. The family lived in a house behind the store. The grocery which the Signa Family called Papa's Store did well until the 1927 flood. After that, Big Doe Signa went into bootlegging to help the family get back on its feet. After several years he sold his 40 barrel still for $300.00 and a Model T Ford. Around 1941 Mamie received a partial recipe for hot tamales. She improved the recipe and began selling them. That was the beginning of Doe's.

At first Signa ran a honky tonk in the front part of the store. It was strictly for blacks. He had things like buffalo fish and chili. Ironically, the "carriage" trade arrived by the back door, like segregation in reverse. One of the local doctors began coming for a meal between calls. Big Doe would cook him up a steak and feed him in the back. Pretty soon the doctor brought another doctor then a lawyer and before he knew it Doe had a regular restaurant in the back. After calling in family and in-laws to help with his thriving restaurant, he eventually closed the honky tonk and focused on the eat place.

Big Doe Signa retired in 1974 and turned the business over to his sons Charles and Little Doe. Today they still carry on the family tradition of greeting customers in the front kitchen that was the original honky tonk. Though time has taken a toll on the building, it only adds to the atmosphere of dining at an old family restaurant where the true authenticity of the 1940's grocery and restaurant remains.

 

Jim Henson Museum /  by Will Jacks

The exhibit was given by Jane Henson and the The Jim Henson Legacy as “a gift to the people of Leland, MS” featuring a tableau honoring Kermit the Frog’s beginnings on Deer Creek. Everyone is invited to join the celebration with a visit to Leland where Jim spent his formative years developing his creativity and love of nature on the banks of beautiful Deer Creek – The Birthplace of Kermit the Frog.

 

BB King Museum /  by Will Jacks

http://www.bbkingmuseum.org/

An exciting cultural center anchored by an early 20th century brick cotton gin, the B.B. King Museum is dedicated to the celebration and presentation of the life and hard work of B.B. King and the music and history of the Mississippi

Delta. With 20,000 square feet of modern exhibit space, the B.B. King Museum includes thousands of rare artifacts, award-winning film, computer interactives, and a story that will give your emotions a workout. The B.B. King Museum also offers art, music, and health workshops in the AT&T Learning Center as well as special performances in the state-of-the-art theater for the community. After his death in May 2015, B.B. was laid to rest on the grounds of the museum, and visitors can come reflect on his legacy as a world-renowned musician and humble gentleman.

 

Mississippi River Boat Launch /  by Will Jacks

Mississippi River Boat Launch and Overlook – locally known as “the Asphalt”, you can dip your feet in the Mississippi River at this spot.  Travel across the levee at Mayersville and the woods suddenly open up to a view of the Mighty Mississippi. If you’re lucky you may catch some tow boats passing by. (During high water, the road is not passable)

 

Vicksburg National Military Park /  by Will Jacks

http://www.nps.gov/vick/index.htm

"Vicksburg is the nail head that holds the South's two halves together...Vicksburg is the key"

Two statements, two Presidents, both aware of the importance of the city on the Mississippi River. President Davis knew it was vital to hold the city for the Confederacy to survive. President Lincoln wanted the key to gain control of the river and divide the South. Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates this campaign and its significance as a critical turning point of the Civil War.

 

Glenwood Cemetery /  by Will Jacks

Glenwood Cemetery dates back to at least 1856. A simple marker is placed before a large plot near the creek designating a mass Confederate grave. Located not far from the fountain in Glenwood is a grave, surrounded by chain links, known as “The Witch’s Grave.” The legend of the Witch that burned Yazoo City in 1904 was made famous in a book written by Willie Morris, a celebrated Mississippi author. Morris’ grave is located 13 steps south of the Witch’s grave. Glenwood was voted the second "Spookiest Cemetery in the US" in a HuffPost Travel poll in 2012. Tours available.

 

Delta National Forest /  by Will Jacks

The only bottomland hardwood forest in the National forest system, Delta National Forest is a glimpse of how the Delta must have appeared to early settlers of the region. Contained within its 60,000 acres are primitive campsites, miles of ATV, hiking and horse trails, paddling opportunities and a host of wildlife. Spring and Fall provide wonderful birdwatching opportunities, and in the hot summer months, the forest becomes filled with butterflies of all varieties.  Hunting is allowed in season, State WMA regulations apply.

 

Mississippi Blues Trail /  by Will Jacks

www.msbluestrail.org

Acknowledged widely as the place where the Blues began, the Mississippi Delta region boasts more Mississippi Blues Trail markers than any other region in the state. The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of Bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed – and continue to exist – influenced their music. Sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. As a testament to the national and global influence of Blues music and culture, a dozen Mississippi Blues Trail markers are located outside the state of Mississippi, including international markers in Cahors, France, and Notodden, Norway.

MDNHA Passport Program /  by Will Jacks

As a National Park Service partner, the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area participates in the Passport to Your National Parks program. MDNHA passport stations are located in each of the MDNHA's 18 counties and are available through cultural, tourism, and municipal organizations. Passport stamp collectors who successfully gather stamps from all 18 counties are eligible to receive the MDNHA’s NPS Centennial Passport t-shirt as a prize for traveling the entire MDNHA. For the complete list of passport station locations, visit http://www.msdeltaheritage.com/ms-delta-national-heritage-area-mdnha-passport/. 

McRaven Tour Home /  by Will Jacks

http://www.mcraventourhome.com/

Named Mississippi's most haunted house, visit McRaven where ghostly demeanor has been broadcast on A&E, The Travel Channel, 48 Hours and "Look Around Mississippi." Step back into time in Vicksburg's finest totally authentic pre-Civil War home with the most complete way-of-life tour. Built in three different time periods, every room is lavishly furnished with museum-quality antiques including a pioneer kitchen. National Geographic magazine called it the "Time Capsule of the South." Stroll through the three-acre gardens once a Confederate campsite and field hospital. Discover and experience the famous and infamous people of McRaven and why their spirits have never left.