No, we're not lost!! We just had to get through Texas!

I know it's been a while but here goes. I've had to look back through my notes to even get started!

 

In the several days that we took driving to Texarkana we made several interesting historical stops. The first being the town of Natchez. This quaint little burg is located high on a bluff above the Mississippi River. Since 1716 is has been occupied by the French, Spanish, British and finally Americans. Early on it was important to control the towns along the River.  Natchez features a lovely park at the edge of the bluff with good walking trails, historical information, and nature trails. It was once a very busy place, being a major shipping port for cotton and goods up and down the river. It has many lovely antebellum homes built by wealthy farmers and businessmen. Natchez was not involved in any Civil War battles so the homes have been preserved. In a more humble, but nice home is the Johnson House National Historic Park. It is the old home of one of the most successful free black families in the south. Johnson started as a barber and expanded his enterprises until he became quite a wealthy man. Strangely enough, he owned slaves. In general, he treated them well as long as they worked hard but was abusive when they did not. He was shot by a neighbor over a dispute and, because the neighbor claimed to have some white blood in him, and the only witnesses were black, was not punished. They had a great exhibit about the free blacks living alongside the privileged whites. There was also an upper and lower part of the town. The part down on the river, called Under the Hill, was not a safe place for decent folks. In 1816 William Richardson wrote: "From this filthy spot emanate all the contagious disorders that infest the town above."

Natchez 

View from the upper town

 

Den of Iniquity Under the Hill

 

 

 

Antebellum home

One of many churches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connecting Natchez to Vicksburg is the Natchez Trace Parkway which originally was the road the Native Americans used in their yearly migrations up and down the river. Now it is a scenic highway that winds through the hills and valleys through what I am sure are beautiful forests in the right time of year. We also took a side trip to Emerald Indian Mound, the second largest in the U.S. It was not a burial mound but was used for temples and such. Other side trips included an old farmstead and the Windsor Ruins, a fabulous ruined pre-civil war home.

2nd largest in North America

Homesteader's tools

 

Windsor ruins

Windsor

 

The next major stop was Vicksburg, MS, site of the battle that broke the Confederate Army's back and assured the Union victory in the Civil War. Gaining control of the Mississippi effectively cut off the South's supply lines. Though the Confederates had the high ground and were well entrenched they couldn't handle the siege that Gen. Grant  set up around them. Grant had tried to attack but was beaten back several times. He was in a bit of a hurry because he was actually caught between two armies and feared attack from behind. The siege did the trick though. The Vicksburg National Battlefield is filled with monuments rivaling those found at Gettysburg. From the high ground you can almost see the action of the tremendous battle. Also part of the park is a museum featuring the Ironclad ship "Cairo."  The Cairo was sunk in a tributary of the Mississippi by the Confederates using underwater mines. Years later it was carefully raised from the riverbed and preserved. They found many, many artifacts and have an excellent display.

Vicksburg Union cannon

Vicksburg Nat'l Battlefield

 

Thayer's approach- lots of digging

 In the town are more beautiful homes and churches. Down on the river you can see the levees that have been built over the years, the largest wall has the flood levels recorded. The Army Corps of Engineers has a large center there which educates people as to what the ACE has been doing over the years to control and contain the River. They showed many of the models they have gone through over the years to figure out how the river runs and what effects the dredging and levees would have on it. Now they do it all with computers. It was extremely interesting and informative. Also on the site is the ship Mississippi IV, an A.C.E. working ship dating back to the 1960's. Like the Ingham in Key West, this ship is preserved just as it was when it was decommissioned. Not as old as the Ingham, it was in much better shape. In the pilot house they had a simulator where you had to guide the ship through various obstacles on the river. Thayer had a good time with that and even completed one of the missions. 

the Ironclad ship Cairo

Cairo artifacts

 

 

Flood levels through the years

Sunset over Vicksburg

 

Simulator Captain on the Mississippi IV

 

 

 

 

One of the larger models of the river

 

The miles from Vicksburg to Doddridge flew by, where we were cheerfully greeted by Thayer's Aunt Vivian. We spent 10 days here, Thayer was mostly involved with collecting the family history, recording Vivian's stories about family, tagging faces and photos and listening endlessly. Vivian is 92 years old and has a remarkable memory of the extended family. Seeing a photo would unleash a torrent of stories about family, friends and neighbors. Thayer tried to keep her focused on family but it was hard. I walked everyday, I found about a 3 mile route through the woods that led to a little old cemetery. I also played hundreds of games of dominoes with Vivian as she chatted with Thayer. While Thayer typed up a little story we would play a few games, then she would talk some more. We met her grandson, John Paul and his family and spent some good times with them. They came out for dinner several times and we went to a Mardi Gras parade in town one afternoon. Vivian can still dish up some good southern cooking! Don't believe I've eaten that many carbohydrates in one meal in my life! She taught me how to make some awesome biscuits! We finally drove away, knowing in our hearts that we may never see her again. Thayer did a great job of collecting and organizing the family story.

Story collecting and dominoes

 

A couple of those wild Hughes's

 

Now, those are some real biscuits!

More Hughes

 

We then drove across the big part of Texas, staying 4 nights at boondocking sites. Next up: Carlsbad Caverns!

 

Right next to a rest stop and historical marker

Everywhere you look

 

 

Yup, it's flat

First views of Guadalupe Mtns. from BLM lands