Incredible beauty along this 400+ mile adventure. I've now been from end to end, finally traveling…read morethe last 100 from Jackson to Natchez, MS. My favorite area of the entire Trace...The Sunken Trace. Take your time, enjoy nature, enjoy life!!!

I drove about 10-12 miles of this road and found it to be peaceful and effortlessly scenic. It's…read morebasically a good way to see something for free and clear your head.

Lovely and informative guided tour of the inside of the home. The tour guide stated that she was…read morenew-ish to giving tours and said a couple of times while we were upstairs that she forgot to tell us something about the downstairs and a weird giggle, but as the tour begins on the front downstairs porch and ends on the upstairs rear porch, there is no opportunity to know what was missed. Everyone was friendly. Regular prices are a bit on the high side. I got there and a tour had just begun, and they were kind enough to let me get on that tour. I was able to get some shots of the outdoors. They had a few items for sale in the gift shop referring to the 200th anniversary of Lafayette making his tour around all of the states (that were part of the union at that time), but no reference as to what his connection is with the house. No photos allowed in the home. At one family photo downstairs, the guide was talking about a family photo and that there were two boys and four girls and pointed out the infant and said it was a boy even though it was wearing a dress. It was a christening gown. It was not dressed as a girl. She kept making unpleasant faces as she was talking about it. Grow up. Do better.

The property is gorgeous. Unfortunately no pictures of the inside. The brochure they gave us let us…read morewalk and look at our own pace but guides were there at every step being super friendly and informative. Rosalie Mansion and Gardens "Our Mansion on the Bluff" In 1716, the French built a fort on the bluffs of Natchez and named it Rosalie in honor of the Countess of Pontchartrain. In 1819 Peter Little (age 17) purchased a portion of that land to build his home. He decided to keep the name Rosalie in honor of the fort and its settlers. He also purchased large areas of land in Louisiana and frequently used the ferryboat at Natchez Under-the-Hill to cross the Mississippi River to check on it. He developed a strong friendship with ferryboat owner Jacob Lowe and his family. In 1806, yellow fever quickly took Jacob's life; soon after, his wife contracted it. Knowing that her death was near, she sent for Peter and pleaded with him to take care of Eliza (her daughter). Peter took Eliza in and did what he felt best for her - he married her. At the time Peter was 25, and Eliza 14, so marriage was in name only. Rosalie was completed in 1823. Peter and Eliza moved into their new home. In 1816 Eliza helped establish the Natchez Children's Home, and many of those children found a loving home at Rosalie. By all accounts, Peter and Eliza remained deeply devoted to each other throughout their 45 year marriage. Unfortunately, in 1853 at the age of 60, Eliza died of yellow fever. Three years later Peter died at the age of 74 without a valid will, thus forcing an auction of the estate. On July 13, 1863, a week after the Siege of Vicksburg, U.S. Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant took possession of the mansion to use as a headquarters. On August 26, 1863, General Walter Q. Gresham took command of U.S. troops at Natchez. His headquarters remained at Rosalie.

This is one of those places the experience is truly dependent upon the person. History does not…read morealways present itself with a rush of excitement or a spectacle to behold. Driving up to the Emerald Mound, one might think to themselves, "Look, a hill covered with grass. How quaint," and then wonder why they made the trip. This is where imagination is key to the experience. Imagine this place a thousand years ago. Imagine the indigenous people and their culture and how vastly different it is from today. We are standing in the exact same place they were. Take the time to read about it and then decide if standing on hallowed grounds aren't worth more than just a grassy hill.

I think most people in the United States know about ruins in the southwest. You may have seen…read moreancient pottery and figurines in museums. You've probably heard about the Navajo, Hopi, and other cultures of that region. The Natchez culture is not unfamiliar, either, but do you know about the mounds scattered in the southeast and the larger ancient Mississippian culture? It was new to me not that many years ago as I first saw pottery of this culture in a museum. I have wanted to see more but there doesn't seem to be a lot of pottery remaining from this period. What about the mounds? Well, what are essentially man-made hills aren't as visually compelling as a desert cliff dwelling, right? It explains why so few tourists visit. Emerald Mound is the second-largest mound in the United States and was an important ceremonial center dating from 1250 to 1600. There is some good information posted but this site is crying out for an interpretive center that could really help tell the story of this ancient culture and bring it to life.

Natchez used to house most of America's millionaires back in the days. It's history also includes…read morea slave trade location that shows almost no trace of its infamous past. The Y-intersection of D'Evereaux, Liberty Rd, and Catherine St. was a bustling place where people gathered to buy slaves. Now, the only traces of this dark time are some markers that explain the slave trade history. The Forks of the Road is now located across from businesses and is covered with grass. It's fairly easy to miss if you're not specifically looking for it. We drove by it once without realizing that's the location. The markers and posted signs give a brief history of the trade process. If you have some time, this would be a great stop to learn the history of slavery. When we went, it was scorching hot and humid, so we didn't stay very long, Just enough to read some information, snap pictures and get into our air conditioned rental car before we melted.

What a stark reminder of the horrors humans inflict on one another. Very peaceful spot. Nice spot…read moreto stop and think about the harm humans cause one another. This is the location of the second largest slave sale, only behind New Orleans.

This historical home, now a bed and breakfast, was built in 1849- It was absolutely magnificent and…read morebeautiful from the decor to the service. They operated throughout COVID and they continue to operate through "quarantine". My stay was an understatement to above par. The breakfast they served was outstanding and delicious. Hydie, the owner, was so personable- she served a Devine* southern breakfast. She went above and beyond. The rooms were well furnished, well cleaned, and above all well maintained - especially in these tough times of COVID. I couldn't recommend this bed and breakfast enough. It's in a safe area and the staff is the epitome of southern hospitality. For an additional cost I highly recommend their gourmet picnic option, which I highly advocate.

Like my fellow bridge junkies, I was also captivated by the bridge. Had to stop at selfies with it…read more There are plenty of photo opportunities in and around Natchez to do so, and I couldn't resist. This particular spot is under the hill, by the Camp. Just had to pull over and capture the view.

I want to be cool like Joel so I thought I'd review this bridge like he did…read more The Mississippi River Bridge is way cool looking and crossing it is even cooler. You actually pass the Mississippi/Louisiana state line while crossing it. It's a cantilever bridge (which are my favorite) and it's also the tallest bridge in Mississippi. My favorite thing about this bridge is the gorgeous view of the Mississippi River. It's really impressive!

It maybe hard to decide which historic home in Natchez to see. I'd make a case of this one. Owned…read moreby several persons, including Mr. Elliott and Dr. Seip, this home is nicely put together (though none of the furniture in the house is authentic :/). It overlooks the Mississippi from its hilltop perch. Admission is $20.

This was a very good small museum dedicated to one of the most horrifying events in Natchez…read morehistory. The loss of so many lives in such an horrific fire was devastating. The museum is full of displays and even videotapes of the survivors. The owner does a great job on the tour. He is very passionate about and respectful of the victims and survivors.

Words fail to come to me to effectively communicate how necessary this museum is. The depth of what…read morehappened and the after affects of this disaster are horrendous. The owner is an amazing storyteller and paints a picture that is profound. He was meant for this. I would recommend everyone coming, but be aware that it is eye opening. The 85th anniversary is coming up. April 26, keep your eyes open for this.

Rarely are we are fortunate enough to have verified, reliable and written evidence regarding…read moreancient cultures. The Natchez Indian culture dates back to the 1200's and survived up in the 1700's. In Mississippi, the Spaniards encountered the tribes is the 1500's. The French interacted in the early 1700's and documented with great detail the Natchez people and their way of life. This landmark provides a brief but detailed look into that culture and so is well worth a stop. As others have mentioned, Avis, who works behind the counter, is a longtime resident of the area and well versed in the history. She is extremely friendly and a delight to talk with so take advantage of her knowledge when you stop in!

I visited here after visiting a couple of other places and was kind of disappointed prior to coming…read morehere. This place was delightful, and I am so very glad I stopped by. A lovely lady was working the front, gave pamphlets on the area, and information about the Village. There is a long history here, and an amazing spot. If you are in the area, I highly suggest you come here and take a look around. Watch the short film and then walk around the mounds. I would suggest wearing comfortable shoes and drinking plenty of water while here.

Karla Brown indeed has her office Downtown in a pretty interesting antique mall. But her real place…read moreof business is on the roads of Natchez. It is in her large and comfortable van that she spins her tales of the history of Natchez, tells about ghosts and spirits, and visits the grave of its most beloved cat (the esteemed Tripod). She has a variety of tours to suit your interests. Ghost tours are evening affairs and visit the famous Natchez Cemetery. History tours occur during the day, and visit points of interest. Ms. Brown is very personable and you will immediately feel comfortable with her. She has a wealth of knowledge to share with the visitors, and is indeed happy to do so. The comfortable driving tour is a good way to learn about Natchez and see a variety of locations. They range from a hour and a half to about three hours. The pricing is very reasonable for this type of guided tour, and we all enjoyed our time with Ms. Brown.

She is a terrific and knowledgeable narrator. We took the Greg Iles combo book tour. The provided…read morestory handouts allow you to keep up with the 70+ destinations. The tour covers all the first six books with added Natchez parallel history. She was patient with our peppering of questions to separate truth from fiction. If you are a fan of this Natchez author the trip is worth the $$ and four and half hours of your time.