#mississippi – Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond

Missouri

7 June 2018

First stop today was in Arcola Illinois to see the Hippie Memorial, dedicated to Bob Moomaw by his wife. Bob was not a hippie but admired the freedom of the hippie culture.

Just down the road I discovered a memorial to the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, John Barton Gruelle who was born in Arcola in 1880.

There is a Raggedy Ann Festival here every year in June and it started today. I met 4 avid fans, Diane and Charlie from Indianapolis, Christie from Alabama and Mary from Arkansas. There are several murals throughout the town to enjoy as well.

This mural for the Arcola Candy Kitchen was painted by 5 New Zealand and 1 Australian artist.

Arcola has a population of around 3,000 and it fascinated me how much art and history you can find here. They also have a broom corn festival!

Illinois also has an active Amish community. I love this pic of how they meld with modern day community.

I then drove 4 hours to Hannibal Missouri, the land of Mark Twain. I enjoyed a play “Mark Twain Himself” Actor Richard Garey, the owner of the Planer’s Barn Theatre, plays the role of Mark Twain recounting his story.

I then enjoyed a Mark Twain Riverboat dinner cruise on the Mississippi River.

Natchez Mississippi

27 March 2018

My last night’s sunset in Vicksburg needs no words.

Leaving Vicksburg I found these lovely antebellum ladies.

Stopped in Port Gibson Claiborne County which was where negroes boycotted the businesses in town to fight for their rights to work as police, be included on school boards and basically to be treated as equals. It took 11 years of boycotting and fighting to the supreme court. Port Gibson boycott

I drove out to the Windsor Ruins which are all that is left of a grand mansion which was used by Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War. Mark Twain also wrote about the building which was on a 2600 acre plantation. Now all is left are these amazing columns.

This place is a long way from phone and people and I did not realise I lost my GPS and again I forgot to download the offline map. I was a little concerned as down the road there were signs (such as our road signs to watch out for kangaroos) for bears.

While I was trying to work out if I should just go back the way I came, a family arrived. My saviours. What a lovely family!! Not only did they show me the way, I joined them on their adventure. Melanie, Shelby and their daughters Vaden and Cassidy told me about the Old General Store a few miles down the road and recommended a stop.

While there I asked a man in uniform if I could get a picture and then there were four!! They are Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Park Law Enforcers. Check the weapons they have including tasers. Not sure the Aussie Park rangers have any of this equipment although we don’t have bears.

I later learned that these law enforcers (Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks) deal with moonshiners and illegal drug cultivators as well as hunters. I forget the breadth of gun usage in this country and so the law enforcers need to be armed accordingly.

Then on to the Frog Farmwith quirky frog sculpture art.

Melanie invited me to her mother’s farm just outside of Natchez and I could not refuse some Southern hospitality. Melanie’s mum, Trudy provided a very local lunch of chicken, green chilli jelly and cornbread. Delicious.

And Vaden gave me a cookie she decorated.

Trudy was so welcoming I was sorry I had to leave. I will hold you to that open invitation Trudy.

See you again lovely people.

I eventually arrived in Natchez four hours later than scheduled.

Natchez has many more antebellums (homes from before the civil war) than Vicksburg as they did not lose any in the Civil War.

And a couple of quirky places.

Mammy’s Cupboard

Vicksburg Mississippi

26 March 2018

Visited the Vicksburg National Military Park. Difficult to imagine that this pretty serene parkland was an historical battle site between the Union and the Confederates. The battle in this small town was the turning point of the civil war.

The Coca Cola Museum, with the original soda fountain, is where this famous drink was first bottled.

Downtown Vicksburg Mississippi

25 March 2018

I had been told Vicksburg is a must to visit on my previous trip to the USA but did not get the opportunity until today. I got more than I hoped for. Driving across this beautiful bridge my phone pinged with “welcome to Mississippi”.

OMG I am in another state I have not yet visited and I am driving across the Mississippi River. “m i double s i double s i double p i” was a skipping chant we played at school!! At that time I never imagined I would be saying that driving over the river itself!