Nearing The End

 Location: Natchez State Park; Natchez, Mississippi

It was another long haul to get to this campground but I did it intentionally. I wanted time for some "thinking driving" before ending my trip next week. It was a nice drive but I still have more thinking to do. When moving campgrounds as quickly as I have been doing, it take a little while for time and events to catch up with you once you stop. That is what I was hoping for at this campground. My plans were to do only a little exploring and use the rest of the time to get my thoughts and feelings in order. Today is day 4 of 4 and I guess 4 days weren't enough time. I'll have to wait for a future post to do a wrap-up of this trip. 

Nice campsite but a strange campground. There isn't a check-in booth as you enter the campground. The rangers station/check-in is all the way at the end of the park. Strangers or "ner-do-wells" (old term) can enter without any concern. When I got here, there was only one other camper in this loop. 

This is the lake in the park. I assumed it had been created maybe back in the 50's or earlier, but the Ranger said it was done in the 80's. I haven't checked that to confirm though.

Natchez is an old town located right on the Mississippi River. You would think it played an important role in the War for Southern Independence but you would only be partially correct. At the time of the war, Natchez was one of the wealthiest cities in the south due to the excellent farm lands and proximity to the river. The rich people outfitted several companies of Rebels before sending them north to fight. I guess the south didn't see the need to defend Natchez since the Yankees took it easily after capturing New Orleans and Baton Rouge. It didn't play a significant role in the war after that.

If you've seen the John Wayne movie El Dorado then maybe you remember one of the characters played my James Caan. His name in the movie was Mississippi and he mentions a place called "Natchez Under the Hill". Well this is the hill you go down to one of the places with that name. There is a small casino down there now.

This is the other place that could go by the same name of Natchez Under the Hill or Natchez Under the Bluff. There are a couple of juke joints down there now.

One of the main reason I came here was to see an old riverboat that had been abandoned on the Louisiana side of the river. I found it by accident more than 10 years ago and was interested in seeing how it looked after that time. I was very disappointed to find that it had been salvaged and removed. Oh well, things are always changing. It was a nice drive anyhow.

The following pictures are from the Louisiana side of river. This is a picture of a typical river levee that runs the entire length of the river in Louisiana. I'm parked on the top of the levee and that is a paved state highway running along it's base. Louisiana is different than some of the other states with rivers in that you can't see the river from most of the roads because the view is blocked by the levee.

What a difference from the Mississippi side of the river with it bluffs compared to this flat open land on the Louisiana side. The reason, from what I've read, is because the bluffs were formed during the last ice age from nearly continuous duststorms blowing topsoil in from the mid-west. It was deposited on the east side of the river.

I've asked this question many times throughout this blog. What is the story behind not cutting this tree down? There has to be a sentimental/emotional reason because it doesn't make sense to plow/plant around it each year.

Same question about is tree. This one is at least alive and could be used as a shade tree during the summer while working in the fields. I didn't stop and ask anyone this time. Maybe next time.

A tree tunnel. These trees are maybe a hundred years old and were probably planted in front of an old plantation. 

 

On the way back to the campground, I stopped at the National Cemetery in Natchez to pay my respects to the "ones who came before". It's a nice cemetery with a good vibe.

Remember, the small square markers are the old ones and have only a number on them. They mark the old "unknowns". 

Today is moving day and my next campground will be in central Louisiana. I'll be there for only 2 days while I visit some family in South Louisiana. I should be back at my home town on Tuesday.

Ya'll take care of each other. Maybe, I'll Cya down the road.