The Natchez Trace Parkway runs from the NE corner of the state near Tupelo to the SW corner at Natchez taking you through the prettiest country you will see. The history of the Natchez Trace probably goes back 8000 years as a trail for buffalo, and was explored by Hernando de Soto around 1540. Regular traffic by the people of the area began in the 1700's as farmers floated their crops to market using flatboats down the great Mississippi to Natchez and New Orleans, After their crops and boats were sold, the old Indian trail called the Trace became the easiest way to walk home. Eventually, small inns were established on this 310 mile route to serve these travellers, but many camped along the way.

When steamboats were introduced to the Mississippi offering safe passage back north, life on the Trace changed. The Civil war, yellow fever, destructive crop insects, and poor land management brought an end to towns like Rocky Springs which today has a 22 site campground, picnic area, hiking trail and a population of none. Growing political tension between union and secession idealists split the population. The wealthier families did not want to trust their fortunes to a fledgling government and the poor didn't want war. It was the ambitious middle classes who pushed for separation from the Union. In 1861 Mississippi seceded from the Union with an 84-15 vote. Jefferson Davis was elected the President of the Confederated States of America. The north fought to preserve the Union, and the south to ensure States rights. Slavery was a political issue, but the average soldier was neither for, or against it. Battles between the south and the north were fought at Fort Sumter, the Battle of Shiloh, and Corinth. After the bloody battle of Shiloh, General Beauregard retreated to Corinth with 50,000 troops, a strategic junction of four railroads, where they were besieged by 128,000 Union soldiers between April 29 to May 30. General Grant attempted to capture Vicksburg with a Union force to control the Mississippi River. After many battles in the area, Grant took the city of Jackson and raised the Stars and Stripes over the Capitol building and then laid siege to Vicksburg. (Top)

Start your camping trip through Mississippi at the Tishomingo State Park and swim, waterski, sunbathe, or fish on Bay Springs Lake. In Tupelo, the homeland of the Chickasaw Indians, visit the two-room home of the 'King' where Elvis was born. Near the entrance to the Natchez Trace Parkway is a "dogtrot" cabin operated today by the Craftsmen's Guild were an excellent assortment of fine arts and crafts are sold.

Explore the campus of the University of Mississippi in Oxford; where James Meredith, the first African American student graduated in 1963. If you are into Outlet Store shopping, Batesville is the town to visit. For the gamblers among us, try the Tunica- Robinsonville area with a population of only 250 people but with nine casinos with glitzy Vegas style shows and the best big-money stakes.

In 1866 several civil war widows from Columbus decided to decorate the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the battle of Shiloh. This act led to the creation of Memorial Day. As you visit Columbus, park your RV at nearby Lake Lowndes State Park which offers camping, boating, tennis, and fishing.

Mississippi's quaint downtowns date back to the 1800's and Jackson, the state capitol, is a bustling center of business, culture, government, and home to many museums, galleries, and the Russel C. Davis Planetarium and Space Theatre. Nearly every home is a historic site. Jackson is at the intersection of two interstates, five highways and a scenic national parkway. The city earned the nickname Chimneyville when General Sherman burned it in 1863. Guided tours are given of the Governor's mansion that was occupied by both Ulysses Grant and General Sherman during the Civil War. Just north of Jackson on I-55 at exit 133 is the Casey Jones Museum in a restored railroad station close to the site of the 1900 train crash where engineer Luther "Casey" Jones was killed.

On Highway 61 at Cleveland, visit the Cleveland Depot Library for a look at local railroad history, and tour the Museum of Natural Sciences which contains Indian artifacts and skeletal exhibits, then travel to Rosedale to the Great River Road State Park to learn more about the Mississippi 's influence on life in the Delta. In Greenwood you can visit the second largest cotton exchange in the US, and at Florewood River Plantation State Park observe the living-history demonstrations of life on an 1850's plantation. (Top)

The south is the home of the Blues. In Clarksdale, experience the music of Muddy Waters, find out if Robert Johnson actually sold his soul to the devil, and stop at Wade Walton's barber shop for a haircut. Nearby is a marker designating the former home of WC Handy, the Father of the Blues.

In Port Gibson, you can view the workshop of award-winning quilters. General Ulysses S Grant said the town was "too beautiful to burn". On highway 61 at Lorman you can visit the ruins of Windsor, built about 1860 by 600 slaves at the cost of about $175,000, which was spared from burning by Ulysses Grant as he marched on Vicksburg. Ironically, the house was destroyed by a fire from a careless smoker in 1890. All that remains are the 23 columns that once graced one of the most beautiful mansions of the South.

Vicksburg was a strategic location during the Civil War, once called the Gibralter of the Confederacy. After a 47 day siege by Ulysses S. Grant and Admiral Dixon Porter, the city surrendered. Today riverboat casinos dock here. Anchuca, a Greek revival mansion on First Street, is furnished with 18th century antiques and artifacts. During the Annual Pilgrimages, many of the 19th century homes are open to the public. On Washington Street you can visit the place where Coca-Cola was first bottled by Joseph Biedenharn in a restored candy store and soda fountain. For the stout of heart, jet boat cruises on the Mississippi River will take you past Grant's Canal, Fort Nogales, Confederate artillery defences and riverbank wildlife. A 16 mile tour of Vicksburg National Military Park allows you to visualize the siege of 1863.

Natchez, an important river port, at the terminus of the Natchez Trace, is the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi River and was spared much of the destruction by Union forces when it surrendered early in the war. Over 500 antebellum structures line the streets where prior to the Civil War, more millionaires lived than anywhere else in the nation. Many of these homes are open for tours during the Natchez Pilgrimage, from Mar 7-Apr 7, and from Oct 10-27, reflecting the prosperity of the area as testimony to the impact of King Cotton. If you would like to own one of these magnificent mansions, you can try your luck with an exciting evening of casino gaming at the Isle of Capri Casino or Natchez Under-the-Hill on Silver Street.

On Highway 49 at Magee, visit the Whistle Stop Treasure Shop to see unusual crafts, collectibles, and pottery, and a visit to the All-American Rose garden on the university campus at Hattiesburg is a great time to stop and smell the roses. (Top)

At Gulfport, a seaport important for the shipping of lumber, cotton, and seafood, take a ferry to Ship Island to one of the top ten beaches in the nation and old Fort Massachusetts that was used by the Union troops as a prisoner of war camp. Today's visitors can take in the action at both the Copa Casino and the Grand Casino Gulfport.

Biloxi has been influenced by the flags of six different countries, France, Spain, Great Britain, The West Florida Republic, the Confederacy, and the United States. The Mardi Gras Museum has beautiful costumes of former Kings and Queens of the Mardi Gras balls, and you can feast on fresh seafood at many local restaurants. Take a shrimping adventure cruise to see how shrimp are harvested and sail away on a two- masted oyster schooner. Take an educational tour of the marshes and the bay area and be sure to visit the Gulf Coast Winery. Throughout the year re-enactments and demonstrations are held to examine the lives of early settlers and their relationships with the native Indians at the reconstructed Fort Maurepas, built by the french in 1699. You can tour the restored home of Jefferson Davis, that resides on 51 acres, where he spent his last days writing his memoirs. The home also features an excellent museum with gardens and grounds which include the tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier. The JL Scott Marine Education Center has a 42,000 gallon aquarium housing sharks, sea turtles, and eels. Many other sea creatures are also on display. Travel through the enchanting coastal towns where you can begin your day with a breakfast at a local restaurant, browse the antique shops, and enjoy the fast paced action of seven different casinos in a southern resort atmosphere. Biloxi offers white sandy beaches, championship golf courses, deep-sea fishing, tours of antebellum mansions, art galleries, and antique shops.

There are twenty-one State Parks, six National Forests, ten Corp of Engineers sites, and forty-two other public recreation areas in Mississippi that offer camping (refer to your AAA guide). There are also many private campgrounds, and KOA has four full service campgrounds. One is just east of Meridian at exit 165 from I-59, one northeast of Laurel at exit 99 from I-59, one between Biloxi and Ocean Springs at exit 57 from I- 10, and near Buccaneer State Park west of Bay St. Louis at exit 2 from I-10. For a current listing of campgrounds in Mississippi, visit www.visitmississippi.org/outdoors/parks on the internet.

Governor Ronnie Musgrove says, "If you have been to Mississippi before, we welcome you back. If this is your first visit, you are in for a real treat. (Top)