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Delta Travel Diary

The Triangle Cultural Center is a former school building that was built in 1904 and houses several museums, a theater and historical displays.

Yazoo. The name has a sense of intrigue about it. This is the final stop on my Delta journey, but maybe it should have been my first. With so many vacation sites in Mississippi to choose from, a place known as the Gateway to the Delta might should have been my starting place.

The flat Delta landscape that had been my traveling companion since Tunica, was now bumping up against gently rolling hills bordered by high wooded bluffs. As I entered Yazoo City, I immediately understood why the childhood home of acclaimed author Willie Morris provided him so much inspiration. My Dog Skip and Morris' other works were coming to life before me.

Yazoo City Architecture

A drive through Yazoo City's historic downtown and residential districts introduced me to 20 of the most beautiful Victorian, turn-of-the-20th-century and antebellum homes in Mississippi. Since I have always been fascinated by architecture, I stopped at the Estes House, a modified Queen Anne with wraparound porch; the castle-like Parker House; and the Wilson-Gilruth House, the largest surviving home from the pre-Civil War period in Yazoo City. The nearby Triangle Cultural Center, a former school building built in 1904, houses several museums, a theatre and historical displays.

Visitors can find unique gifts and collectibles at the specialty stores in downtown Yazoo City.

African-American Cultural Center

Before venturing out into the county, I wanted to get a feel for the area's African-American culture at the Oakes African-American Cultural Center. This home has been restored to showcase the skills, craftsmanship, and unyielding determination of one African-American family. Careful restoration has preserved the uniqueness of the construction, and the building is now listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places.

Native American Mounds in Holly Bluff

West of Yazoo City is Holly Bluff, site of some rare Native American mounds that date to 1000 A.D. They stand near the 58,000-acre Delta National Forest, a premier spot for hunting deer, ducks, turkey, quail and doves. Since I was visiting "out of season," I decided to try my luck fishing at nearby Wolf Lake. During the winter, bald eagles come here to nest in the giant cypress trees along its shores.

The Parker-Roark House, a Victorian-style bed and breakfast inn that was built in the late 1890's, offers visitors Southern hospitality and comfort.

"Chairmaker to the Presidents"

Finally, I traveled east of Yazoo City and happened to come across rocking chair maker Greg Harkins, known as the "Chairmaker to the Presidents" for his one-of-a-kind plantation rockers and primitive furniture. Needless to say, I left with a new addition for my front porch.

So here I am at the end of my Mississippi Delta journey. So much left to see that I'm already planning my next trip. My diary will remind me of all I've experienced. But the smiles and hospitality of the great folks I've met along the way are etched in my mind forever.

So long from the road.

www.yazoo.org
800-381-0662

Mississippi Delta Tourism Association
P.O. Box 68 - Greenville, Mississippi 38701
Toll Free: 877-DELTA MS