Natchez Trace Parkway, Tennessee-Alabama-Mississippi

We spent almost two weeks in January traveling down the historic Natchez Trace Parkway, now administered by the National Park Service. The Natchez Trace was a very important national road that became well-used in the 1700s. At that time, farmers and traders floated their wares down the Mississippi River on barges, from the Kentucky/Tennessee areas to the southern cities of Natchez and New Orleans. They would sell their products, including the lumber of their flatboats, and then return home by walking up the Natchez Trace. The entire road stretched for 500 miles, and was often a dangerous trail due to disease, natural hazards, unfriendly natives, and bandits (it was well-known that people heading north on the Trace had just sold their wares for ‘big money’). After the year 1812, when the first steamboats started plying their way up the Mississippi River, the Natchez Trace became less-used, but the history that saturates this area makes it a very interesting and nostalgic trip.

Due to the expanse of the Trace (it is now a 444-mile groomed parkway), it is difficult to organize the photos and stories. I will try to mention the Mile Post # of the sites I mention. Because we traveled from Nashville southward t0 Natchez, the mile post numbers went from greatest to smallest.

Double-Arch Bridge is a beautiful structure that was opened in 1994, and is 155 feet above the ground below. (MP 438)

The tobacco barn exhibit explained how that crop is grown. Its seedlings have to be transplanted, and it has to be harvested by hand so it is extremely labour-intensive. We saw some tobacco hanging in the barn to dry. (MP401)

Fall Hollow was beautiful due to the heavy rain we experienced the night before. Quite likely it would have been dry otherwise. Morgan had fun going behind the falls in several locations. (MP391)

We were surprised to hear the name of Meriwether Lewis on the Trace. He was famous due to his exploration of the American West ... as in 'Lewis and Clark'. Why would Lewis' name come up on the Trace, you ask? Well, he died under suspicious circumstances (murder or suicide?) at an inn (locally called a 'stand') along the Trace road in 1809. His grave is there as well as exhibits describing his lifetime achievements. He was in his early 30s when he died. (MP386)

The Natchez Trace includes several examples of Indian Mounds, some dating back over 2000 years ago. Bear Creek Mound was squarish in shape. (MP 341) There were eight conical burial mounds spread over 90 acres at far-away Pharr Mounds. (MP287) Mason strolled beside the two Bynum Mounds. (MP 232)

The second largest Indian Mound in the United States is located at Mile Post 10. This is Emerald Mound, and is thought to have been used for ceremonies and temples. It covers an area of almost eight acres. This giant mound is flat on the top, but also has another prominent mound on each of its two ends.

Along the historic road are the graves of 13 unknown Confederate soldiers from the Civil War. It is unknown whether these men died as a result of wounds from battle, or disease, or other circumstances. It remains a mystery. (MP 270)

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway helps to link up 459 miles of navigable water from the Tennessee River to the Gulf of Mexico for boaters. It is locally known as the Tenn-Tom Waterway. (MP 293)

As we got farther south on the parkway we encountered an eerie Cypress Swamp. Here again the swamp was displaying the effects of the recent rains; we heard that it had been dry a month before. The swamp is the home of tupelo and bald cypress trees, that grow 'knees' that stick up out of the water. (MP122)

Throughout the Natchez Trace there are numerous places where a person can walk on the Old Trace, in the footprints of those historic frontiersmen. The segments of the original Trace are kept preserved by the National Park Service. In some areas, heavy usage and poor soil conditions made the Trace 'sink' or erode away. These Sunken Trace areas can be 15 feet lower than the surrounding land. The following are photos of the parkway and the historic Trace.