TRAVELIN' TO OHIO - ARRIVED AT TIMASHAMIE and MUD!!!

We hit the road again last Tuesday, leaving Mississippi - -

 

 

,on our way to Ohio and the doctors.

 

We spent our first night in the lot at Walmart in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  We called Gary's second cousin who we met our first year out on the road hoping to see them for a little while.  They answered the phone, but they were in Nashville!!  Debbie plays Blues and must have had an engagement to play there. Guess we will have to make it next trip through.

 

Now getting into the mountains, going through Tennessee.

 



 

We got clear through Louisville, Kentucky and stopped at Belterra Casino.

 

That was just five miles north of Interstate 75, actually in Indiana.  Nothing like a little playing to relax after a long drive.  We actually walked out with all of our money intact, but not difficult when you are only playing with a penny at a time!!

 

We arrived at Walmart in Alliance, Ohio about 3 pm that afternoon, guess that was because we had left Kentucky at 6:30 am.  We called Timashamie Campground to ask if it was dry enough for us to get in there.  They told us that they had some gravel spots that would be good.  Famous last words!!!

We stopped and filled up our gas tank before leaving Alliance and then checked in at Timashamie.

Checked in, I should say mired in!!

 

 

We arrived - - - but the mud under what little gravel was there, got to us!!!  When he began to spin and make a deeper rut, Gary stopped and we stayed right there for a couple nights!!  With hopes that it would dry enough to get out without being pulled. 

Gary was so concerned of damage to the motorhome if we had to be towed!!

 

Yesterday, Sunday, after church and a wonderful class time with all of our friends, we went to dinner with our oldest son, Victor, at Salem Hills.  Vic, Thanks for dinner!!  It was a great reunion!!  And while there we ran into a former neighbor, Joan Lora, and friends, Tim and Carolyn, who we had last seen in February in Florida, as well as the manager there.  Wonderful to see you all again!!

 

Then it was time to get down to business. The beautiful day turned out to be dry enough that when the owner of the campground used a tow strap from his backhoe to our hitch on the motorhome , it was enough nudge for Gary to back out.  Thank goodness!!

We are on a new lot and because of the slope, we are high off the ground in front.  The mud sure won't get to us here!!  Once the owner gets the grass seed planted on the bare spots around and it dries out a little more, we will put out our ground cover and make our Ohio/Florida room under the awning.  Then we will feel at home.  We can have the lawn chairs and lounges out and enjoy the warm weather???  I am sure it will come soon. 

Today was the first doctor appointment, and tomorrow is one in Cleveland.  So will see what my road ahead is to be. 

We stopped in the bank and found two employees that I had worked with before.  And then on to our second son's to get our grandson, Richie, when he got off the bus.  We stopped at Wendy's to eat, then to the Library so that he could do some homework, and finally took him to his Boy Scout meeting.  On home now and his mom can take over from there.

 

We look forward to meeting up with more friends.  In fact, I ran into a classmate from 50 years ago at the doctor's office.  Never know when we see someone we know. 

Will share more with you later.  Take care. 

IN NATCHEZ MISSISSIPPI, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE PLAY

Sunday has arrived and another new church.  We drove in toward Natchez on Hwy 61 to Parkway Baptist Church.  As usual, we were greeted warmly and placed in SS Classes, separately, which is not our usual.  Very nice for getting acquainted though.
After church we drove on to Walmart to pick up my script.  It was a nice leisurely afternoon, waiting for the even performance of Southern Exposure.  It was again a later evening than usual for us.

An old Wesley Church later sold and turned into Natchez Little Theatre.

By removing the choir loft and the pulpit, the garden club owners were able to build a stage and add lighting and drapes, changing the church into a theatre.  It seats about two hundred people and is typical of old theatres, packed in!!  When we arrived we thought that we were going to be two in a small group of viewers.  However, after two bus loads of tourists, it was quite full. 

This play was written by Owen Crump, a successful script writer working in California, after a visit to Natchez.  It is a light comedy that pokes gentle fun at Natchez, it's traditions, it's aristocracy and it's tourists.  It was first a success in Dallas and later, in 1951, Natchez Little Theatre decided to perform it as a regular seasonal, in 1963 to become a regular during Spring Pilgrimage every year.

The play takes place in a typical antebellum house setting of fifty years ago where Penelope Mayweather, mistress of the house holds on to all she has left, pride and heritage.  Her housekeeper, Australia, lives with her and provides frank and funny insight into the activities in the house as tourists come and go.

Notice the tourist in the white hat making a beeline for the whatnot shelves!!  You will see that the shelves are much lighter decorated after she leaves!!

Hm-m-m, is this what we have to look forward to as we travel??  Wonder who will play nurse?

While the tour guide sets her cap for the visitor rooming in Mayweather Hall, notice later that he marries the daughter of another prosperous southern gentile family instead. 

 

Penelope Mayweather's concerns for the financial preservation of her heritage is put to rest when her boarder (writer) runs across Penelope's life time of diaries.  He calls in his New York publisher and finds that they are indeed a means to her financial success. 

We really enjoyed the production and felt that the main character, Penelope, was overshadowed by her impulsive, outspoken housekeeper.  Quite hilarious!! 

 

Monday we drove around town taking many more pictures and even got onto a private drive which led to conversation with a local who helps her brother run his Bed and Breakfast cottages along the river.  Her insight into the area was very interesting and she let us drive on down along the river.  We look forward to re-visiting Natchez another time!!  We know that we can find much more to do there as well as in Vicksburg just seventy miles to the north.  Vicksburg is known for it's part in the Civil War and has much history also. 

 

We spent a couple hours in a different Casino along the river today and walked out with our pockets still intact following our entertainment.  It is now lunch time so we know there is still another restaurant that we wanted to try out on Hwy 61.

 

Turns out it has only been there for a year and a half.  It must be quite popular as it is so busy at meal times that there is little available parking, even through their parking lot appears quite ample.  Turned out the food was more than ample, leaving us much to take home again!!  And oh, so delicious!!

 

I had made a bowl of potato salad for Gary to take with him to a Wild Game Banquet for the men at church.  See, we just settle in where ever we are!!  He did bring a little salad back and a delicious piece of chicken for me.

 

The Grand Hotel of Natchez

Looking up from first floor in Darby's clothing and accessories store.

Looks like there might be an apartment empty?

Love the wrap-around porches!!

We hit the road tomorrow to head on to Ohio as Audrey has doctor appointments beginning on Monday the 15th.  It looks like we will be running into rain on the way north.  We don't relish driving in that, but pray for safety.  We will just stop at Walmarts on the way for overnight.

See you Northerners soon!!

MAGNOLIA HALL and THE HISTORIC NATCHEZ TABLEAU

A night of rest and we are revitalized to continue the touring! 
We began with Magnolia Hall, named for the plaster arabesques of magnolia leaves and blossoms that adorn it's ceilings.  Many Natchez Garden Club volunteers were on hand to explain each of the rooms.  

Magnolia Hall

Audrey at back view of Magnolia Hall

This Greek Revival style built in 1858 was constructed of brick, but stuccoed, painted brown and scored to imitate the brownstone so popular in the North.  Fortunately an inventory of the furnishings of the Henderson family had been made giving later owners and the Garden Club who own it now, an exceptional idea of what it contained. Over the years it became a rooming house and a private Episcopal school, with original partition walls being removed.  In 1976 it was deeded as a gift to the preservation arm of the Natchez Garden Club, which completed the restoration as you see it today.  Many items were sold off or removed over the years will probably never be found, including all but two of the fireplace mantels and the chandeliers. 

Here you see the gardens, probably designed by the garden club.

 

 

From this tour we went on to lunch at the Pig Out Inn downtown, for some luscious pulled pork sandwiches and fries.  The sandwiches were so large that we had to take half of them home for another meal.

We ate sitting at tables made from old wood paneled doors, while watching the gal behind the counter shredding the pork.  It was tough to know where to set your plate to make sure that it did not tip!!  But well worth it.

We did go home for a rest in the afternoon because we had tickets for the two hour Historic Tableau, hosted by the two Garden Clubs of Natchez, at 8 pm that evening at the Natchez City Auditorium. 


Natchez City Auditorium

Our view of the stage, not bad seats!

Main entrance.

 

The tableau, originally, the very first Pilgrimage events of the 1930s, included a series of scenes, each depicting an event prominent in the life and culture of the South before the Civil War.  The tableau uses music, dance, narrative and acting by local men, women and children.  Children often move up through the acts over the years of their young lives.  Of course, that is why they do such a lovely job!!

Steamboat at Natchez Under-the-Hill bringing their dance troops and opera singer.

 

                                                                



The Maypole Dance with children weaving the colored ribbons.

While the little ones do their Maypole dance on stage.

 One scene depicted the famous wedding of the only Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, to a 17 year old Natchez lady, Varina Howell.  However, my picture of that was not good!!   Next is the young men and women at a typical soiree as held at Jefferson College, one of the oldest educational institutions of the South.  

 

 

 

Queen and King of the Natchez Tableau are presented.

 

The Great Hunt.

Natchez Indian story is told.

The story of the African Americans in this area was also told.  Again, no good picture!!
It really was a very lovely program and so well presented.  I think that Gary was amazed to have enjoyed it. We came to realized that there was a ball after the program for the locals, as they were very dressed up!   It seems that this is a very important presentation for this community every spring.  They do the presentation four times a week for four weeks.  The area sure seems to have many visitors, even by the bus loads!!
Ladies, I thought you would enjoy the gowns.  I really loved the talented dancers, and am amazed that the young men seem to really get into it!!  Every community needs some of this culture, in addition to sports, eh?

Come back for another play tomorrow.

FRIDAY'S TOUR OF HISTORIC HOMES IN NATCHEZ

Audrey and Gary with the Fort and Mississippi River in background.

 

After going to the Visitor's Center on Thursday, we were able to look over all materials and plan our Friday well.  Since it was the last week of Natchez's month long Spring Pilgrimage and us only having four days to plan, we started out with tickets to tour four of their beautiful historic homes.  There were at least two dozen to choose from, so I read as much as I could about them to make the decision.
We began with Rosalie Mansion which is located on an interesting tract of land just north of what was Fort Rosalie built in 1716 on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River.   This makes Natchez the oldest continuous settlement on the river, older then New Orleans.  Bet you didn't know that!!

In 1798 when Natchez became part of the new Mississippi Territory, the American flag was raised over the old fort.  The fort soon after began to fall into ruins.  The mansion was built in 1820 on this same tract of land.

Rosalie Mansion

View from the second floor, looking north on the Mississippi.

Bell from the USS Mississippi.

The bell from the USS Mississippi war ship was placed at this location in honor of many who lost their lives fighting wars from this great ship. 
Going into this tour, we also found out finally why we were not permitted to take pictures inside of these mansions.  It is dictated by the insurance companies, which we imagine could be to protect materials and to prevent theft maybe.  Thus you will not see any pictures of the interior.  This home had the kitchen in another brick building in the back yard, as was the practice of many of the antebellum homes to prevent fires.  Many of the bricks had fingerprints from the people making them right on the property where they were to be used.

From Rosalie, we went on to Stanton Hall which was under construction from 1849 to 1857.  Stanton is a Greek Revival style home surrounded by huge live oak trees over 100 years old, and is considered to be one of the most magnificent houses of antebellum America. The main hall was 17 feet high and the two parlors together were 72 feet in length.  It was awesome!!  Can't imagine how many slaves were needed to maintain this home!!

Front view of Stanton Hall

 

Side view of Stanton Hall and Gardens

 

Rear view of Stanton Hall with servants quarters on the right, behind the kitchen.




Stanton Hall is now owned by one of the local garden clubs.  It has a restaurant, banquet rooms, a gift shop and large outdoor swimming pool. 

Restaurant and Gift Shop behind the House.

A live oak with fern growing on the trunk and branches.

After completing the inside tour, we ran into a black man who does the yard care for this property and he was so willing to talk about Natchez and what he knew about it, especially the very hot summer weather!!  He had migrated a few years ago from California and it was interesting to hear his comparison of the areas.  He also had children move east from California, but they settled in Atlanta because it is not as hot in the summer.  I guess that says a lot for the Mississippi humidity and insects!!

From there we went to the outskirts of Natchez to see Longwood one of the most interesting of the homes because of it's octagonal design.  It is considered to be the largest octagonal house in America, the "Oriental Villa".

Longwood

Balconies in the rear of the home.

The construction was begun in 1860 and it was designed to have 32 rooms in four main floors with the fifth floor as a solarium and a sixth story to be an observatory. 

Rough staircase, and main framing of inner rotunda of house.

Looking up through the Rotunda.

The inner core was to provide ventilation and light through this great rotunda, open through all six floors.  The floors were to be connected with a grand spiral staircase with the crowning feature to be a dome with a 24-foot finial.  In April 1861 the construction stopped because of the declaration of war.  The Philadelphia craftsmen dropped their tools and fled North to take up their weapons for war, never to return.

Diagram of one unfinished floor.

The basement has much the same layout, but many different functions.  The owner and a few local workers and slaves completed the basement so their family with eight children  could live in those nine basement rooms.  The owner died three years later and his wife and one of the servants raised the children in the home, as it stood at that time.  The house was never finished, but it is maintained by the Pilgrimage Garden Club (another garden club) of the area.  The house is also designated a National Historic Landmark, a Mississippi Landmark and a historic site on the Civil War Discovery Trail, to stand just as it is, never to be completed.

This did complete our tours for the day as we had climbed enough stairs and had not had any lunch yet.  So it was either back to the motor home or stop at some restaurant.  We chose Mammy's Cupboard and found that we had to wait in line.  It is only open for lunch each day and is very busy.

Mammy's Cupboard, me thinks that she changed color over the years!
 

We decided to share a table with a local and his friend from New Jersey.  The food was delicious and we were so glad that we waited in line.  We enjoyed the company. 

Hopefully, I will get back to this again tomorrow to tell you of our last house tour.  Take care.