When Vertis and I started talking about a long weekend getaway trip, several Mississippi towns became part of the conversation. We narrowed it down to Greenwood, and then added Vicksburg.
Greenwood is an undiscovered gem less than a three-hour drive from El Dorado. The Viking Corporation (think kitchen appliances) is primarily responsible for giving Greenwood a "worth a journey" title. Vicksburg, with its Civil War battlefield and several exceptional historic bed and breakfast accommodations, is an a good reason to make it the second stop.
The drive from El Dorado to Greenwood starts on U.S. 82 and ends on U.S. 82. Driving west from El Dorado through Crossett and Lake Village takes us to the Delta of the Mississippi River: 200 miles long, 70 miles at its widest. It's hard to visualize that the flat, fertile land was once part of an inland flooded area caused by melting glaciers, which released torrents of water south down the Mississippi Embayment.
These waters carried debris called alluvium, that makes up the Delta's fertile soil.
Greenwood is on the eastern edge of the Delta, and our destination there was the Alluvian, an exceptional hotel in an old building. The rooms, amenities, and bedding are all first-class. There's a full-service spa and a special little bar that connects to Giardina's restaurant next door.
The story is that the restaurant was active during Prohibition, and instead of having tables in a common dining area, it enclosed each table to create its own private room. The entrance to each room is covered by a curtain, which is closed during your visit so you never see anyone but your server. If you want privacy, or if during Prohibition you might want to sip something illegal, Giardina's would fit your bill. If you were going to propose to your future wife, it would be the perfect spot.
After living a dozen years on the Gulf Coast, Vertis and I have developed a taste for fresh seafood. Outside of New Orleans, we have found the best seafood difficult to find, except for Giardina's. Our first course was fresh gulf oysters prepared three ways, and the entree was a large grilled pompano--the top of my fresh fish food chain.
Across the street is the home of the Viking Cooking School. Viking Corporation, which owns the hotel, restaurant, school, and stove manufacturing facility, is a key player in the Greenwood economy.
The school, which attracts cooking enthusiasts from across the country, has been touted as being among the most enjoyable on earth, and the store that goes with it has every kitchen item imaginable. Eight of my Facebook friends have given it a thumbs up.
Outside of admiring the area's historical residential architecture and how the city didn't chop off its crape myrtles, we ran out of time to completely take in Greenwood.
The next morning it was on to Vicksburg. The center of town is on the low ridges and hills of loess, windblown dirt and sand from the Delta. These features were formed when the area was a barren desert.
The town is probably the most historical in the state, and as any history buff will tell you, when the siege of Vicksburg by Northern troops ended on July 4, 1863, with the surrender of the Confederate forces, it was a major turning point in the Civil War. For years, many of the citizens of Vicksburg refused to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Many of the Vicksburg National Battlefield's trenches and gun emplacements along the ridge overlooking the Mississippi River are still visible. The park has monuments to the regiments from states whose troops fought in the siege. That makes for a great history tour.
We stayed at Corners Mansion Inn, a pre-Civil War bed and breakfast which overlooks the Mississippi River. The authentic decor, with antique beds and furniture, fireplaces, and private porches, gives you the feel of stepping back in time, and the courtyard, which has the largest crape myrtle I have ever seen, amplifies the feel.
That stay wrapped up our Mississippi getaway; three and a half hours later we pulled into our driveway on Calion Road in El Dorado.
Email Richard Mason at richard@gibraltarenergy.com.