Natchez Pilgrimage

I always enjoy the fried chicken, rice and gravy, and green beans. You'll get two pieces of chicken--one white meat and another dark--that's been the case since the lady who opened the restaurant in the 1930s decreed that it would be no other way! I always order the tomato aspic, which is the best made in the South. The lemon tart is an excellent dessert to end a perfect meal. Did I forget to tell you they serve a real mint julep? "It sure ain't no sissy drink."

One home on tour, Rosalie, is owned by the DAR (Daughter of the American Revolution) and features hoop-skirted volunteers that tell the story of the mansion, its occupants, and Natchez. Other mansions with romantic names like Stanton Hall, Dunleigh, Monmouth, Melrose and Elms Court are open to visitors.

The gardens of the town are spectacular during this time of year and should not be missed. The town hosts several shows including the historic Natchez Pageant, a musical production that depicts scenes of the Old South. The garden clubs of the town host Pilgrimage Balls that are by invitation only.

If you should be fortunate enough to know someone in Natchez with an invitation, its worth the rental on a tuxedo or gown to witness one of these extravagant events. The National Park Service owns Monmouth and often hosts Civil War reenactments on the mansion grounds.

This leisurely drive takes several days to traverse due to its low speed limit (45 mph to 50 mph). There is very little traffic along most stretches of the trace. Some of the most scenic landscapes in the Southeast are located on this route. Visit several Native American burial/ceremonial mounds along the way and learn more about how the earliest inhabitants of our country lived. Visit Mount Locust Plantation, the restored home of the Chamberlain family who lived there from the 1780s until the 1930s. It's worth stopping at most of the markers along the way.