Amanda Dove Wells

Sometimes when you have kids, it becomes hard to do all of the spur of the moment things that you always are wishing you would do, like pick up and head somewhere for a single day, for instance. Before Jeremiah’s birth, we decided that we were going to do “those things” anyway. I think that parents so often feel like they are tied down and confined to home once kids enter the picture. My philosophy is that it’s good for kids to see and do, and who better to do that with than their parents?

So we recently decided that we were going to make a day trip once a month to show our kids the South and make them aware of what it means to be from a place such as this. After all, there is so much culture and so much to see in our own backyard that many of us are simply unaware of. Maybe we’ll stop to go to the bathroom six times in a two-hour drive, maybe they’ll go to bed late, maybe their legs will get tired from walking and we’ll inevitably say, “keep up,” about a million times, but maybe, just maybe, we’ll be making cherished childhood memories that our kids will never forget. Just maybe.

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

We began our day trip tradition two weekends ago with a trip to what I think of as the most “Southern place on Earth.” Yes, the South has a sorted history, there’s no doubt about that. Learning about that sorted history makes us realize how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go. Natchez, Mississippi is by far one of the best places to get a glimpse of life in the Old South.  With plantation homes galore still in tact, you can briefly see what life was like for those proper Southern gentlemen and ladies. I imagine them prancing about in their hoopskirts wiping the glow from their brow. I can envision the old steamboats chugging down the Mighty Mississippi while revelers hooped and hollered from the saloons along the banks. It’s one of those places where you can just imagine. And that’s what I love.

EXPLORE

Before our trip, I asked my friend Will, a Natchez native and enthusiast in every sense of the word, what he would do if he only had one day in the town. So we took some of his suggestions and set out to explore Natchez, starting with Longwood Plantation.

The Road to Longwood

What makes Natchez so incredible are the huge antebellum plantation homes. Don’t leave without a tour. Longwood is the “largest octagonal house in America.” Hmmm…who knew? What is so fascinating about Longwood is that construction began on it in 1860 and then a little event known as the Civil War stopped construction in its tracks. Craftsmen from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under the direction of architect Samuel Sloan were building the house for wealthy cotton planter Haller Nutt and his wife Julia. At the onset of the war, the craftsmen dropped their tools, which can still be seen in the house today, and fled North. Haller recruited local workers to finish the basement level (one of six levels) so his family could take up residence. Haller died, not so wealthy after the war, in 1864 and Julia and her eight children lived in the basement of Longwood until her death in 1897. According to our tour guide, the mansion will forever remain in its unfinished state, as a reminder of past glories and tragedies.

We even ventured out to see the family graveyard, where the Nutts are buried. I only made it halfway because I was stopped in my tracks by this little guy.

Ry and Nathan braved the forest while Parker, the baby and I decided we’d go sit in the air-conditioned bathroom and wait.  So wait we did.

We took a nice afternoon stroll around downtown, where we wandered into the First Presbyterian Church. They have a permanent exhibit entitled Natchez in Historic Photographs. The (gigantic!) collection of photographs were taken from as early as 1840 and offer a look into life in Natchez back in the day. Pictures of steamboats and residents are featured and just intrigued me.

You also can’t go to Natchez without a walk along the Mississippi River. The bluffs are gorgeous and on the view is breathtaking.

On our way out of town, we stopped by the Emerald Mound, the second largest temple Indian mound in the United States. The mound is about eight acres big and was used between 1300 and 1600 by the Mississippians, the ancestors of the Natchez Indians.

SHOP

You can’t go downtown without visiting Darby’s at 410 Main Street. They have lots of gift and home items, but I go for the fudge and with a tiny hint of fall in the air, Darby’s whipped up a batch of pumpkin fudge. Yum…

Natchez is also home to a bevy of antiques stores, which you know is right up my alley. But alas, I actually left this trip with not an antique or thrifted item in tow. Just a bunch of fudge (not that I’m complaining).

EAT

Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be right if the most Southern place on Earth didn’t have some good eats, am I right?

We lunched at Mammy’s Cupboard, at 555 Hwy. 61.  Built in 1940 by the Gaude’ family, it stands as a quirky landmark that has had many lives as a gas station, restaurant, gift shop and craft center. In 1994, Doris Kemp opened Mammy’s  as the restaurant that’s known for delicious Southern home cooking.

It’s impossible to miss, what with the large Mammy doll façade. The girls were most thrilled at the thought of being able to go “under the big skirt.” Despite the oddity that is the building itself, Mammy’s down home vibe is hard to beat. In fact, when we came in to discover that you could only pay with cash or check, we said we’d be back after a visit to the ATM. The owner, with her casual nurturing attitude, responded with, “Well, I hate to inconvenience you like that, you can just mail me a check.” Welcome to Natchez, folks.

When you go to Mammy’s, you have to get a glass of their famous Blueberry Lemonade. My girls were fans.

And then there’s the food. I went for the Sesame Chicken Salad on some of the most scrumptious, light and fluffy homemade bread I’ve ever tasted and a cup of hearty homemade vegetable soup. Delish.

Before we headed out of town, we stopped for an early dinner of sorts. Fat Mama’s Tamales on South Canal Street is a place we never miss when in Natchez. Here, the patio lends the perfect spot to take in the early fall breeze off the Mississippi. The tamales are just spicy enough, the chips are crispy, and the salsa has a kick. But the real showstopper is the Knock You Naked Margarita. I left fully clothed, thankfully, but it really was that good.

When you’re in Natchez, also try -

The Castle Restaurant on the grounds of Dunleith Plantation – 84 Homochitto Street

Biscuits and Blues – 315 Main Street

Pearl Street Pasta – 105 South Pearl Street

Anybody else got any favorite Natchez spots?