Upstate to Tupelo!

I just typed the entire post. The battery power gave way and the entire post was lost as it seems my auto save was not working either. So....

Here is the brief news for:

Monday, March 3, 2008

We left Bay St. Louis around 10 AM and decided to head North to Tupelo, Mississippi.

Tupelo is the birth place of Elvis!

On the way up we stopped in Meridian, MS. to do three specific things.

See the Carousel, See the Jimmie Rodgers museum and see the Causeyville General Store.

Without our even knowing it, this was to be a lucky day filled with our favor.

The Jimmie Rodgers Museum is located in Highland Park a few hundred yards from the Dentzal Carousel. The museum was opened (which we found out later was a complete stroke of luck as it is not open any more unless someone calls to set up a special showing) We didn't call and it was open anyway and it was really cool to see all the memorabilia including the specially handcrafted Martin Guitar made for Jimmie. Upon leaving the museum, I asked the curator where the carousel was located, because we did not see it when we pulled in. She told us where it was but also informed us that it was not open. Then she told us that if we went over to another building in the park (the office of Park and Rec) that if we told them that we came to see it that they would most likely send someone over to open the building so we could get a look and some pictures.

As I was finishing the conversation with her, Megan and Jasper went to the building to see if we could get into the carousel building. As I left the museum, I saw Meg and Jazz walking back towards me and I assumed that we were not going to be able to get in. They told me that it was all set and that the guy told us that he would meet us at the building in a few minutes. He did (it was the director of parks and rec, caused all of his staff was home sick. He locked the office and came over to let us in.

This Carousel is the only one of its kind left in the world. The city of Meridian bought it at the St. Louis Worlds Fair in 1905 and had it transported back to MS. It is a two, side by side, hand carved, hand painted, stationary, wooden animal, Dentzal Carousel. It was made in Germantown Ave, Philidelphia, PA by the Dentzal Carousel Company in 1856.

Not only did we get to get into the building and were given a very generous private tour and narration regarding the history of the machine but he also surprised us by giving us a private ride upon the beautiful artful work. It really flys! Megan was completely thrilled at this treat. Her smile was as wide as the crescent moon. She looked just like a kid again. Priceless!

While we were talking to the great guy who gave us the tour he was also telling us of other places we should see in the city. We settled for the barbecue restaurant he recommended less than a mile away. See the pictures! This was the best little barbecue place and food we have experienced to date. And of course the owner (in the picture) has family in Hartford, CT.

After our meal, we drove the 18 miles out of our way to the Causeyville General Store http://www.visitmeridian.com/attractions.htm

Start there and look at a few more sites with its name in the google box. You will see why we went out of our way to get there, meet the owner and the neighbors and see this very neat historic place. I swear, going to Meridian and to these sites and meeting the friendliest people in our country is worth the trip. And I thought the people in Louisiana were the most welcoming! I think it's a tie!

We left the store under the threat of tornado's and violent thunderstorms (again for the second time since we have been on this trip) and made it again miraculously the next two + hours thru the line of the storm as if we had radar and missed all the bad stuff.

We arrived at 10 PM that night in the midst of that heavy rain storm that, by the way, halted for 10 mins at the moment of our arrival that allowed us to take the car off and get set up with out getting wet. Thank You! We had booked two nights at Trace State Park just outside of Tupelo. (In the completely dry county of Pontotoc,MS. Zero tolerance for alcohol - no drinking, selling, transporting, having of any kind, no kidding. Immediate arrest! Uh Oh!) Beside this, this was a really great state park and we had our entire section to ourselves the entire time. It was so nice that we decided to stay a third night.

More about Tupelo and Elvis in the next post.