The South Delta

Rolling Fork

While most people associate Muddy Waters with Clarksdale or Chicago. Muddy (nee McKinley Morganfield) was born in Rolling Fork (40 miles south of Leland, 50 miles north of Vicksburg, along US 61), before being sent to live with his grandmom on Stovall Plantation at the age of 3. The town, at some point, was able to cobble together enough money to have this marker erected and construct a gazebo along with it near the county courthouse. (Photos taken in April, 2005)

A pictorial time line of history in Rolling Fork. (From left to right) Native Americans, Christopher Columbus, cotton plantation, Ironclads on Deer Creek (Union boats trying to sneak around Vicksburg), Teddy Roosevelt's bear hunt, a fiddle and guitar player, and Gov. Fielding L. Wright (1946-52).
Side of a store in Rolling Fork (photo taken in April, 2005) (Italics designate corrections sent to me from Jody Perkins [sorry I took so long])

Below the "Delta"

I wonder if that tugboat really wants to take those barges up the Yazoo River instead of the Mississippi. The Yazoo River joins the Mississippi River just at the southern edge of Vicksburg. The Mississippi River used to flow along the edge of town here, but due to the Army Corp of Engineers meddling, the Mississippi jumped its banks and left Vicksburg without river access. The solution was to reroute the Yazoo to follow the old Mississippi riverbank in front of Vicksburg and join the Mississippi south of town instead of north of town. (Photo taken in June 1999)

A burned out nightclub in a most unusual of places. About 3 miles west of US 61 along the road to Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station (between Natchez and Vicksburg). Maybe a blues band or two played here. (Photo taken in October, 2004)

Quintinsential Mississippi folk architecture, despite the racial overtones. For some reason it wasn't open this particular Saturday.
Mammy's is located on the eastside of US 61, 7 miles south of Natchez. (Photo taken in October, 2004)

Page created on March 5, 2006/ updated on February 23, 2007

Questions, comments, and submissions can be sent to Sandor Gulyas

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