Mississippi towns with a historic, southern gothic feel? (Jackson, Greenville: transplants, chapel)

[Ginsaw]

Glad you made it back.

There's one more thing. It's been around for a while, but it's a priceless bit of social history, good photos, great story telling and great feel to it. And it's all about our beloved Delta and the Great River Road - Moorhead, MS

Take your time reading it.

Btw, the painting "Where The Southern Cross The Yellow Dog" is what I was looking for when I stumbled unto that.

2nd btw, I know you didn't mention Arkansas, but you owe it to yourself to look at Hot Springs also...

[GrandviewGloria]

Columbia's upper classes seem replete with a whole array of Southern Gothic characters. It's a pretty town, in a pretty part of the state. But nearby Natchez is so Southern Gothic your head will spin.

And you do need to make a pilgrimage to San Francisco Plantation in South Louisiana. That house was on the cover of an old romance novel by the name of 'Southern Gothic'. The grounds have been destroyed (in White Trash parlance, that would be expressed as " The yard's been cleaned-up"), which is criminal, since the original family were major connoisseurs of plantlife, and the gardens were full of mature specimens of many rare plants. But the interiors are glorious. San Francisco Plantation

I'm not sure exactly what constitutes Louisiana's 'River Road': but there are many lovely towns along that road, and lots of people with very interesting lives. And there's a magazine (or there was one) catering to the genteel set in the 'River Parishes', and their corresponding area in Mississippi. I forget the name.

And let's not forget Hazlehurst, which keeps popping up in the works of various writers. I think Beth Henley had one of her travesties set there. And Qu**r as Folk had a character who was from there (the only one who looked like anything, if you ask me...). I only watched a few episodes, but heard "Hazlehurst Mississippi" come up several times. And I know a family who were supposedly the 'royalty of the town' (at least according to a Belhaven College Dean of Women, who knew them). I think they had a townhouse on 'Silk Stocking Row', a lovely street of victorian mansions: this, in addition to a plantation house which could have been a twin to Judah Benjamin's square-columned mansion in Louisiana (in the way that Mississippi's gentry often downplay or muddle their heritage, a descendant who'd seen the house as a child described it as "Oh, it had a dance hall on the top floor, and on top of the roof, there was a fish tank or somethin'" (there was a third-floor ballroom, and the house had a rooftop water tank supplying rare antebellum indoor plumbing). So anyway, the town must be dripping with Southern Gothic(ness).

And come to think of it, Canton, Mississippi may be the most Southern Gothic of them all (complete with its own film school and movie-making studio thingie, all set for the next fecalization of Southern Culture, as if 'A Time to Kill' were not enough). Mansions there go for a song, because, well... It's a demographic thing. Canton's white population has long had a reputation. And it's not a good reputation. But it's a colorful reputation. And there's plenty of race-mixing drama - ongoing for generations. The local White Trash provided so much inspiration to the writers for 'A Time to Kill', that some of their quirks were written into various movies filmed in the town. If you can get into Canton's local literary set, I think you'll have fodder for a lifetime of interesting reads. Start of by asking one of the local gentry about "Uncle Toe", and the stories will start unraveling from there.

[RetroPhoto]

I'm in Clarksville as we speak and LOVE my shack at the Shack Up Inn, but have to say I'm disappointed so far with the town -- I'm finding very rude service to outsiders at a local restaurant where they pretty much ignored me and when I went to the counter to pay as I knew I'd wait forever to get the check, one staff person actually turned her back to me and started talking to another employee until someone else saw me and came to ring me out. Really? You have to work hard to get NO tip from me, but you got it sister. Then I was standing at the bar counter here on the shack grounds with no one else waiting while the two employees and someone else were looking at a computer and ignoring me standing there to order a beer for a good 3 minutes. I mean facing me, with the laptop on the ordering counter. WTF? Is it a "you're not local so eff off" thing?

Also, the band playing there tonight (opening band i guess) had some twenty something hippie hipster and hey, I'm all for doing yer thang, but I felt like going up to this young guy and saying, "What the $&%* do you know about the blues, Junior?" They looked very bored. And yes, there were only a handful of people, but if you're going to just dial it in, don't bother.

It's also looking a bit too rundown for any hope of a photo studio here, unless I'm missing the "rich" neighborhood. But I'm feeling the Delta vibe, need to go back and look at Oxford, and check out Natchez. I'll post photos later of my "luxurious" shack and huge screened porch (which the cats love also.) It is seriously cool.

[RetroPhoto]

I was just watching A Time to Kill last night and trying to remember if Canton was a real place LOL. Sorry it had that much influence in the white trash portrayals, yikes. I dealt with that element to some degree growing up in a county considered redneck by Indiana standards, and which took pride in being the only all white county back then. Not sure if it still is?

I think the headliner is playing and what I can hear over my Sirius blues station sounds like it might be pretty decent. Gotta tunr off sirius and go sit ont he porch and listen...

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by RetroPhoto

I'm in Clarksville as we speak and LOVE my shack at the Shack Up Inn, but have to say I'm disappointed so far with the town --

You are in Clarksdale - and the town has been in decline for years. Sorry about the rudeness - I experience it myself in my hometown not far away!
The Rest Haven Restaurant on Highway 161 in south Clarksdale is a local institution, as is Abe's BBQ at the "Crossroads" and the Ranchero on Highway 161 North.

[brickpatio]

I don't think Clarksdale was ever known for historic architecture or small-town historic charm. There is a rich area around the country club about a mile or so north of downtown, but those homes are new (and very nice). In the Delta, Greenwood best captures the historic Delta feel (see Grand Blvd and downtown area). Vicksburg has lots of charm and character, as do Natchez, Brookhaven, McComb, Laurel, Columbia, Columbus, Corinth, Oxford, Bay St. Louis, Ocean Springs, and Pass Christian among others. Canton is blessed with its location, directly in the path of affluent suburban areas north of Madison, and it does have a beautiful town square and has some huge mansions. I think for people with an idealized vision of the south, with elegant mansions and giant oak and magnolia trees, but also that feels prosperous and modern as small towns go, I would suggest Brookhaven. Neighboring McComb has more cottages and bungalows but has a lovely rolling terrain and lush green live oaks and camellias. The tiny town of Magnolia about 5 minutes south of McComb is like something out of a book...just too beautiful. That area feels the South that people imagine.

[RetroPhoto]

I keep doing that ClarksVILLE thing... sorry!

I checked out Oxford which I really liked, but I'm sure it will be relatively pricey. I saw an old movie theater for rent in Batesville about 20 minutes from there and I'm going to call and at least ask what they want per month. I couldn't really look around much in their downtown square by the theater because they have a mini carnival going this weekend. I picked up newspapers in Oxford, Batesville and here, so going to browse their classifieds. Then going to kick back in my "office" on the screened porch, have some Abe's BBQ and start some research on some of the others mentioned, and probably head for Natchez tomorrow.

Also trying to find a cord to download my photos...

[RetroPhoto]

Originally Posted by brickpatio

I don't think Clarksdale was ever known for historic architecture or small-town historic charm. There is a rich area around the country club about a mile or so north of downtown, but those homes are new (and very nice). In the Delta, Greenwood best captures the historic Delta feel (see Grand Blvd and downtown area). Vicksburg has lots of charm and character, as do Natchez, Brookhaven, McComb, Laurel, Columbia, Columbus, Corinth, Oxford, Bay St. Louis, Ocean Springs, and Pass Christian among others. Canton is blessed with its location, directly in the path of affluent suburban areas north of Madison, and it does have a beautiful town square and has some huge mansions. I think for people with an idealized vision of the south, with elegant mansions and giant oak and magnolia trees, but also that feels prosperous and modern as small towns go, I would suggest Brookhaven. Neighboring McComb has more cottages and bungalows but has a lovely rolling terrain and lush green live oaks and camellias. The tiny town of Magnolia about 5 minutes south of McComb is like something out of a book...just too beautiful. That area feels the South that people imagine.

It sounds like I may have to check out Canton despite its white folk reputation with affluent areas nearby and the film school thing -- I've been thinking of toying with film work. But from the looks of it, going a little south will really get me in the feel I'm looking for with a lot of small town options, so it's probably going to be just a matter of finding the right live and/or work space at the right price.

EDIT TO ADD: oh yeah, we have a new frontrunner folks! http://www.flickr.com/photos/dazon_b...th/4861956696/

[RetroPhoto]

I found a beautiful 1924 sq ft home built in 1898 in Vicksburg... the search is over. Thanks to all of you for your help! Now I'm going to go have a southern film festival in my hotel room while I wait to move in Thursday.

[ColdAilment]

Vicksburg is a very old city with lots of culture and history, I wish you well there. A word of caution though, I also hear the town's economy isn't doing too well and crime seems to be a problem in the area.