Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness

Ridgeland Crafts Center

"On the parkway just north of Jackson, Mississippi at Ridgeland, is the Mississippi Crafts Center. This is a relatively new development for the Old Natchez Trace. The structure was located on the Natchez Trace Parkway in 1975 by the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi, a non-profit organization of craftsmen and others who want to preserve and promote the folk and traditional, as well as contemporary crafts of Mississippi.

"When you arrive at the crafts center, the first thing you'll notice is that it's housed in a dogtrot cabin, a style common in this area during pioneer days. Inside you'll see art works that are available for purchase. There are traditional basket designs, pottery, weaving, quilting and jewelry created by members of the Choctaw Tribe. There are also works done in more contemporary styles.

"Compared to the long history of the Natchez Trace, the Ridgeland Crafts Center may appear to be only a recent development, but in reality it is like a beautiful wildflower that springs from this rich land, land that has borne the footsteps of so many traditions, so many people, people with common ties to the land. You can see many stories told in the works displayed and for sale at the Crafts Center.

"Join us next time when we'll travel a couple of miles up the road to Brashear's Stand. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

Brashear's Stand

"We're traveling the Natchez Trace from Natchez, Mississippi north to Nashville, Tennessee. This was the direction returning Boatman and Kaintucks traveled the old road in the late 1700s and early 1800s after they had floated the produce of their farms in the Ohio River Valley down the Mississippi River to sell in Natchez.

"Today we're visiting a stop along the Trace known as Brashear's Stand, and though you wouldn't realize it driving up from the south this is only about 1/4 mile from a 50 Square mile body of water, the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

"Of course there was no reservoir here in the days of pioneers, but the region was abundant with streams and rivers. We come to an OLD TRACE exhibit just after we cross Brashear's Creek. There's a short loop trail there to let visitors actually walk along a sunken section of the old Natchez Trace at the site of Brashear's Stand, another of the 50 or so inns along the old road. Brashear's Stand was advertised as quote: "A house of entertainment in the wilderness."

"Join us on our next program when we'll travel to the Reservoir Overlook and see the waters of the Pearl River.

"For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

Reservoir Overlook

"The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District was established by the Mississippi legislature in 1958 to develop a reservoir to help prevent floods and provide a dependable water supply for Jackson, Mississippi. This was motivated in part by years of drought during the early 1950s. Today along the Natchez Trace Parkway, just north of Jackson, Mississippi there is a stop called the RESERVOIR OVERLOOK where visitors can see the results of the first project of its type undertaken by a local government for the expressed purpose of conservation and for making the maximum use of the available water supply. From this overlook you can see the Ross Barnett Reservoir, a 50 sq. mile body of water. This comes out to be about 66,000 acres of water formed by an earth filled dam along the Pearl River.

"For several miles the Natchez Trace Parkway leads travelers along the west bank of the reservoir which is one of the outstanding fishing, boating and recreational manmade lakes in Mississippi. Travelers along the Trace can see an abundance of wildlife living in the vicinity of the reservoir, drawn there for food and water. This is a peaceful ride filled with beautiful sights and scenery.

"Join us next time when we'll ride the parkway along the shore of the reservoir and listen to a selection of RoadMusic® written specifically for a drive along this section of the Trace. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

A Long Ride Along the Reservoir

"Visitors to the Natchez Trace Parkway that travel it using the Road Through the Wilderness audio tour as their guide will enjoy entertaining and informative musical pieces written for unique sights along the parkway. Listen for a moment to part of a piano piece entitled A Long Ride Along the Reservoir which accompanies the drive along the banks of the Ross Barnett Reservoir just north of Jackson, Mississippi. Imagine now, if you will, the smell of new mown grass, see the sunlight shimmering on the water, feel the breeze and hear the waves gently lap at the shore."

(Musical Interlude)

"The Natchez Trace holds the distinction of being the first such road where travelers can listen to RoadMusic® while driving through the place that inspired it.

"Join us next time when we'll make another stop along the parkway and the reservoir to look at the Boyd Indian Mounds. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

Boyd Mounds

"We are traveling along the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, Mississippi up to Nashville, Tennessee and visiting the interpretive exhibits the park service has placed along the way.

"Today we visit Boyd Mounds. These Indian burial mounds stand along the shore of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. A village site near Boyd Mounds dates from around 500 A.D. This was near the end of the Woodland Indian Culture, but earlier than the Mississippian Indians who built Emerald Mound just north of Natchez. Indians occupied this site for centuries before the mounds were built. The village had long been deserted when these burial mounds were constructed between 1300-1500 A.D. Archaeologists have found pottery that dates from before 700 A.D. among the remains of the 41 burials discovered there. They also tell us that the 5 foot high mound that is over 100 feet long covers up two earlier mounds, and though this appears now to be only one mound, it's actually 3 mounds-in-one. Later, Choctaw Indians added burials to the site, and glass beads traded from the arriving white man were found among these later graves.

"Join us on our next program when we'll cross what was the northern boundary of British West Florida in 1764. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

West Florida Boundary

"Today our stop along the parkway is on the bank of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. The exhibit is called West Florida Boundary.

"Between 1756 and 1763 the conflict known as the Seven Years' War was fought in Europe and India. It pitted the French and the British against each other for control of the seas and control of colonies in North America.

"The North American part of this struggle is what we call the French and Indian War, with the French defending a line of forts from the St. Lawrence River to the Mississippi, against British attack. The chain of French forts was finally broken, and the British spectacular capture of Quebec in 1759 ended French power in America for all practical purposes.

"The 1763 Treaty of Paris marked the end of the war, and Great Britain ended up with much of the former French territory between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. The British formed the highly prized colony of British West Florida with a northern boundary at the 31st parallel north latitude. It was soon discovered this was too restrictive, and in 1764 Great Britain moved the boundary north. As you drive along the shore of the reservoir north of Jackson you cross 32 degrees and 28 minutes north latitude which was the northern boundary of British West Florida in 1764.

"Join us next time when we investigate the life of a Cypress Swamp. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

Cypress Swamp

"There are two species of trees in the area of the Natchez Trace that can live while standing in depths of water that would kill other trees. Theses two species are the water tupelo and the bald cypress. Today we're visiting a site along the parkway just north of Ross Barnett Reservoir; it's called CYPRESS SWAMP. There you'll find a 20 minute nature trail with a boardwalk to carry you across this swamp where the water tupelo and bald cypress live.

"The Pearl River used to flow through the channel where the cypress and water tupelo now grow, but the river changed its course many years ago and left the channel as a backwater and a swamp. This nature trail offers a unique look at land in the process of being reclaimed from the Pearl River and at the variety of plant and animal life the land supports. The first section of the trail to the left of the parking area is a boardwalk across the center of the swamp. At the end of this loop trail off to the right of the parking lot you'll find a bench to sit and peacefully watch and listen to the nature of this area.

"Join us next time and watch as the Pearl River changes it's course. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

River Bend Picnic Area

"Today we'll stop by the RIVER BEND PICNIC AREA about 20 miles up the Natchez Trace Parkway from Jackson, Mississippi. At this bend in the Pearl River you can see part of the dynamic process of a river changing its course. The picnic area stands on the outer part of the river bend, at a point where the flowing water and the solid ground meet. You can see how the water is eroding the earth, eating away at the picnic area. At the same time if you look across the river you will see a beach being build as silt from erosion further up stream settles out at the inner bend of this ever changing and winding river.

"When I visit this stop I'm reminded of a chapter in the Tao Te Ching, an ancient Chinese book that takes it's philosophy from the observation of nature. It says:

"There is nothing softer and more yielding than water.
And yet when it comes to attacking the solid and the inflexible;
It is without equal.

"What we view as weak can overcome the strong;
The flexible overcomes the rigid.
This is a truth everyone knows,
but not everyone puts it into practice.

"Join us next time when we'll stop by a line of trees that mark a boundary established by the Treaty of Doak's Stand. I'm Frank Thomas, your guide along the Natchez Trace, a road through the wilderness."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

Treaty of Doak's Stand

"Today we visit an exhibit along the Natchez Trace Parkway called Upper Choctaw Boundary.

"In October of 1820, Andrew Jackson, who nine years later would become the 7th President of the United States, met with leaders of the Choctaw Indian Nation, notably the Indian chief Pushmataha. The meeting took place at a tavern established in 1812 by William Doak. Andrew Jackson was asking the Choctaw to give up all of their tribal lands in exchange for land west of the Mississippi River. The Indians didn't like the prospect of leaving their homeland and after several days of argument, Jackson lost his temper and threatened the extinction of the Choctaw Indians or their forced removal to lands in the west if they didn't give up their land willingly. Reluctantly the Choctaw surrendered one third of their land and signed the Treaty of Doak's Stand on October 20th of 1820. Ten years later they were forced to give up all of their lands.

"At the exhibit along the Trace called THE UPPER CHOCTAW BOUNDARY, you can see a line of trees that mark the boundary formed by the Treaty of Doak's Stand.

"Join us next time for a look at the Yockanookany River. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

Yockanookany River

"A site along the Natchez Trace Parkway that is half way between the cities of Jackson and Kosciusko in Mississippi is known as the Yockanookany Picnic Area.

"As we journey on up the Natchez Trace we will be crossing several streams: Nine Mile Creek, Bain Creek, Myrick Creek, Blatlock Creek, Hurricane Creek, Bird Creek. They all drain into the Yockanookany River that flows south and joins the Pearl River near this picnic area.

"These creeks were mileposts to early travelers that marked their progress up the old road. We hardly notice them when we drive the Trace today, but to the Kaintucks and Boatmen on their journey home, these creeks were obstacles to be waded and swum, they were also their source of water and food.

"For some 60 miles of their journey early travelers paralleled the Yockanookany River which lay to their east as they followed the ancient trail of the migrating buffaloes and the Indian hunters.

"So, if during your northbound journey along the Natchez Trace you should happen to stop at the Yockanookany Picnic Area and rest among the Southern Pine trees, think about the early travelers there, who would soon set foot into the bottom lands of the Yockanookany River.

"Join us on our next program when we'll cross Robinson Road. I'm Frank Thomas, your guide along the Natchez Trace, a road through the wilderness."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com