Natchez, Mississippi

Sunday, April 27 – Tuesday, April 29, 2025 (Days 16-18)

We continued our drive across Louisiana arriving at Riverview RV Park in Vidalia, Louisiana early afternoon.  Vidalia is directly across the Mississippi River from Natchez, Mississippi, the oldest Mississippi River town in the nation.   Given the mid-April flooding in the Ohio River Valley, I had called ahead to assure the RV park would not be flooded.  Approximately 10 RV sites on one side of the park were under water, but our side of the park was dry and safe.  We ventured across the river to get the lay of the land finding the Melrose Plantation for a dash through the grounds prior to its 5:00 pm closing.

Monday morning we started another Let’s Roam walking tour around historic Natchez.  Unfortunately, our day was punctuated by the first medical “emergency” of the trip.  Poor kitty Ginger had an infected nailbed.  While she wasn’t complaining or limping, it did look irritated and red.  We found a local veterinarian clinic who could see her that afternoon.  Fortunately, a few epsom salt baths for her paw and 10-days of anti-biotics was a fairly easy remedy.  I enjoyed a 2-1/2 mile walk along the Vidalia Riverfront past the Mississippi River Cruise ship landing sites. Although I had no basis of comparison, the parking signs and large trees poking above the water were indications the river was running at flood stage. 

One of our favorite travel hobbies is to take the local guided ghost tour.  We figured with Natchez’ long history, it was bound to have some notable haunted locations.  Monday night proved to be an opportune evening as we received a private tour. Scott, our Natchez Ghost Tour guide, an eight-year resident of Natchez was knowledgeable and entertaining.  He explained the haunted histories of such places as the Eola Hotel, Prentiss Club, King’s Tavern with the diabolical murders committed by the Harper brothers.  The Rhythm Night Club, a Jazz/Blues tavern, was the site of the 4^th deadliest fire in US History when over 200 patrons died on April 23, 1940, when fire broke out during a concert performed by Walter Barnes and the Royal Creolians.  The deadly fire led to the adoption of many building fire code regulations.  The highlight was a tour “bonus.”  When Scott’s tours are running efficiently and early (Yes, even with my plethora of questions, we were still early!) he is sometimes able to make arrangements to tour the “Old City Jail” in use from1891- the mid 1970’s.  The tour of the jail cells was creepy.  Not that I’m a big ghost or spirit believer, but I will say his EMF (Electromagnetic Field) reader was lighting vigorously and his untouched flashlight dimmed and brightened throughout his 4-minute description in the cell block. 

Tuesday morning we took a self-guided tour of St. Mary Basilica then toured Stanton Hall, one of ten opulent antebellum southern mansions which can be toured.  It was truly impressive and housed much of the original furniture owned by Mr. Stanton and donated by his descendants over the last 30 years.  Our docent, Beverly, a septuagenarian and Natchez native resident, shared not only history of the house, but her personal stories having attended many functions at the house.  The house was used in the filming of North and South with Patric Swayze.  To this day, Beverly is appalled by her friend Amy’s rebuff of Swayze’s offer to dance at a club.