The byway known as the River Road follows the Mississippi River from the north to the Gulf of Mexico, winding curves along the way. The river was an important resource for commerce and transportation as steamboats were the main form. Houses were built on both sides of the water using materials brought back and forth, but these plantations also grew items like cotton, … [Read more...] about Visiting New Orleans Area Plantations
museums
Should We Visit Plantations?
A big part of visiting the South, especially places like Charleston and New Orleans, is visiting plantations. These large homes are typically defined as "an estate on which crops such as coffee, sugar, cotton, and tobacco are cultivated by resident labor" by encyclopedias. But what they almost always mean in this part of the world is a place that relied on slave labor. So … [Read more...] about Should We Visit Plantations?
Visiting the Edison & Ford Winter Estates
American inventor Thomas Edison bought a plot of land in Fort Myers, Florida, in 1885 to build his winter home, a rural area he called Seminole Lodge. It was here that he grew plants that would play a role in future creations and where he had a laboratory. In 1916, Henry Ford purchased the house next door, called The Mangoes, to be close to his friend. They spent winters … [Read more...] about Visiting the Edison & Ford Winter Estates
Visiting Vicksburg National Military Park
Set on the Mississippi River, the town of Vicksburg was the site of one of the Civil War's most important battles. The Confederates had previously held control over the important body of water all the way into the Gulf of Mexico. It brought in soldiers, weapons, and much-needed resources. Even President Abraham Lincoln saw the significance of Vicksburg, noting that taking … [Read more...] about Visiting Vicksburg National Military Park
Visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame
Perhaps the top attraction in Nashville, Tennessee, and the one most important for music fans, is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, founded in 1961. This downtown attraction documents the genre's creation, influenced by other styles, as well as artists to come out of the Music City. The building design itself looks like a piano keyboard, pictured above, and has one … [Read more...] about Visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame
