Floating Down the Mississippi in our RV.....April Fool 4/1/2008

Happy April Fool's Day to everybody. You know that title today may not be far from the truth as the Mighty Mississippi is still rising and is expected to rise another 3' by Sunday. They had a problem up in Vicksburg yesterday as a tugboat pushing a group of 25 barges down stream hit the Interstate Rt 80 bridge that goes over the river. The barges all came apart and scattered all over the river and one sank forcing them to close the river to barge traffic. Some of the barges were found as far as 14 miles south of where they hit the bridge. The current is flowing so fast that the tugboats have to tow faster than the current which at this time makes it very dangerous to do.
Well we went caching on this April Fools Day with our newly loaded GPS. Our first cache was at a small park in Vidalia that runs along the river. Our next cache was located at the Natchez Welcome Center, then it was on into the downtown area and Natchez Bluff that overlooks Vidalia and a cache located near the top of the bluff. Natchez was first settled by the French 1716-29. Lasting growth came from Britain, 1763-1799 and Spain, 1779-83. Cotton and trade made it the commercial and cultural capital of the Old South. Spanish Colonial Natchez 1779-1798. Following the acquisition of the Natchez District in 1779, the Spanish founded the city of Natchez ca.1790 to serve as the capital. Under Governor Manuel Gayoso, the city was planned and surveyed by John Girault in a typical Spanish grid plan around a central plaza and church with a common, on the bluff of the Mississippi River. Located in the park on the bluff was a Huge rock that marks the start of the Natchez Trail and it says "this historic thoroughfare from Natchez to Nashville, TN was used as a mail route in 1796. Although it was a well known Indian trail in far earlier days. Also in the park was a monument to the Rhythm Club Fire in 1940 that killed 209 African-American night club goes that were there to listen to the Walter Barnes Band. The fire started in the front of the building and spread quickly through Spanish Moss that was hung from all the rafters. With all the windows boarded up so people couldn't hear or see inside the only exit was blocked. They said that the people were piled on top of each other as high as the windows in an attempt to escape and the screaming could be heard for blocks.
Then it was on down the road along the bluff and another cache located in a group of trees near the road. This was where the paddle wheel riverboats dock when they come into Natchez. They run cruises up and down the river from New Orleans to Cincinnati stopping at various ports of interest. Located along the wharf are several old houses, the Mark Twain Guest House located above the Under the Hill Saloon, Magnolia Grill and The Wharf Masters House Restaurant. There were 2 riverboats here at the time we were there the American Queen and The Isle of Capri.
Then it was on to Magnolia Hall Circa 1858 for our next cache. This is one of the great antebellum mansions built in Natchez. It was built in 1858 by Thomas Henderson, a prominent commission merchant in the style of Greek Revival architecure. Then it was on to another overlook of the Mississippi River and a cache on a guardrail. Then it was on to Choctaw another of the antebellum mansions built in 1837. This was the girls dormitory for the first school located in Natchez. This house is located across the street from Cherokee, Circa 1794, which was built on top of the hill because there were laws which prevented lowering of the elevation. It was believed that the germs that caused yellow fever were in the soil, and to scrape it off would release those germs to infect people.
Our last cache was located in the Natchez City Cemetery establishes in 1822 on a ten acre tract, this cemetery grew into a park notable for the variety of its 19th century iron and marble work. People from all walks of life are buried in the cemetery. We also saw several Confederate States of America burial sites all with the same head stones and Confederate flags on all the graves. Then it was on back to the RV and we had lunch, Mom did the logs for our caches and I took a nap. Later Mom had gone for a walk and I was doing the blog and I heard a knock on the door and it was a husband and wife, who are cachers here in Natchez and had hidden quite a few caches also and they had read our logs today and wanted to meet us so they came looking for a RV with New York plates and of course they found us.Spruce is a preacher and his wifes name is LaVeda. We sat and chatted for about 2 hours about caching and things in general. They really were great people and we enjoyed meeting them and talking to them. After they left we ate and now I am finishing the blog at 9:00. Well time for bed now so until tomorrow we want to say good night and we love you all.


Picture List:1-Choctaw Circa 1837, 2-First Presbyterian Church Circa 1828, 3-This home is on the list of National Register of Historic Homes, 4,5,6-Cherokee Circa 1794, 7-Bonatura Circa 1853, 8-Magnolia Hall Circa 1858, 9-Glen Auburn Circa 1875, 10-Rosalie Mansion Circa 1820, 11-Weymouth Hall Circa 1855, 12-The Parsonage Circa 1852, 13-The Cottage Circa 1832, 14,15,16,17-St Mary's Cathedral Circa 1842, 18,19,20-Mark Twain House & Under the Hill Saloon, 21-Natchez Trace Marker, 22-Natchez Little Theater, 23-Interstate Coffee Co. which went out of business many many years ago but the building is still painted with their logo. They sold Alcafe Coffee and Double Eagle Coffee both pure coffee and coffee with chicory, 24,25-Natchez City Cemetery the CSA burial plots, 26-View from the Bluff down the Mississippi, 27-A tugboat pushing a group of barges up the river, 28-American Queen Riverboat, 29- Isle of Capri Gambling Riverboat.