Mississippi History Timeline

A National Historic Landmark, Emerald Mound was built during the Mississippian Period between 1250 and 1600 AD by the ancestors of the Natchez Indians. It was a center of religious practices. It is the second largest ceremonial mound in the United States, measuring 770 by 435 feet at the base and 35 feet high. Two smaller mounds sit atop the platform base. The Natchez abandoned Emerald and made Grand Village the capital by the late 1600s.

Location: 10 miles northeast of Natchez. At milepost 10.3 on the Natchez Trace Parkway, take exit at Route 533 intersection and follow signs to mound, about 1 mile. Open daily, free admission.

nps.gov/history/NR/travel/mounds/eme.htm

The second largest slave market in the United States in the 19th century was located in Natchez, Mississippi, The plight of the enslaved people who suffered here is commemorated at Forks of the Road with historical markers and shackles encased in concrete noting the site. After slaves were freed in Natchez in 1863, hundreds of emancipated slaves gathered at the market site.

Location: Intersection of Liberty Road and St. Catherine Street (D’Evereux Drive) in Natchez. Call: 601-442-7049.

natchezontheriver.com/places/forks-road/

The Grand Village was the political and religious capital of the Natchez Indians in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Maintained by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the site today includes a plaza with remnants of three ceremonial mounds, a reconstructed Natchez Indian house, and a museum with artifacts from the site. Public education events and activities include annual Natchez Indian Powwows.

Location: In Natchez. Turn east off U.S. Highway 61/Sergeant S. Prentiss Drive onto Jefferson Davis Boulevard, just south of the Natchez Regional Medical Center. Proceed a half mile to the entrance gate on the right. Open Monday—Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Free admission. Call 601-446-6502.

nps.gov/history/nr/travel/mounds/gra.htm

or mdah.state.ms.us/hprop/gvni.html

Dating to 1780, Mount Locust Inn was a stand, a stopping place on the Natchez Trace for travelers on the overland route between Natchez and Nashville. The land around Mount Locust was later developed into a cotton plantation. Today it s operated by the National Park Service, the inn restored to its 1820 appearance. Historical interpretation includes life on the Natchez Trace as well as the life of African American enslaved laborers. Walking trails lead to sites throughout the grounds.

Directions: Located at milepost 15.5 on the Natchez Trace north of Natchez. Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from February through November. Admission is free.

exploresouthernhistory.com