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Mississippi
Time Warp
Or
How
to Tell Itta Bena from Nitta YumaPhotos
by Johnny Stucco
Captions by Luke WarmMISSISSIPPI
DELTA |
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It’s
been called “The South’s South” and “Mississippi’s Mississippi.” It could also
have the slogan: “The Delta: It’s Not What You Think.”
Please take a second
to ask yourself what you think the Mississippi Delta is.
It’s not that.
First
of all, the name itself is a misnomer. It’s not a Delta at all, but an alluvial
plain. Sandwiched between the Mississippi River and the more tranquil Yazoo, the
topsoil here is measured in fathoms not feet.
It has been said to begin
in the lobby of Memphis’ Peabody Hotel (watch out for the ducks) and end in Vicksburg.
As flat as the Texas Panhandle, the Delta is full of surprises (some of which
have teeth). Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is in the region’s history. Anyone
making the effort will be surprised at the strength, integrity and sensitivity
of the people who came from there. (The region has historically provided a strong
motivation to leave.)
The Delta is second only to New Orleans for being
rich in names. Samples will be found in the captions of the photos that follow.
The Delta is so lush that fence posts have been known to sprout. But that seldom
happens because the economy is fenceless. Cotton stays in its horizon-reaching
fields and catfish keep happily in their ponds.
Severely under-populated,
the business districts of county seats are the opposite of bustling. It’s easy
to see the past here – especially the 40’s and 50s. If you want bustle, you’ll
need to go back to the highway where the chain restaurants will roughly push you
through their doors and back into the present. The Mom and Pop that used to run
the café downtown are sitting at the table beside you.
Here the introduction
ends and you are invited to drop in on the Delta the way we visited – unannounced. |
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Refections
of Yazoo City
Inspirational Motivator Zig Ziglar was Motivated to Leave |
Pastel
Yazoo –
To say nothing of the beautiful turquoise "Smoke-free Smokehouse" |
Despite
the court records to the contrary,
Clarkesville did not kill Vaudeville. |
“Old
times there are not forgotten.”
Bullet Hole in Confederate Statue
Belzoni
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The
Masonic Lodge as Theater
Leland |
Airbrushed
County Map on Defunct Business
Waynesboro |
The
Old South Preserved
Fayetteville |
Timeless
Tomatoes
"They
taste as good as they look."
Crystal Springs |
How
Main Street Can You Get?
Brookhaven |
Mississippi
Sunroof
Greenville |
An
Unpopular Opinion
Lake Providence, Louisiana |
Trend-setting
Apostrophe
Leland |
Unknown
Defunct Gas Station
Amory |
Bankers
Look at Education and Are Not Pleased
Greenville |
“They
had heard it was there, but upon discovery they found themselves speechless.”
–
Vicksburg Mural of Teddy Roosevelt’s Bear Hunt |
The
Southern Grill as Tyrone’s Sports Bar
Leland |
| Standing
Over Roebuck Lake – Itta Bena |
| Railroad
Bridge over the Homochitto River |
| Old
Highway 61 looking Toward Chicago |
City
Limit with Insect Trap
Panther Burn |
“We’ll
keep the light on for you.”
Nitta Yuma |
B.B.
King remembered on his "favorite corner."
Indianola |
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