A Place Called Raymond ...

One of the oldest towns in Mississippi (having been chartered in 1830), Raymond is the epitome of southern grace and elegance. I visited Raymond a couple of days ago and fell in love with its history, its gorgeous old homes, and its "Small Town, Mississippi" charm.

One of the first things visitors see upon arriving in Raymond, is this pretty water tower located in the center of the town square. The tower was built in 1903, and is a welcoming sight with its flags, banners, and cannon.

{You can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like}

Another eye-catcher on the square is the old Raymond Depot building (circa 1889).

For more than half a century this depot served the Little J Railroad that extended from Natchez to Jackson. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building is now a private residence and music memorabilia shop.

I'm not sure when these stained glass windows were added, but aren't they neat!

This is a view of the above window taken from inside the building ...

I love old cabooses, and this one, along with some other railroad memorabilia, is on display behind the depot.

In most small towns, the courthouse is usually one of the most visible structures, and Raymond is no exception. It is the site of the Second Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, and is home to one of the most magnificent courthouses in America.

Built from 1857-1859, it is recognized by the Smithsonian as one of the ten most perfect examples of Southern architecture.

One of the reasons I love small towns is because everywhere you look, there's lagniappe ... like this beautiful verbena plant I spotted, in all its glory, just sitting on the side of a hill downtown ...

A photo tour of Raymond would not be complete without including some of its historical churches and old homes. Across the street from the courthouse is the quaint St. Marks Episcopal Church, the oldest church structure in Raymond (circa 1854).

It was used as a hospital during the Civil War and I understand that bloodstains are still visible today on the old pine floors.

I love its red doors and the narrow cathedral-style windows ...

My favorite architectural feature of the church, however, is its unique old steeple. To me, its simplicity and grace are truly awe-inspiring ...

As you can tell from my new header photo, I loved the old bell in the churchyard, too ...

Although, from a photographer's point of view, its chipped and peeling paint add character ... for the sake of its preservation, the church is getting a face lift. I don't envy this guy's job ...

Just up the street from St. Marks is The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Built in 1885, the church is well known for its architectural beauty and is mentioned in the National Register of Historic Places.

I love these old cedar trees growing alongside the church. It's no telling how old they are, and... oh, the stories they could probably tell! Do you ever wish that old trees could talk?

And with that thought, I'm going to end the first chapter of my story of "a town called Raymond." I hope you will return for Part II, which will feature some of the beautiful old homes, more "lagniappe" photos, and a somber visit to the old "Confederate Dead" Cemetery on the outskirts of Raymond. I'll also share a brief stop I made on the way home at a tiny little town called Utica.

Sincerely,

Highway 61 North: Gateway to the Mississippi Delta

Yesterday afternoon was so pretty I decided to take a short ride from Vicksburg, up Highway 61 North towards the Mississippi Delta.

Highway 61 North is also known as the "Blues Highway," because it runs through the Mississippi Delta country, which was an important source of blues music. US 61 has been referenced in music by various artists with roots in the region.

As you leave the hills of Vicksburg, you will see miles and miles of flat fertile lands stretching out in some places as far as the eye can see. I took this picture at Rolling Fork, Mississippi (about 45 miles north of Vicksburg), to give you an idea of the vastness of the Delta farmlands ...

Huge tractors like this one churning up the rich Delta soil are a common sight this time of year ...

It was around 1:30 p.m. when I left Vicksburg, so I didn't go any farther than Rolling Fork, but there are several little towns in between which I found interesting.

The first little town I encountered was Valley Park, which has a tiny little post office ...

Valley Park is also home to a railroad aficionado and I captured these pictures of his railroad memorabilia, which included this wooden caboose mailbox ...

I love cabooses and sometimes wonder if I am the only person who misses seeing a caboose at the end of a train. It's like a sentence without a period ... or an "i" without a dot over it -- a train should have a caboose!

And bless his heart, this guy not only has a caboose but part of a train to go with it! (If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see an old tire swing hanging from the oak tree) ...

Can't you just imagine what fun his children or grandchildren have playing on all that stuff! He even had a miniature train in the building to the right of the caboose, but I couldn't get close enough to get pictures of it.

The next little town ("little" being the keyword) was Onward, which became well known because President Theodore Roosevelt's famous bear hunt was held close to there in 1902. The old Onward Store is known for its hot tamales and hot bologna sandwiches, but I didn't sample either.

A historical marker next to the general store in Onward tells about the bear hunt ...

As the story goes, Roosevelt's hunting guide was a famous Mississippi bear hunter named Holt Collier. This hunt was a late birthday gift for President Roosevelt from his friends. According to the story, Collier, in an effort to make the hunt a success, went out early on Friday, November 14, 1902 to scout for bears. Luck was with Collier and he trapped and tied up a 235-pound black bear. Collier sent his hunting friends to get Roosevelt for the kill.

When Roosevelt arrived, he refused to kill a tied-up bear and the bear hunt was stopped. Local and national newspapers began to run political cartoons about the President refusing to kill the bear. The Cracker Jack Company and toy companies created stuffed bears which were called "teddy bears." Interesting, huh?

Cary is the next community between Valley Park and Rolling Fork, and these three crosses caught my eye ...

I love seeing these along the highways across the country and plan to write a post about them someday. There is an interesting story behind them, too.

My next stop was Rolling Fork, where visitors are greeted by this welcoming sight ...

It seems that bears are a popular subject in this part of the Delta, because there were bear "monuments" all over Rolling Fork ...

I also passed this highway sign cautioning about bear crossings ...

I was hoping I would see one, but I guess they're still hibernating for the winter.

One of Rolling Fork's claims to fame is the fact that renown Blues musician Muddy Waters was born in Rolling Fork ...

This bottle tree in a residential area caught my eye as I passed by ...

I enjoyed my afternoon drive up Highway 61, and hope to go back someday and visit more of the sleepy little Delta towns along its route. I love exploring them, because you just never know what wonderful stories and sights await you in "Small Towns, America."