The
largest county in Mississippi has a vast abundance of
historical sites. Ante-bellum homes and sacred Indian
mounds. Wildlife and agriculture. Civil War History
and the Yazoo River. All can be found where the Delta
meets the rolling hills in colorful Yazoo County.
With
the proximity to Vicksburg, much of Yazoo County's Civil
War history includes skirmishes and brigade strikes.
Many were fought in the Mechanicsburg/Satartia area
comprising the unique civil war history of this area.
Known
as the "largest single area" to be placed
on the National Register of Historic Places, comprising
both residential and commercial areas, the Yazoo City
Historical District can be viewed on the Walking Tour.
It is a wonderful way to experience the charm and grandeur
of the period.
The
second largest tributary east of the mighty Mississippi,
the Yazoo River, gained its name from the Yazoo Indians
who originally populated the area. This river was also
the primary route into the delta region, bringing in
the unique people and culture that thrived here.
The
Yazoo county town of Vaughan was the scene of the famous
wreck of the Illinois Central Railroad's track "Cannonball"
express, which killed the fabled engineer, Casey Jones,
on April 30, 1900. The Casey Jones Railroad Museum and
State Park welcomes visitors, just to the east of 1-55.
The
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad, begun in1882
between Jackson and Yazoo City, was later expanded in
branches through the Delta to Memphis. This system,
often used by the famous W.C Handy to bring his band
down into the Delta, was instrumental in the development
of its Blues artists and types, including Yazoo County's
Bentonia Blues.
Scenic
drives, such as Bell Road, located south of Yazoo City,
is part of the original road that stretched from Yazoo
City to Vicksburg and was used by travelers in the 1830's.
The road is a winding narrow path with high banks. Bells
were once hung on each end. Wagons rang these bells
to signal that a passenger was approaching from one
end. At the point that the road overlooks the Delta,
one can envision the site of the Yazoo Confederate Navy
Yard where the USS Arkansas was built.
The
name Yazoo comes from a group of Native Americans called
the Yazoo. Mysteriously, the Yazoo Native Americans
became extinct about 1740, and the meaning of Yazoo
has remained a puzzle. Some say it means River of Death,
others suggest that it means hunting ground (Yashu).
Between Satartia and Holly Bluff are fascinating and
rare Native American mounds dating as early as 1500
BC.
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