Audio
“Pathway to the Past,” Old Trace Exhibit Shelter, Milepost 8, Panel B
Transcript
[08B Featured Site Along the Natchez Trace Parkway Old Trace Exhibit Shelter]
This exhibit, the second from the left in a series of four, is titled “Pathway to the Past.” It has a map of the southern portion of Natchez Trace Parkway and photographs and text that describe four sites along that segment of road.
[Text] The Natchez Trace Parkway makes it easy to explore the past.
The 21st century fades away as you enter a surviving section of the sunken Natchez Trace. Voices of animated conversation echo through the refurnished rooms of the Chamberlain family house at Mount Locust. The sheer size of Emerald Mound suggests the painstaking effort required to build this sacred earth mound. The rise and fall of the village of Rocky Springs mirrors the joy and sadness experienced by communities throughout history.
Take time. Find yourself at one of the Parkway’s portals to the past.
A large map locates opportunities for travelers to enjoy the Parkway and the Parkway’s wider corridor. It shows historical and natural features, rest stops, and campgrounds from the city of Natchez (milepost 0) to just north of Jackson, Mississippi, (milepost 120). You are at milepost 8.
The exhibit highlights four stops with photos and text
Rocky Springs A photo shows a creek meandering through a forest lined with dense green underbrush bordered by contrasting brown leaves. Upstream, a fallen tree spans the creek. Water trickles over a shallow rock ledge.
A victim of several misfortunes, the bustling village of Rocky Springs nearly disappeared. A Parkway campground provides a convenient base for exploration. Walking trails lead into a bygone world overwhelmed by yellow fever, boll weevils, soil erosion, and a dry spring.
Sunken Trace A photo of the Sunken Trace shows a deeply eroded path through a mature forest. The banks along the Trace are taller than an adult. In places, trees and shrubs cling to the eroding sides of the path.
A visit to one of the surviving sections of the sunken Natchez Trace is a special reward. Even a short walk along the eroded trail connects you to nature and conjures images of those who trod this same ancient path.
Mount Locust A photo of the inn at Mount Locust shows the building in profile. It is unpainted except for bright blue shutters on two windows that flank a brick chimney. The elevated one-story building rests about a foot off the ground on wooden posts.
Mount Locust is one of only two surviving stands (inns) that served travelers on the Natchez Trace. Glimpse the world of widow Pauline Chamberlain, her 11 children, and 51 enslaved workers who toiled on her plantation.
Emerald Mound A photo of Emerald Mound shows a flat-topped, eight-acre mound with sloping sides that rise 35 feet above ground level.
A complex society built Emerald Mound, the second largest Mississippian era mound in the US. When you visit, remember that Emerald Mound is not a relic of the past. Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Natchez people still consider this site sacred.
All mound sites are culturally and historically significant and protected by federal law. Please respect them.
Description
This exhibit, the second from the left in a series of four, is titled “Pathway to the Past.” It has a map of the southern portion of Natchez Trace Parkway and photographs and text that describe four sites along that segment of road.
Duration
3 minutes, 51 seconds
Credit
NPS
Date Created
07/13/2017
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