5 Forgotten About Cemeteries Hidden Along The Natchez Trace In Mississippi
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
There are a lot of significant sites along the Natchez Trace. So much so, that it can be easy to overlook a few. Take, for example, historic cemeteries. The famous parkway features several and many don’t even realize it. Read on to learn about five of the forgotten about cemeteries hidden along the famous parkway.
At one time, the Natchez Trace was lined with "stands" or inns. Today, Mount Locust is the only stand that’s still, well, standing. In addition to the inn itself, visitors are allowed to explore the grounds of Mount Locust, which include a slave cemetery as well as the Ferguson-Chamberlain cemetery. While the slave cemetery includes just one fieldstone, the Ferguson-Chamberlain cemetery features several headstones, which date back to the 1800s.
Just off this ½-mile trail, you’ll find the Burnett family cemetery. Dating back to the 1800s, the cemetery includes a handful of graves, which are sporadically scattered about. In addition to the cemetery, the trail includes a portion of the original Trace, which is "sunken" due to the vast amount of people, horses, and wagons that traversed it.
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At one time, Rocky Springs was a prosperous community with about 4,500 residents. Today, it’s a ghost town with a cemetery as well as a church and remnants of an old post office safe and cistern. The centuries-old headstones aren’t the only interesting things about the burial ground, though. According to legend, a group of outlaws known as the Mason-Harpe Gang had a hideout in Rocky Springs and allegedly buried "tens of thousands of dollars in stolen gold and silver" somewhere near the cemetery.
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This tiny cemetery is the final resting place of one-time governor Cowles Mead and his wife, Mary. It’s also all that remains of the Meads’ estate, Greenwood, which burned down during the Civil War. A prominent figure of his time, Mead held several political offices. He also owned a tavern on the Old Trace. However, he’s probably most known for ordering the arrest of former Vice President, Aaron Burr, for treason.
By the start of the Civil War, a majority of the Trace had been abandoned. However, the war left its mark on the historic trail — and it comes in the form of a group of gravesites, belonging to 13 unknown Confederate soldiers. Easy to access, a ¼-mile trail leads straight to the historic burial ground.
Did you know about these historic graveyards? Ever visited any of them? Tell us in the comments section.
The Natchez Trace is brimming with history and beauty. Click here for some can’t-miss sites along the famous parkway.
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Natchez, MS 39120, USA
Port Gibson, MS 39150, USA
Rocky Springs, MS 39086, USA
Clinton, MS, USA
Saltillo, MS 38866, USA