History Left A Definite Mark At This One Fascinating Spot In Mississippi
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
When it comes to learning about historical happenings, usually your only choice is to read about them. However, there is one spot in Mississippi where you can retrace the steps of travelers from hundreds of years ago. Not only can you walk along the same path, but you’ll actually see tangible evidence of the route’s age and popularity.
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The Natchez Trace Parkway follows the path of the Old Trace, which was a heavily travelled trail in the late 1700s and 1800s.
Spanning nearly 500 miles from Natchez to Nashville, the Old Trace was originally created and used by Native Americans. By the early 18th and 19th centuries, it was being used by European and American explorers, traders, and emigrants.
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By 1809, it was fully navigable by wagon and became a main trade route. Even though the trail had been somewhat improved, it was still no easy trek. The Trace’s rough conditions and influx of criminals looking to take advantage of unsuspecting travelers led to it being nicknamed "The Devil’s Backbone."
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Over the years, much of the original trail was transformed into local roads, plowed over, or developed. Luckily, though, several sections of the original trail have been preserved.
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Today, there are several areas in Mississippi where you can walk along the Old Trace but one of the most popular is the Sunken Trace.
Located at milepost 41.5, this portion of the pathway appears to be sunken. The ditch-like shape can be attributed to thousands of people, horses, and wagons walking on the easily eroded soil. In some spots, it's as deep as 30'!
The Potkopinu Trail (milepost 17 to 20) is another great spot to take in the historic path. Spanning nearly 3 miles, it's the longest remaining section of the "sunken" Trace and has some embankments over 20' high.
The National Park Service has cleared out nearly two dozen segments of the Old Trace so visitors can experience what travelers of the past might have experienced.
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In addition to walking the exact trail as those hundreds of years ago, you can also visit some of the same places. Click here for a complete list of sites on the Old Trace.
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out “These 7 Mississippi Hiking Trails Lead To Some Incredible Pieces Of History.“
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