Posted in Mississippi
July 03, 2019
This Singing River In Mississippi Needs To Be Experienced To Be Believed
Of all the waterways in Mississippi, none are quite as intriguing as the Pascagoula River – and that’s because it sings. That’s right; for hundreds of years, visitors to the river have described a mysterious humming sound coming from its waters. There are several theories regarding the music-like sound, but the strange phenomenon has yet to be explained. Keep reading to learn more about the river and the legend behind it.
One such article appeared in the July 24, 1892 edition of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, which included the author’s firsthand description of hearing the river sing.
When French settlers came to the area, they asked local Native Americans about the strange sound coming from the river. The Native Americans said a local tribe once worshipped a mermaid, who lived in the river. Around 1540, a "white man" came to the area, trying to convert the Native Americans to Christianity, which greatly angered the mermaid. The mermaid reacted with fury. She rose from the bottom of the river, singing, "Come to me, come to me, children of
the sea. Neither bell, book, nor cross shall win ye from your queen." At the sound of the mermaid’s voice, every man, woman, and child from the tribe walked in to the river, disappearing forever.
According to a 19th century historian, area tribes have always thought the sound of the river was "their musical brethren, who still keep up their revels at the bottom of the river, in the palace of the mermaid."
According to a 19th century historian, area tribes have always thought the sound of the river was "their musical brethren, who still keep up their revels at the bottom of the river, in the palace of the mermaid."
The two tribes co-existed peacefully until the chief of the Pascagoula tribe fell in love with a princess from the Biloxi tribe. Angered by the Pascagoula chief’s affection for the Biloxi princess, the Biloxi tribe declared war on the Pascagoula Indians. Completely outnumbered, the Pascagoula Indians chose to die at their own hands rather than be killed or captured as slaves. And so, the Pascagoula tribe joined hands and sang a song as they marched into the river to drown themselves. According to legend, the noise made by the river today is actually the phantom tribe singing from beneath the water’s surface.
Ernest Herndon, an expert on the Pascagoula River, spent hundreds of hours on the river before it sang to him!
The Singing River is accessible from various places; however, the Pascagoula River Audubon Center is one of the most convenient ways to access the river.
So, did you know about this river – and the legend behind it? Tell us in the comments section.
Pascagoula River Audubon Center Address:7001 Frank Griffin Road, Moss Point, MS, 39563
This isn’t the only site in the state with an eerie past. Read about others here.
