I love Natchez. Not because of all the mansions, although they are beautiful. Not because of the really early buildings from the 1700s and 1800s, although they are beautiful. And, frankly, I am beginning to love Vidalia. I even did a little exploring this time on the Louisiana side of the river, which is actually where I stay when I am here.
I love the river. I love the buildings from the 1900s, and particularly those from the 30s-50s. I just discovered shortly before this visit that the bridge here was a PWA project, built 1938-1940. It opened to traffic in 1940, originally as a toll bridge. The engineer was Ash-Howard-Needles & Tammer, who also did the Toll Plaza for the Natchez Bridge (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory database). They also were responsible for the now demolished Ben G. Humphreys Memorial Bridge at Greenville-Lake Village, Arkansas. (Note: remember MDAH/HRI in my will if I ever have money. They have enriched my life, and certainly, my research. Of course, being a social worker, they should not hold their breath about the "if ever I have money" part.)
Quite fortuitously, I ended up with a room on the river side, with a huge wall to wall window. I have not closed the drapes since I have been here. Morning, afternoon, evening, night, it is just too beautiful to waste looking at the stripes decorating hotel room drapes.
2 comments:
I love Natchez, too! I have such warm memories of crossing the bridge as a child. When east bound we would always stop for a hamburger or donuts from my father's favorite little place. I brought my daughter to Natchez when she was a young teenager and not easily moved...I remember her exclaiming, "oh Mom, this place is beautiful!" and my heart just melted because I thought so, too!
Wish I had known about the hamburger place before the trip--probably not even still there!
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