Monday 4-2 Visiting Tupelo Mississippi

Sightseeing in Tupelo Mississippi

After spending three nights at Choctaw Lake Campground it was time to move on. We drove sixteen miles to get back on the Natchez Trace Parkway. On the Trace we saw wild turkeys and a deer. Larry saw the deer and stopped because he didn't want to hit it. It stopped at the edge of the road, then it got scared and ran along the edge for a few feet before darting across the road, it was a lucky deer. When we stopped an eighteen wheeler decided to pass us, not sure why he was even on the road since commercial vehicles are not allowed on the Natchez Trace. We drove the parkway for about 70 miles before taking the exit to go to Tupelo Mississippi. 

When we got to Tupelo we did a little grocery shopping at Walmart. Afterwards I made sandwiches for lunch. While there we toured the Tupelo Automobile Museum. At the beginning of the tour there is a movie about Frank Spain who started the museum, it was very interesting. There were over 100 cars on display. The museum is housed in a 120,000 square foot building. There were lots of cars that Larry recognized. There were also cars that B.B. King and Elvis owned. The cars were displayed very nicely.

1957 Ford Skyliner

1983 Camarovett only one made

B.B. King's cars

A cool display of old gas station

   

Larry knew that Tupelo Mississippi is the Birthplace of Elvis Presley so that's where we went next. 

Elvis lived in Tupelo until he was thirteen, then the family moved to Memphis. We walked around the grounds and saw the two room house he lived in, the church he attended was also on the grounds along with signs about Elvis's life in Tupelo and after he left. It was a nice walk around the grounds.

Elvis's house in Tupelo

The church he attended while in Tupelo

Standing with Elvis when he was thirteen and grown-up

After doing our little bit of sightseeing we headed back to the Natchez Trace Parkway. We took the parkway all the way to Tishomingo State Park which was mile at marker 304.5, this leaves 139.5 miles left of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

At the office to Tishomingo State Park the lady gave us a map of the park and we drove around to find a site. Then we went back to the entrance and paid for two nights.  

We barbecued hamburgers for dinner and then walked around the campground.