Cabins at Nesoba County Fair
(Monday, July 26, 2010)Driving through the hills of Mississippi with the straight tall pines on either side of the road, I feel at home again. The roads are well paved for the most part and not well traveled. The towns seem few and far between and sleepy little villages would be the best description. This is the first time I’ve been here with Big Mama and she seems to take the roads ok with only occasional qualms of the driver when the road seems elevated from surrounding marsh lands and no shoulder exists for escape. I even passed other vehicles a few times on some two lane stretches.
The clay soil is a rich orange but everything growing is very green including the kudzu that seems to swallow all in its path including abandoned homes. The heat and humidity I’m told are worse than usual for July. I try to remember my life here in the 40’s and 50’s without air conditioning. I know we went to the “picture show” a lot. “It’s cool inside” the sign in the window said.
My first Mississippi camp ground was Turkey Creek Water Park. I envisioned curly, twisty large slides and screaming children. Apparently what they call a water park is more of a recreation area, fishing, and swimming, boating and camping around a water management area, this one the Chunky River Watershed. The campground was small but with nice paved sites, good electric (much better than the previous KOA) and very quiet. Not many sites were occupied but I was told it would be busy on the weekend. No alcohol and no firearms signs abound. I received a senior discount paying about $17. It was only about 10 minutes from the town of Decatur but very remote along a narrow curvy road.
(Tuesday, July 27, 2010) Tonight I am at a Corps of Engineers park, again a water management area, Okatibbee Lake created in the early 60’s. They do allow hunting here during the fall and winter. This could have been an area where my grandfather hunted and is in the general direction of his farm. The near by town is Collinsville, the campground is Twiltley Branch and the area is part of the Pascagoula River Basin which ends in the Gulf of Mexico.
I have a great site overlooking the water with lots of pine trees. I went for a bike ride before rain kept me inside. I did have a lot of computer entry work as the result of my morning spent at the Newton County Historical Archives in Decatur, where I researched family members who had been in the area since the 1850’s.
I’ll stay here again Wednesday night and head south on Thursday. This will give me a chance to try the Nesoba County Fair. It is known for family gatherings so I may meet up with some kinfolks. I hope I also find some southern cooking. So far on this leg all my meals have been at home. I’m not complaining but some local cuisine would be welcome.
(Wednesday, July 28, 2010) This turned out to be a very interesting day. I’ve always wanted to attend the Neshoba County Fai r. http://www.neshobacountyfair.org/ It began in 1889 and I know my grandmother attended it and perhaps my mother too who was born not far from the location. The uniqueness, to my mind, are the family cabins spread around the fair grounds. Two story attached buildings feature front porches for visiting and colorfully painted and decorated. Some are very simple structures and some very finished and modern. I visit 3 which were all owned by family members some of whom I was meeting for the first time. I enjoyed getting to know them and learning more about our family connections. I came away feeling I had made many new friends and saw a small part of the fair’s activity including carnival ride and harness racing. Motor homes were stacked in so close together that you could have reached out and borrowed a cup of coffee. I was happy to return to my campground in the woods. I’m told the waiting time to get a campsite at the fair is 5 years.
