6 Towns in the Mid-South that Will Transport You To The Past
While there's no official definition of the "Mid-South" in the United States, one step onto a sidewalk in Berea, Kentucky, for example, or Bellbuckle, Tennessee, and visitors can tell immediately that it differs from the Deep South. While you may see majestic oak trees, silvery Spanish moss does not drape from their branches. Jambalaya is not featured on restaurant menus. And while you might be offered lemonade on the porch, chances are you will not find a mint julep. The six towns in the Mid-South that will transport you to the past have Southern influences, history, and charm, to be sure, but they also have Midwestern attributes, a unique blend that one is not likely to encounter anywhere else in the country. Some Mid-South towns have the added charm of transporting you to a bygone era thanks to their history, their architecture, or the entertainment they offer to their visitors. Let's take a look.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Named for Robert Harper, who started a ferry service across the Potomac River, the town takes you back to before the Civil War. Situated where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet, President Washington decided Harpers Ferry was an ideal place for an armory to produce rifles. History is all around you when you visit this town. See John Brown's Fort, where the abolitionist and his men barricaded themselves during John Brown's Raid, and find out why the fort was moved three times. The Harpers Ferry National Historical Park makes any visit to the area full of activity as well as history. The Visitor Center has maps of the many hiking trails, including part of the Appalachian Trail, or download them online before you go. Kids can take part in the Junior Ranger program and a scavenger hunt. Go rafting, tubing, or kayaking on the river, fishing, or zipline through nature. When you have worked up an appetite, the White Horse Tavern advertises "Burgers, Brews and Bourbons," while Kelley Farm Kitchen serves vegan fare.
Santa Claus, Indiana
Legend has it that Santa Claus lives and works at the North Pole, but don't tell that to the people of this southern Indiana town, which comes alive in December with everything Santa, from the holiday parade to visits with the man himself and treats at Santa's Candy Castle. But the town has a lot to offer the rest of the year, too. Santa's Candy Castle still tantalizes with 35 flavors of cocoa and old-fashioned nostalgic candy that takes you back to childhood. Visit the nearby Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Living Historical Farm, the site where Abe Lincoln grew up. Head to Holiday World and Slashin' Safari for roller coasters and water fun, then stop at the Santa Claus Museum & Village to learn about the town's history. Lincoln State Park is an ideal spot for cabin camping, hiking, picnics and natural surroundings.
Berea, Kentucky
A haven for artists and art lovers alike, Berea takes you back to a time when everything was handmade by skilled craftspeople. As you meander through the streets, watch for the "Artists at Work" icons on Studio Artist signs. You will find artists and craftspeople in various stages of their work. Watch David Enge and his parents, Jeff Enge and Sarah Culbreth, carry on their family's pottery craft at Tater Knob Pottery & Farm. Step inside jewelry stores and studios, and you may catch craftspeople designing new items or working in metal. Many of the artists also teach their craft in classes and Learnshops, where they teach participants how to make a craft to take with them. But Berea is also outdoor adventure. Hike the Pinnacles rock outcroppings. which some say is the best hike in the state.
Bell Buckle, Tennessee
Celebrating the simple things in life like nature, music, and handmade arts and crafts is Bell Buckle's charm. The annual Daffodil Day will take you back to when the spring flower was first planted along six miles of the road into town. When they burst into bloom, the town celebrates with locally handmade arts and crafts, music, food vendors, free tree seedlings, and a competitive flower show with youth and adult divisions, both free to enter. The annual RC Cola/MoonPie Festival features a full day, beginning with 5K and 10K races followed by free breakfast for the runners, outrageous contests, oodles of the famed southern snack food and beverage that's even memorialized in song and lots of other food. Fall brings the Songwriters Festival and the Webb Art & Craft Show. Year round, visitors enjoy the shops in downtown, which is listed on the Historic Register, and Bell Buckle Park's arboretum, Poet's Garden, walking trail, playground and wide variety of tree species that make the park a part of Tree City USA.
Jamestown, Virginia
Visiting Jamestown Settlement's living history museum takes you back to the founding of North America's first permanent English settlement in 1607. Explore replicas of the three ships that brought the colonists to Virginia's shore, and the life-sized recreations of their fort and a Powhatan village. Park your RV or pop-up camper, pitch a tent, or rent a cabin at First Landing State Park Campground. Virginia Beach KOA or other camping sites are also nearby. Food need not imitate what the early settlers ate, however. Visitors rave about the casual but delicious food at Magnolia at Dale House and its gorgeous view of the James River. The close proximity to Virginia Beach and Williamsburg also offers additional options for food, lodging, and activities.
Tupelo, Mississippi
The birthplace of Elvis Presley takes you back to 1935, the year he was born, and the 1950s and 1960s when he was a music sensation. See Elvis' birthplace home, furnished in 1930s style, Sun Studio where he recorded, and other related historic sites. Of course, Tupelo is proud of their native son, and statues of Elvis are seen throughout the town. You can even get a quick, free "All Shook Up" passport to 21 Elvis spots at the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau website. Tupelo also showcases the origins of the blues and other music styles, the town's Civil War involvement, and its part in the civil rights movement. Walk along Tupelo's Civil Rights Trail, which explains that the town's F. W. Woolworth store was the site of many sit-ins due to its segregated lunch counter, acts which encouraged passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Images of another time
A traveler visiting these six towns in the Mid-South that will transport you to the past should come away with a different picture of Southern culture and history than visitors to towns in the Deep South. They share experiences such as a history of slavery, protests, brave escapes and eventual freedom. The Southern custom of hospitality abides in Mid-South towns, too, but with the laid back, down-home attitude of the Midwest. Like all towns, however, each is unique, with its own singular blend of activities, events, historical sites and food.
