Since we were staying just 20 miles from Jackson, Mississippi, we took a day trip to explore another state capitol. We started at the free tour of the Governor's Mansion, since tours are only available in the morning. After so many years of being at work by 8 a.m., we now have a hard time making it to the last tour of the day at 11 a.m.!
No photos were allowed inside the mansion, but it was a very interesting tour. This is the second-oldest-continuously-occupied Governor's mansion in the United States. (If we are counting syllables today, that would be a twelve syllable adjective.) We were the first-ever audience to a new docent, who was accompanied by an experienced mentor for that first tour. So we got two great guides!
Our next stop was the Old Capitol, just down the street. Now a fine Mississippi museum, it went through a full refurbish after Hurricane Katrina ripped off the roof ten years ago. We are almost 200 miles from the coast, and never realized the hurricane caused such damage this far inland.
The outside was refinished to its original grandeur. That would include covering the red bricks with stucco that is stamped to look like limestone blocks. When it was constructed in 1839, they figured out they could save some money by skipping this step on the back side of the building.
A beautiful staircase, topped with an ornate dome--this sounds familiar to the Old Capitol we just visited in Louisiana!
We visited the old Senate Hall, where Mark blended in with the Senators making speeches from turning points in Mississippi history. We are learning much about these southern states' involvement with the Civil War, and how it changed their history.
Being from a younger state like Oklahoma, it's interesting to think that both Mississippi and Louisiana were replacing their first capitol buildings with newer, larger state capitols before Oklahoma even became a state. After touring the Old Capitol, we walked across downtown to their current capitol.
We entered the building to find that the legislature was in session. We also found that the state fish and wildlife department was hosting tables of displays and yummy snacks in the foyer. We were visiting with a ranger when our tour guide from the morning's governor's mansion tour found us and asked if we wanted to join her next group. She spends the morning at the mansion and the afternoon at the capitol. Mississippi calls itself the hospitality state and we felt very welcome.
She whisked us through the highlights of the capitol, moving at a brisk pace that we enjoyed. She pointed out the colorful dome that used to be white. But it was hand-painted in the 1930's in an effort to make jobs for more state residents. She also pointed out the 24 karat gold eagle on the top of the capitol dome outside. That's a lot of gold considering that bird has a 15-foot wing span.
Our tour guide was a delight, pointing out more things that made this capitol unique. Built before electricity was common, it also has gas lights. Those marble-looking columns are a faux paint job that cost more than marble when the building was restored several years ago.
We got more exercise by walking again across the downtown area to the Mississippi Museum of Art. All four of our stops today were absolutely free, as well as enjoyable and educational. It was a good day in the city!
But we are finding that we enjoy the days in the country just as much. So the next day we were biking down a trail adjacent to the Natchez Trace.
This was a first-rate trail, with our own lane so we could enjoy the scenery without watching for cars on the road. The bike bridges looked sturdy enough for car traffic.
We thought we were taking a five mile trail, so we expected a ten mile ride by the time we returned home. But the trail has been extended, and we just kept riding until we got to the very end. Instead of five miles, we had already biked eleven miles by this time. Notice that Mark is wearing his new neon orange biking shirt that matches the "trail closed" sign so well!
We headed home, enjoying another beautiful weather day. The local weatherman said that they are having temperatures that are 10-20 degrees higher than average for this time of year. We stopped for a picnic lunch we had brought with us, glad to have the calories since this bike ride got longer than we expected. It's a rolling trail, with hills and valleys. Denisa would huff and puff up those hills, hoping all that effort was worth it as we zipped down the other side.
On the return ride we took another trail that took us through the town of Ridgeland, then along the reservoir. The Barnett Reservoir is 16 miles long, and is very popular with fishermen in the area. It also makes a nice back drop for a bike ride.
We enjoyed part of the Trace last year, including the area around the lake. Never thought of touring state capitals as we tend to avoid cities. Maybe we are missing something and need to reconsider.
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