BACK TO PINEWILD 4

Louisiana

Our overnight stop was in Monroe (nothing to do with Marilyn...). Not knowing the place at all, I did some research.

The settlement formerly known as Fort Miro adopted the name Monroe, during the first half of the 19th century, in recognition of the steam-powered paddle-wheeler James Monroe.

Perhaps the best known attraction in Monroe is Biedenharn Museum and Gardens where the history of Coca-Cola, first bottled by the Biedenharn Candy Company, is on display.

Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo has exotic animals and a splash pad. Restored aircraft are on display at Chennault Aviation and Military Museum. North of the city, the cypress swamps of Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge are home to alligators and birds.

So we didn't actually see any of that... had not planned many stops anyway. Looks like we missed a lot of interesting things, but we had to carry on.

Mississippi

It's kind of like Massachusetts... most all double letters. Is it Finnish?

The name Mississippi comes from the French "Messipi"—the French rendering of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe or Algonquin) name for the river, "Misi-ziibi," meaning "Great River." Mississippi is taken from an Indian word meaning "Father of Waters." Mississippi means "Large River" to the Chippewa Indians. (Take your pick!)

And the rives is large! The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system on the North American continent, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. It is 2348 miles long and its origin is Lake Itasca in Minnesota and mouth, the Gulf of Mexico.

Crossing the Mighty Mississippi is always breath-taking.

Photo from Google

State No. 8:

Do my eyes deceive me, but is that... like... UTAH???

The city was named in honor of the Battle of Eutaw Springs, the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War in the Carolinas. The Springs in turn is named after the Eutaw Indian tribe—and by the way (I did not know this), “Alabama” is named after the Alabama tribe.

Today, despite some empty storefronts in its quaint downtown and some historic homes in need of restoration, Eutaw is a draw for tourists interested in its antebellum history, which is well and alive. And there is  plenty of history and mansions to see, like this Kirkwood Mansion:

This is the County Court House:

And while we are almost at the end of the day, what better place to stay the night than... Jerry's Motel!

Well, we did decide to carry on... and end the day with a lovely view of the River Park... Besides, we had to keep moving.