Grace notes.
Today,
DeSoto County still swings, although it is with golf clubs on the multitude of championship golf courses, and pro hockey sticks at the Convention Center.
And if your recreation leans toward power shopping, this place is in a league of its own, with antique stores and other venues that combine past and present in completely charming settings, like Olive Branch’s Olde Town, a delightful shopping and dining attraction anchored by the historic Wesson House.
You may want to start your tour there, or start with a little more drama in a legal thriller that pre-dates Grisham’s—the dramatically majestic murals depicting DeSoto’s arrival that adorn the interior of the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando.
The Courthouse and the
Courthouse Square are both historic sites you won’t want to miss.
Another must-see is the
DeSoto County Historical Museum, where the antebellum parlor and the historic log cabin are only a few of the highlights.
DeSoto is also home to a number of historic resting places:
The Confederate monument, one of the oldest in the state, reigns over the grounds of the old
Hernando Memorial Cemetery, where the remains of more than 150 soldiers lie.
Joe Callicot, Gus Cannon and Memphis Minnie are all buried in
DeSoto County, and no blues aficionado will want to leave without paying their respects to those early giants.
Elvis’ honeymoon cottage is now home to a florist, but you can stop by for a sociable story from the current owners.
And once you’re this close, there’s no reason to wait:
Pull out your
Memphis passport and head for more of the King at
Graceland.
It is, after all, the second most visited private residence behind the White House.
And no wonder:
From jets to jump suits to the red MG Elvis drove in
Blue Hawaii, Graceland is all Elvis, all the time, including a revealing new exhibit, “Elvis after Dark,” giving a glimpse of the superstar when he came out to play, unheralded and uninhibited, enjoying free-spirited fun on the streets of night time Memphis.
After
Graceland, take a guided tour of the famed Sun Studios, where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Howlin’ Wolf and others got their start.
In
Memphis, musicians like Elvis and Lewis and Joe Caldicott found great success, but there was something that always called them back to the Mississippi Hills.
Once you’ve been here, you’ll know too.
You’ll be back. And we’ll be here.