A refreshing slice of history.
As you drive through the pristine landscape along the Natchez Trace from Kosciusko, you come upon it almost suddenly, this small hamlet of historic log homes and cabins, looking very much the way it must have when Andy Jackson stopped with his men. In those days the Trace was known as the “Devil’s Backbone”—tough, dangerous going, and for those travelers thirsty and tired from the road, the French Camp tavern offered a welcome place to refresh.
Today, the French Camp Natchez Trace Historic District is still a refreshing stop, offering a delicious taste of pioneer life for those weary of modern humdrum. In this unique collective, you’ll experience living, breathing history, where you can see how handmade quilts are made, or how a Revolutionary soldier once lived in a 19th century farmhouse; discover why molasses-making was a real “grind,” see how pottery was thrown and how blacksmiths plied their trade. Sound like a lot of chores? Don’t worry; all you’ll work up is an appetite, and that’s easy once you catch the aroma of the homemade sandwiches and soups and mud cake at the Council House Café. For a delightful getaway, French Camp’s B&B offers a welcome as soft and warm as a feather pillow.
On your way out, be sure to buy a loaf of French Camp Academy bread, a heavenly treat that supports this faith-based collective. Where once the town of French Camp pioneered in the education of women—it opened an academy for women in the 1880s— today dedicated residents provide a home, school, and a road to the future for troubled children from broken homes.
From French Camp, head north toward another school, this one founded in a former mill town, and whose first president was the man in command of Fort Sumter when those first fateful shots were fired.
On behalf of first Mississippi A & M president Stephen D. Lee, best-selling writer John Grisham, former New York Times editor Turner Catledge, and a few other notable alums, Mississippi State University and its home city welcome you to a thrilling visit.