The Mighty Mississippi Delta
From blues to barbecue, the 'cradle of American culture' is calling.
The Delta region has a history that has shaped our nation well beyond the South. Known as the “cradle of American Culture,” the Delta is the home of the blues, a sparking point for the American Civil Rights Movement, and an agricultural powerhouse. Within its 150-mile stretch, these fascinating, intersecting legacies meld together to make the Mississippi Delta a cornerstone of cultural discovery—and a compelling place to explore.
In Greenwood, the Alluvian Hotel offers visitors a luxurious refuge right in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. A sleek, boutique hotel developed by Viking Range founder Fred Carl, the Alluvian offers a broad range of services and amenities guaranteed to keep guests entertained in style. Occupying an entire city block in the historic heart of downtown, the Alluvian shares space with the Alluvian Spa, and the Viking Cooking School, which offers culinary classes for all skill levels. Giardina’s—a dining staple in the region since 1939—offers superb steaks, seafood, and Italian cuisine in a storied building, with its Prohibition-era, curtained speakeasy booths still in place.
Beyond the walls of the Alluvian, Greenwood offers visitors ample space to wander. For some outdoor recreation the Yazoo River Trail and Arboretum offers explorers access to forty-five acres of immaculate forest and native trees. If indoor activities are more your speed, you must make a stop at Turnrow Books, the Delta’s unofficial literary headquarters that was aptly named “the most beautiful bookstore in America” in a New York Times column by Ann Patchett.
For a resonant introduction to Cleveland’s place within the American fabric, visit the Amzie Moore House Museum. Moore was an early Civil Rights leader who made significant contributions through his work to increase voter registration and get students engaged in the struggle for equality. While you’re in the area, save time for a stopover at McCartys Pottery, which is just north of Cleveland in Merigold.
Situated right on the banks of the Mississippi River, Greenville is another city with inimitable Delta-style culture. This is where you’ll find the Delta’s Museum Mile, a collection of museums, all located in close proximity, enabling guests to discover everything from antique firetrucks to blues memorabilia. Belmont Plantation is the last home of its kind in the region. Boasting 9,000 square feet, the property now welcomes visitors to Greenville as a bed and breakfast and event space.
There’s one last Mississippi Delta gem we can’t help but mention—the Birthplace of Kermit the Frog Museum. Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, was born in Greenville and raised in the nearby Leland area, where this delightful little museum recounts Henson’s childhood adventures playing along the banks of Deer Creek. It was here that Henson first conjured a character named Kermit the Frog. And the rest, as they say, is history. Indeed, from Muppets to blues, the Delta comes by its title as the “cradle of American Culture” rightfully.