Between Greenville and Vicksburg, the GRR continues along Hwy-1 through the cotton-rich bottomlands, the landscape as unvarying as the country music that dominates the radio dial. Before the Civil War, this land was nearly uninhabitable hardwood forests and fever-riddled swamps, home to snakes, panthers, and mosquitoes. After Reconstruction, the valuable oaks, sweetgum, and hickory were logged off, the swamps drained, and levees built; now just the snakes and mosquitoes remain. It’s a long, slow ride, while US-61 races along to the east.
East of Greenville, just west of US-61, the town of Leland was the boyhood home of Muppet-master Jim Henson. There’s now a small and suitably warm-spirited museum, on the north side of US-82 at Deer Creek, honoring him, Kermit the Frog, and his other creations.
The 50 miles of US-82 between Greenville and Greenwood pass through the heart of Delta blues country, and a number of nearby towns feature high on any “blues pilgrimage” itinerary: Holly Ridge holds the grave of Charley Patton (“Voice of the Delta,” 1891–1934); Robert Johnson (1911–1938) is remembered by a burial marker in Itta Bena; B. B. King was born in Indianola, and is honored in an annual festival the first weekend in June; while south on US-61, Rolling Fork was the birthplace of Muddy Waters (1915–1983).
Vicksburg stands at the junction of the Great River Road and our Southern Pacific tour along US-80.
