At the junction of US-80, I-20, and I-59, the main route to and from New Orleans, modern Meridian (pop. 39,968) is a medium-sized industrial center that started from rubble in the aftermath of the Civil War, and owes its existence to strategic geography: After the native Choctaw Indians were removed in 1831, Meridian became a railroad junction and served as a Confederate stronghold until Sherman destroyed it in February 1864, saying afterwards, “Meridian no longer exists.” Despite this, the town recovered with a vengeance, and from the 1890s until the 1930s Meridian was the largest and most prosperous city in this very poor state, as shown by the many fine Edwardian and art deco buildings that still stand (in varying stages of repair) around the leafy and clean downtown area.
Two of Meridian’s most intriguing stops are two miles northwest of downtown, in Highland Park on 41st Avenue at State Boulevard. First is the Dentzel Carousel (daily 1–5 pm; 50 cents), a cheerful and historic wooden merry-go-round dating from the 1890s, preserved in its original condition. Nearby is the Jimmie Rodgers Museum, described more fully in the “Father of Country Music” sidebar. Another offbeat but interesting Meridian “attraction” is the gravesite of the “King and Queen of the Gypsies,” Emil and Kelly Mitchell, whose circa-1914 plot in Rosehill Cemetery (west of downtown on 40th Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets) is a place of pilgrimage for Gypsies from all over America. Marked by a set of wrought-iron patio furniture and traditional headstones, the grave is often piled high with strands of beads, fruit, and other offerings.
Thanks to its location at the I-20 and I-59 junction, there’s no shortage of places to eat and sleep.
