The Great River Road National Scenic Byway runs over 275 miles along the Mississippi River, following U.S. Highway 61. The byway represents an enormous wealth of historical, architectural, cultural and recreational resources for persons traveling through Mississippi. This byway is a joint effort between the Lower Mississippi Historic Byway and the Mississippi Delta Great River Road Byway, though it is also part of the Great River Road, which runs along both sides of the Mississippi River from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the mouth of the river at the Gulf of Mexico. This corridor captures multiple sites of historical significance at the local, state and national levels. The byway’s featured intrinsic quality is history; however, multiple intrinsic qualities are found along the byway, and every aspect of the scenic byways criteria can be found along this route.
The route in this state begins in the north of Mississippi along the Mississippi River at the Helena Bridge Although the farmlands and forests surrounding the route are considered to be among the richest on Earth, the area is as well known for its poverty as for the richness of the soil. The true richness of the region can be found in the landmarks and legends that continue to live through the residents of today. The people of the Delta remain loyal to these remarkable stories of resilience and recovery, of hope and hopelessness and of defeat and determination. Visitors will pass through Tunica Resorts and Robinsonville. The Tunica Resorts area is home to six casino resorts and once generated the third largest gambling revenues in the nation The route continues to Greenville, the heart and soul of the delta. Greenville is one of the five largest cities in Mississippi and is home to a charming certified Main Street. Visitors will find entertainment, historical sites, and delicious food.
As visitors enter into the lower Mississippi, visitors will connect with four of the oldest settlements along the Mississippi River, each town with sites of great historical significance: Vicksburg, Port Gibson, Natchez, and Woodville. In Vicksburg, visitors will discover the key to the Union’s victory in the Civil War. Confederate President Jefferson Davis remarked, "Vicksburg is the nailhead that holds the South’s two halves together.” At the start of the Civil War, Confederates controlled the Mississippi River south of Cairo, Illinois all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. With it's valuable commercial port and railroad hub, the city was of tremendous importance. From points west of the Mississippi River, men, food, salt, and weapons, funneled through Mexico, made their way to Vicksburg and Confederate armies in the East. For 47 days, Union General U.S. Grant held Vicksburg under siege, resulting in a great victory for the Union. Travelling south, visitors will continue to learn more about this campaign in Port Gibson. In Natchez, visitors will be able to discover the luxuries of the antebellum era by exploring the many mansions in Natchez and learn more about the history of slavery and the Civil War. For those interested in far less recent history, the Emerald Mound Site makes a great place to visit. The Emerald Mound Site is home to three ceremonial mounds of the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and a reconstructed Natchez house. The site was in use between 1200 and 1730 CE. As visitors approach the end of the byway in Mississippi, they should be sure to check out the Woodville Republican in Woodville, MS, the oldest surviving business in Mississippi, which was founded in 1823.