and bubbling streams found nowhere
else in Mississippi. Most of the more
than 500 Civil War battles waged on
Mississippi soil were fought in this area.
Home to the University of Mississippi
and to one of the South’s most-strolled
town squares, Oxford is widely regarded
as a center for southern culture. This region is also home to the Holly Springs
National Forest and eight State Parks.
The east-central portion of Mississippi, with the Alabama border forming
its eastern boundary, is filled with rolling hills and covered with hardwoods
and pines. Spanning country stores,
sacred Native American homelands and
historic towns, it encompasses the areas
surrounding the cities of Meridian and
Columbus, west to Winona and Forest.
The area also offers numerous lakes,
rivers, reservoirs, and locks and dams
teeming with fish.
Mississippi’s coastal region includes
the southeast corner of the state, from
the Laurel area south through the Gulf
Coast. The historic districts of Hatties-
burg and Laurel showcase exquisite Vic-
torian and turn-of-the-century man-
sions originally built by lumber barons.
Between New Orleans and Mobile, a
chain of casinos, beach resorts, artists’
colonies and fishing villages is linked
by 26 miles of scenic coastline along the
Gulf of Mexico, and beaches, marshes,
bayous and thick timber provide a
variety of environments for outdoors
enthusiasts.
Also known as the Black Prairie because of its rich, dark soil, Mississippi’s
capital region in the southwest corner
stretches from Jackson to the historic
towns that line the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Visitors to this area enjoy a
glimpse of Old South grandeur. Civil
War re-enactments recall the heartache
of a nation torn apart. Three National
Wildlife Refuges and numerous state
parks and water parks provide a host
of outdoor recreation opportunities in
this region.
© istockphoto.com/Jason ma Jor
