Tunica
Rural Life Countryside Tour Description: For
over two centuries, agriculture has been the mainstay
of Tunica County economy. What began as back bending
land clearing by yeoman farmers and their families,
quickly developed into a labor-intensive plantation
system based initially on Native American and
later on African slave labor in the 18th century.
The invention of the cotton gin revolutionized
the production of cotton and by the early 19th
century cotton had become the Delta’s premier
crop. “White Gold”, as it was called,
created a culture which is still evident in cities
along the “Mighty Mississippi” River.
Following the Civil War, sharecropping and tenant
farming replaced the slave-dependent plantation
system. During the 1920’s to 1940’s,
in the aftermath of increasing mechanization of
Delta farms, displaced workers began to leave
the land and move to towns and cities. However,
today there are still vestiges of rural plantation
life in Tunica County, many of them will be seen
on our “Tunica Rural Life Countryside Tour.”
The tour begins on Rt. 304, formerly the Commerce-Hernando
Turnpike, at the site of the earliest recorded
historical event in the area. The settlement,
later known as Commerce, was located in the province
of Quizquiz where Chisca the Great Chickasaw Indian
Chief ruled when Spanish explorer Hernando Desoto
first saw the mighty Mississippi on May 8, 1541.
The Indian mound is still there today and can
be viewed in the distance from the highway. A
short distance away, the first settlement in Tunica
County, Commerce Landing, was built in 1834 and
then washed into the Mississippi by the great
flood of 1842, leaving behind the county’s
first Tunica County Courthouse and Jail. The Courthouse
and the Jail were built with slave labor in 1836;
it now serves as the Abbay Leatherman Plantation
Office.
Traveling
through cotton fields along the great Mississippi
Levee, you will pass the site there the world
famous blues man; Robert Johnson once lived (1922-1929).
Next a turn onto Indian Mound Road will take you
near Hollywood Site, the largest Indian Mound
in Tunica County. This is now an archeological
site managed by the University of Mississippi.
Your journey continues as you descend into a thousand
year old meander scar of the Mississippi River
course now filled in after thousands of years.
Following
Indian Mound Road to Old Highway 61 you are on
your way to the town of Tunica, passing through
the old town of Hollywood where you will see the
evidence of times past in the empty railroad bed
near old grain elevators, old stores and houses,
graveyards and an Indian mound used for modern
burials.
The
town of Tunica is a fine example of an old southern
railroad town. All of the town’s commerce
centered on the train depot and commissaries built
to service the travelers and railroad employees.
You will enjoy seeing this quaint little town
with its antique and specialty food stores, cozy
ice cream parlor and historic sites. In the historic
areas you will see the Tate Log House, built in
1840, the Tunica County Courthouse, and the beautiful
Veteran’s Memorial.
#
1 - Rural Life Countryside Tour
Includes
the Rural Life Countryside Tour plus a visit at
the Tunica County Museum. The Tunica County Museum
interprets the history of Tunica County through
exhibits, education programs, research and collections.
Topics include the natural setting, Native American
prehistory, early European exploration and settlement,
and 19th and 20th century social, agricultural,
institutional, political, military and commercial
history. Your tour will end with a short walk
on the Tunica Museum boardwalk. Group
minimum 25 passengers
Price $7.00 per person (Memphis departures add
$3.00 per person)
#
2 - Rural Life Countryside Tour + Tunica River
Park Museum + Mississippi River Cruise
Includes
the Rural Life Countryside
Tour plus a visit of the Tunica River Park where
you will stop to visit the Tunica River Park Museum
located adjacent to the dock of the Tunica Queen
Riverboat Company. The 24,000 square foot museum
is centered on the life of the Mississippi river
and its history. The artifacts and interpretative
exhibits date back to the days of early Indian
civilization, highlighting life on the river and
historical events, such as the flood of 1927,
giving visitors a true understanding of how the
Delta and its residents adapted to the power of
the river. Museum visitors can learn about Hernando
Desoto, view live turtles and fish in one of the
four aquariums, drive a life-size simulation of
a tugboat, and experience life below the water’s
surface inside the simulated diving bell.
After
visiting this fascinating museum you will take
leisurely sightseeing cruise on the Mighty Mississippi
River aboard the Tunica Queen Paddlewheel Riverboat.
The one-hour Sightseeing Cruises on the beautiful
Mississippi River includes a colorful narration
by the Captain about the River with local points
of interest. If you are hungry we have sandwiches,
salads, hotdogs, snacks, and beverages available
at our second deck snack bar. You may also want
to enjoy one of our Specialty drinks, like our
chocolate Mississippi Mud Slide or a Strawberry
Southern Belle or our Peach Sunset, while you
listen to traditional and lively riverboat tunes.
Group
minimum 25 passengers
Price $27.00 per person includes admission to
the Tunica River Park Museum & a sightseeing
cruise on the Tunica Queen. (Memphis departures
add $3.00 pe person.)
#
3 - Rural Life Countryside Tour + MS River Dinner
Cruise
Includes
the Rural Life Countryside Tour plus you will
cap your day and begin your evening with a leisurely
cruise on the Mighty Mississippi River! Dinner
includes our savory Prime Rib, Shrimp Creole,
Roasted Turkey, crisp salad, fresh steamed vegetables,
rice, and potatoes. You will also be served fresh
brewed premium coffee or tea and a delicious dessert.
Dance to live music or relax on our outside decks
enjoying the sunset, moon, and stars. Group
minimum 25 passengers
Price $55.00 per person includes a dinner cruise
on the Tunica Queen. (Memphis departures add $3.00
pe person.)
Terms
& Conditions: A deposit of $100.00 will be
due 30 days in advance. The balance is due two
weeks in advance. After this time all monies are
non-refundable. If you have questions or you wish
to book your tour date please call.
Tunica
Rural Life Countryside Tour Description: For
over two centuries, agriculture has been the mainstay
of Tunica County economy. What began as back bending
land clearing by yeoman farmers and their families,
quickly developed into a labor-intensive plantation
system based initially on Native American and
later on African slave labor in the 18th century.
The invention of the cotton gin revolutionized
the production of cotton and by the early 19th
century cotton had become the Delta’s premier
crop. “White Gold”, as it was called,
created a culture which is still evident in cities
along the “Mighty Mississippi” River.
Traveling
through cotton fields along the great Mississippi
Levee, you will pass the site there the world
famous blues man; Robert Johnson once lived (1922-1929).
Next a turn onto Indian Mound Road will take you
near Hollywood Site, the largest Indian Mound
in Tunica County. This is now an archeological
site managed by the University of Mississippi.
Your journey continues as you descend into a thousand
year old meander scar of the Mississippi River
course now filled in after thousands of years.
Includes
the Rural Life Countryside
Tour plus a visit of the Tunica River Park where
you will stop to visit the Tunica River Park Museum
located adjacent to the dock of the Tunica Queen
Riverboat Company. The 24,000 square foot museum
is centered on the life of the Mississippi river
and its history. The artifacts and interpretative
exhibits date back to the days of early Indian
civilization, highlighting life on the river and
historical events, such as the flood of 1927,
giving visitors a true understanding of how the
Delta and its residents adapted to the power of
the river. Museum visitors can learn about Hernando
Desoto, view live turtles and fish in one of the
four aquariums, drive a life-size simulation of
a tugboat, and experience life below the water’s
surface inside the simulated diving bell. 
After
visiting this fascinating museum you will take
leisurely sightseeing cruise on the Mighty Mississippi
River aboard the Tunica Queen Paddlewheel Riverboat.
The one-hour Sightseeing Cruises on the beautiful
Mississippi River includes a colorful narration
by the Captain about the River with local points
of interest. If you are hungry we have sandwiches,
salads, hotdogs, snacks, and beverages available
at our second deck snack bar. You may also want
to enjoy one of our Specialty drinks, like our
chocolate Mississippi Mud Slide or a Strawberry
Southern Belle or our Peach Sunset, while you
listen to traditional and lively riverboat tunes.
Includes
the Rural Life Countryside Tour plus you will
cap your day and begin your evening with a leisurely
cruise on the Mighty Mississippi River! Dinner
includes our savory Prime Rib, Shrimp Creole,
Roasted Turkey, crisp salad, fresh steamed vegetables,
rice, and potatoes. You will also be served fresh
brewed premium coffee or tea and a delicious dessert.
Dance to live music or relax on our outside decks
enjoying the sunset, moon, and stars.
