A road trip route through Mississippi with plenty of storied stops

Northeastern Mississippi is a crossroads and has, over centuries, been formed by that distinction. Corinth, in the far north of the state, came into being in the 1850s when the survey lines for two major railroads intersected, creating a boom town. Known as the Crossroads of the South, it would become one of the most contested spots during the Civil War, as the railroad to which it owed its beginnings became its greatest liability. Today, several attractions, including the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, tell the story of the city and its role in the war.

About an hour south of Corinth lies the town of Tupelo, where Appalachia and the Delta converge, creating a unique cultural crossroads. The town’s favorite son, Elvis Presley, is among the most well-known of the region’s iconic trailblazers. His life and work are showcased at his birthplace and recounted at stops all over town.

Along the entirety of the route from Corinth through Tupelo and on to the vibrant college town Starkville, home to Mississippi State and the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, travelers will appreciate the region’s natural beauty. Here, the watery world of swampy wetlands and still bayous meet ridges of hickory, ash, and maple. Enchanting pine forests soar skyward, and wildflowers—black-eyed Susan, purple coneflower, New England aster—blanket intermittent prairies.

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Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center
Part of the Shiloh National Military Park, this hilltop facility tells the story of the military struggle for control of the railroad junction in Corinth, regarded as the crossroads of the Confederacy. Particularly poignant are multimedia presentations and artifacts that spotlight the initial opposition to secession in this part of Mississippi, the impact of wounded and ill soldiers on the town, and the creation of the Corinth Contraband Camp, where some 6,000 African Americans freed from slavery established a community and took the first steps to becoming citizens.

Borroum’s Drug Store and Soda Fountain
Established in 1865 by Dr. Andrew Jackson Bourroum, this beloved gathering place on the square in Corinth continues to serve ice cream sodas and shakes, old-fashioned Cokes, and even cherry phosphates—as it has since installing the art deco bar in the late 1930s. Also on the menu is the slugburger, a sandwich developed in Corinth during the Depression that features a thin patty of ground pork, soy flour, and spices deep fried and served on a hamburger bun with mustard, pickles, and onions. Originally sold for a nickel (called a “slug”), today the local specialty remains a bargain at $2.95 (which includes a bag of chips).

Dilworth’s Tamales
Another Mississippi staple, hot tamales (thought to have been introduced by Mexican migrants working the cotton fields of the Delta in the early 20th century), have been served up at this drive-thru for more than 60 years. Available in mild or hot, the tamales feature cornmeal, ground beef, and spices wrapped in parchment paper, rolled into thin bundles just bigger than a pencil, and simmered. Order half a dozen for a snack (a steal at $2.90) with an ice-cold lemonade.

Elvis Presley Birthplace
The two-room shotgun house where the King of Rock ’n’ Roll was born on January 8, 1935, is the centerpiece of this Tupelo attraction. Built by his father, Vernon, with $180 of materials, the house, featuring a bedroom and kitchen, is furnished with period furniture, but don’t miss the 15-minute multimedia production in the relocated First Assembly of God Church Elvis regularly attended as a boy. Take a seat in a worn pew and allow wraparound screens and the sound of gospel standards to transport you to a typical 1940s evening service, where Elvis fell in love with music.

Pretenders to the Throne
Get all shook up at the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition, the undeniable highlight of the annual Tupelo Elvis Festival on June 6­–9.

Tupelo Hardware Company
In January 1946, Gladys Presley brought Elvis to this longstanding family-owned store in downtown Tupelo to pick out a birthday present. Though he had his heart set on a .22 rifle (or failing that, a bike), his mother convinced him to take the guitar, which she purchased for $7.75. An X marks the spot where Elvis first strummed a chord. The venerable store still sells guitars, as well as all manner of hardware, and souvenirs from branded tees and hats to toys.

Hotel Tupelo
Just a few blocks from Tupelo Hardware, this sleek boutique hotel makes for the perfect home base from which to explore the area. The visitors center, just steps away, offers a range of itineraries for Elvis enthusiasts (e.g., Eat Like a King—if you dare) and non-fans alike, and the attentive hotel staff are excellent sources of information, as well. Opened in 2022, the hotel took the prize for Lodging of the Year last fall at the Mississippi Tourism Awards, and its restaurant, Jobos, a hopping surf-and-turf joint with Southern flair and the best bar in town, draws raves from both critics and guests.

Courtesy Tupelo CVB

Queen’s Reward Meadery
Former kindergarten teacher Jeri Carter began making wine at home as a hobby but turned to honey as the main fermentable when local grapes disappointed her. After attending the country’s first mead-makers conference in 2016 and taking home medals at a competition later that year, Carter was bitten—well, stung—by the mead bug. In May 2018, she and her husband opened for business. Stop in for a tasting—and a crash course in the production and history of the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world—as well as bottles of the award-winning Scarlet Noir and the fan favorite Rubee, a semi-sweet mead with notes of cranberry and orange.

Courtesy Tupelo CVB

Connie’s Chicken
Opened in 1978, this Tupelo institution is packed with patrons soon after the doors open at 6:00 every morning (save Sunday). As you’d expect, the chicken is super crispy and the biscuits fluffy and piping hot. Enjoy the duo in an open-faced sandwich blanketed in classic white country gravy. And be sure to order a half dozen of the heralded blueberry doughnuts; deliciously dense little cakes served warm and sticky, they’re the undeniable pièce de résistance of this counter-service restaurant.

Hotel Chester
Built in 1925, this historic hotel in the heart of downtown Starkville’s Old Main District has enjoyed many incarnations and extensive renovations and restorations in its near-century-long run. Perhaps most memorably, television personality Gordon Ramsey brought his reality show, Hotel Hell, to the property several years ago and oversaw a rehauling of several guest suites. Book a night in one of the beautifully redesigned rooms, then head a couple of blocks down the street to the Guest Room, an appropriately low-ceilinged, dimly lit speakeasy serving the best cocktails in the city.

Arepas Coffee & Bar
This lively Starkville restaurant offers not only some of the best coffee drinks in town but also some of the best Venezuelan cuisine you’re likely to find in the South. The namesake arepas—crispy cornmeal cakes stuffed with a range of fillings (like plantains and queso or sausage and avocado)—are an obvious, and excellent, choice. But any order should also include a slab of tres leches cake and a basket of tequeños, Venezuelan cheese sticks featuring a crisp pastry crust and melty queso blanco.

The Big Cheese
Stop in at the MAFES Sales Store at Mississippi State for meats, jams, ice cream, and cheese produced on campus. The three-pound Edam cheese “cannon balls” have been iconic symbols of MSU for 75 years.

Ulysses. S. Grant Presidential Library
In November 2017, this library opened on the fourth floor of Mississippi State’s Mitchell Memorial Library in Starkville. While it may seem an odd location for a site dedicated to the Ohio-born general and president, the university maintains that no other state “did more to advance and propel” his career than Mississippi. Visitors will find engaging interactive displays that encourage reexamination of Grant’s tarnished legacy, as well as the nation’s largest private collection of Abraham Lincoln memorabilia in an adjoining gallery.

Cotton District
Set between downtown Starkville and the campus of Mississippi State University, this neighborhood has long been regarded as a showplace for New Urbanism. Walkability and a wonderful range of historic and lovely new buildings make the area popular with students, residents, and visitors alike. Plan on lunch (and fantastic people watching) on the patio of Bin 612; the cheese fries are a must. Then spend an afternoon strolling the streets, spying architectural gems, and shopping the many boutiques.

Courtesy Starkville CVB

This article appears in the Summer 2024 issue of Southbound.

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