Tupelo, MS

Tupelo is about half way down the Natchez Trace and where I choose to spend the night.  It seemed a shame to drive through and not get some Elvis on.  ha.

I'm not a big Elvis fan but thought it was only fitting to play the Elvis station on Sirius while driving around Tupelo.  I considered a drive to Memphis since it is only about 100 miles, but intend to come back to that area at some point so I opted to wait and take my time.

First stop - Elvis's birthplace.  Elvis was born in a small shotgun house; today it anchors the 15-acre Elvis Presley Center. The museum features a private collection of Elvis memorabilia. The Walk of Life surrounds the house with markers depicting the years of Elvis's life, while the Fountain of Life, a stunning water feature, represents Elvis's life in Tupelo.  

"Tupelo was an important place in the life of Elvis Presley, as he lived there for the first 13 years of his life. It was in Tupelo were Elvis began to spread his love of music, and to honor his memory, a statue was built called "Elvis at 13"."

As you drive around the downtown area, you can see assorted guitars .... all decorated for Elvis.  There are dozens of them.

A plaque and statue in Fair Park

The Lee County Courthouse was built in 1904 and boasts a beautiful clock tower attached to the building.

It took about 2 hours, including the birthplace and a driving tour.  I could have easily gotten back on the Trace, but opted to spend another night at the State Park.

This "restaurant" was recommended to me .. I stopped for lunch and had a fried egg sandwich (haven't had one in a lot of years) and some really good baked beans.

It was a VERY popular place with the locals.