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John Peel OBE, 1939 - 2004
Down
the Dirt Road (Part 1)
by
Courtland
and Hazel Bresner
Took
Highway 55 south from Memphis. Easy driving conditions, the road is very
straight.
First
stop - Courtland, Mississippi. Took photographs of the church.
Continued
south on Highway 55, Took Highway 7 to Greenwood via Avalon where Mississippi
John Hurt is buried. Avalon is a very small community consisting, if you blink
you will miss it. However, the John Hurt grave site is located on a private
shooting range.
Continued
on Highway 7 to Itta Bena. Between Quito and Morgan City, at 3 Forks, took a
side road sign posted “Wild Life Center”. Approximately 200 yards on left
side of the road is Mount Zion Church and graveyard. Took photographs of one of
Robert Johnson’s grave markers.
Continued on Highway 7 to Belzoni, the Catfish capital of Mississippi. Located
Humphreys County Court House and jail. Charley Patton was jailed in Belzoni as
sung in “High Sheriff Blues”. Took photographs of the Court House and Jail.
Travelled
on Highway 49W to Indianola. On Highway 82 the Billips Plantation (Heathmans) a
dirt road leads to Holly Ridge. Located the Charley Patton grave. Yet another
photo stop. Met a Holly Ridge resident who had taken guitar lessons from Sam
Chapmon.
Overnight
in Greenville.
Back on
Highway 82 to Leland, Highway 61 to Cleveland and Highway 8 to Ruleville.
Arrived at Dockerys Plantation for a photo stop. Located Twilight Cemetery where
Viola Cannon is buried. There are stories coming out of the USA that Dockerys is
to be demolished in order to widen the Highway.
Back
on Highway 49W, via Drew, to Parchman Farm. No photographs, not allowed to
linger near the prison (restricted area). Onward to Tutwiler.
On
the outskirts of Tutwiler located Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2 (Aleck Miller)
grave site. Photo session again.
Highway
49 to Clarkesdale and the Delta Blues Museum.
On
to Robinsonville on Highway 61. The town has just about been demolished to make
way for the Casinos and feeder roads.
Continued
north on Highway 61. Stopped at Lake Cormorant, Norfolk and onto Walls. After
asking directions and getting lost a number of times eventually found Memphis
Minnie’s grave.
Back
to Memphis on Highway 61.
Courtland
and Hazel Bresner
Article Text
& Photographs
© Copyright 2001 Courtland
Bresner. All Rights Reserved.
Website © Copyright 2000-2006 Alan
White. All Rights Reserved.
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