In addition to spring pilgrimages, Southern cities offer a variety of area attractions for tourists. Visitors can enjoy historic photographs, a Confederate submarine and toe-tapping music.
Natchez in Historic Photographs, Mississippi
More than 30 years ago, the late Dr. Tom Gandy purchased some 75,000 negatives covering nearly 130 years of life in Natchez, Miss., and nearby Louisiana.
Now housed at First Presbyterian Church, Natchez, the photos include stylishly dressed women, children at play, elegant antebellum homes, snapshots of everyday life in the 1800s and a section on riverboats.
John Larson, pastor of First Presbyterian, Natchez, said, “The negatives were taken by three photographers and range from the mid-1830s to near 1960. The education building of First Presbyterian Church was selected for the display.”
The church itself is a bit of history, originally built in 1817 and replaced by the current building in 1829. Visitors can view the exhibit Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. For information call 601-442-2581.
The H.L. Hunley, South Carolina
On Feb. 17, 1864, the H.L. Hunley became the world’s first successful combat submarine when it sank the Union warship USS Housatonic during the Civil War. After signaling to shore that the mission had been accomplished, the Confederate submarine and her crew of eight vanished.
Lost at sea for more than a century, the vessel was raised in 2000 and delivered to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center (WLCC) in North Charleston, S.C., where an international team of scientists is at work preserving the vessel and trying to discover why it sank.
“No other lab in the world exists like the one that has been built for the Hunley,” said Kellen Correia, WLCC manager of marketing, media and public relations.
“Visitors can view the Hunley in the conservation tank along with numerous artifacts at WLCC. Forensic information was used to create the interesting display of facial reconstruction of the Hunley’s eight-man crew.”
Tours are available on Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sundays from noon until 5 p.m.
For information call 1-877-4HUNLEY or visit www.hunley.org.
Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Macon features videos, interactive exhibits and music memorabilia from more than 450 Georgia artists.
“The museum’s Tune Town is designed to look like a small Georgia town where visitors can experience a variety of Georgia’s musical styles,” said Mary Alice Applegate, communications and marketing manager for the hall of fame.
“Children will enjoy the Big Band ‘Music Factory’ area with hands-on stations that explore musical styles, instrument families and music making,” she said. For information call 1-888-ga-rocks or visit www.gamusichall.com.
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