170 JULY | AUGUST 2019
food with the locals. Trying the fried green tomatoes is a must.
BJ is famous for her delicious Southern breakfasts but, with
notice, will accommodate dietary restrictions. After break-
fast, she was kind enough to drive with us to Philadelphia so
that we could experience Williams Brothers General Store,
10360 Co. Rd. 375, Philadelphia, 601.656.2651, owned by the
family of Olivia Williams Manning, mother of NFL quarter-
backs Eli and Peyton Manning. If you have a half-day to spare
from traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway, it’s a fun side trip
for Mississippi pottery, shoes, clothing, groceries, and gifts,
as authentic Manning game jerseys hang above you.
That afternoon, the next stop was at Milepost 180.7, French
Camp, which was also among the Top 30 Favorites. From 1800
on, French Camp has been a popular stop and commercial
center along The Trace for trading and lodging. French Camp
Historic Village depicts early American life, and the Colonel
James Drane home, circa 1846, is on the National Register of
Historic Places. French Camp is also famous for its bakery,
with all types of sourdough bread, as well as Council House
Café.
The trip from French Camp to Tupelo is pretty quiet, so
Pandora entertained us with hits from our lifetime friend-
ship, including those of Elvis, as we headed to his birthplace.
What more could we have asked for than to be best friends on
a clear blue sky, sunny day, listening to our favorite songs as
we cruised along the scenic parkway?
That night we stayed six miles west of The Parkway, just
outside of Tupelo, at Moon Lake Farm Bed & Breakfast,
3130 Endville Rd., Belden, 662.420.1423, moonlakefarm.com,
owned by Joann and Mike Cunningham. It’s a beautiful prop-
erty, complete with a tranquil 8-acre lake and farm animals—
a great place to stay with children. With notice ahead of time
and for an extra fee, children can ride Moon Lake’s horses
in a supervised setting. Fishing (catch-and-release only) in
the fully stocked lake is free, and poles are available if you
don’t bring your own. Loosen your belt for Joann’s incredible
Southern breakfast buffet, the equivalent of a Thanksgiving
feast, including freshly made blueberry muffins and home-
made scuppernong jam. In hindsight, instead of driving the
260 miles we chose for our Natchez Trace trip, we should have
jogged! Joann’s favorite place to eat around Tupelo is K e r m it ’s
Outlaw Kitchen, 124 Main St., Tupelo, 662.620.6622, kermit-
soutlawkitchen.com.
On our last day, we stopped at Milepost 232.4, the Tu p e-
lo Visitor’s Center, another Top 30 Favorite. We watched an
excellent film there about the history of Natchez Trace and
its people. Then we visited the Elvis Presley Birthplace
and Museum near Milepost 259. To see the King of Rock ’n
Roll’s humble beginnings before we headed back to Mem-
phis, where his iconic, world-renown legacy is enshrined at
Graceland, confirmed to Lisa and me that Elvis truly lived the
American dream.M
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259SEG PHOTOGRAPHY