Special churches, temples and synagogues
Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Natchez
The Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of Natchez was built in 1858, but at that time as the second Presbyterian church in Natchez. In 1866, however, the church was sold to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and later Congressman Hiram R. Revels became the church’s first pastor.
| Contact | 228 North ML King, Jr. Street Natchez, Mississippi 39120 |
Saint Mary Basilica in Natchez
The Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows, also known as Saint Mary Basilica, is a Roman Catholic basilica in the city of Natchez. The basilica, built between 1842 and 1843, impresses with its red brick look and is considered one of the masterpieces of Catholic churches in the southern United States. However, the cathedral was not raised to the rank of basilica until 1999. The inside of the basilica impresses with its fairly bright appearance, which is additionally underlined by the blue window paintings above the altar.
| Contact | 107 South Union Street Natchez, Mississippi 39120 |
Temple B’nai Israel in Natchez
The Jewish synagogue in the city of Natchez, built in 1843, is now the oldest synagogue in the entire state of Mississippi. Due to the shrinking Jewish community in Natchez, the synagogue was made available to the Museum of Southern Jewish Experience in 1991 to preserve it. A visit is definitely recommended.
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| Contact | 213 South Commerce Street Natchez, Mississippi 39120 |
First Presbyterian Church of Meridian
The First Presbyterian Church of Meridian was built in 1867. At that time the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian was a wooden church and after a fire in 1883 it was rebuilt by parishioners, but this time with bricks. In 1911 the church became the property of the city of Meridian and today the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian is home to the Meridian Museum of Art. Through the sale, the church received enough money to build today’s First Presbyterian Church of Meridian in 1913 and in 1979 the church was added to the list of historical buildings.
| Contact | 905 23rd Avenue Meridian, MS 39301 |
Big celebrations and events
Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival
The Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival in the city of Clarksdale has been an annual festival for blues and gospel since 1988. In addition to the pure performance of music, the festival also offers educational opportunities. The festival, which is considered the birthplace of the blues, attracts up to 25,000 visitors annually, making it one of the largest festivals in Mississippi.
| Contact | www.sunflowerfest.org/ |
Mississippi Delta Blues & Heritage Festival
The Mississippi Delta Blues & Heritage Festival in the city of Greenville has been a blues festival held in September every year since 1978. This makes the Mississippi Delta Blues & Heritage Festival the second oldest continuous blues festival in the USA. Here the visitors get to see the sizes of the blues and are enthusiastic about it. The festival invigorates the city of Greenville and makes it look like it has changed. This may also be due to the fact that the festival takes place in a rather poor and structurally weak region and brings $ 3 million into the coffers of the community and its residents every year.
| Contact | www.deltablues.org |
Mississippi Deep-Sea Fishing Rodeo
The Mississippi Deep-Sea Fishing Rodeo in the city of Gulport is an annual competition fishing tournament that takes place between June and July. The competition lasts for several days and enjoys an international reputation. The Mississippi Deep-Sea Fishing Rodeo was first held in 1948.
| Contact | www.mississippideepseafishingrodeo.com |
Great Mississippi River Balloon Race
The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race in the city of Natchez is an annual balloon festival, or rather a Montgolfiade, since 1986. At the competitions, it is important to prove your skills in disciplines such as the approach, the time trial and many more. The festival extends over a weekend in October and several races are “flown” per day.
| Contact | www.natchezballoonrace.com |
Zoos, parks and amusement parks
Jackson Zoo
The Jackson Zoo, as the name suggests, is located in the city of Jackson and was founded in 1919. Almost 800 animals from over 120 species live in the zoo on an area of approx. 450,000 m². This makes the Jackson Zoo the largest zoo in the state of Mississippi. The zoo’s enclosures are subdivided according to the animal’s habitats and so you can find African rainforest, savannah, Mississippi wilderness and an aviary with birds from South America. The zoo’s main attractions include hippos, rhinos, chimpanzees, antelopes, elephants, zebras and many more.
| Contact | 2918 West Capitol Street Jackson, Mississippi 39209 www.jacksonzoo.org |
Crosby Arboretum in Picayune
The Crosby Arboretum in the city of Picayune is a tree garden belonging to Mississippi State University in which visitors can find over 300 different species of trees and shrubs on almost 3 km². The species are limited to plants from the Mississippi region, but still offer a large selection and make the Crosby Arboretum a relaxing destination.
| Contact | 370 Ridge Road Picayune, Mississippi 39466 www.crosbyarboretum.msstate.edu/ |
Hattiesburg Zoo
The Hattiesburg Zoo in the city of Hattiesburg was founded in 1950 and covers an area of approximately 490,000 m². The zoo is located in the approximately 1.6 km² Kamper Park. The zoo is home to animals such as monkeys, alligators, tigers, jaguars and zebras. In the future, the zoo will be expanded to include an enclosure that will represent the local wildlife. If you have enough of the animals, you can also enjoy a carousel and a small water park in the zoo.
| Contact | 107 South 17th Avenue Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401 www.zoohattiesburg.com |
Collins Zoo
The Collins Zoo in the city of Collins was only opened in 1988 and is now home to over 300 animals from over 100 species. The zoo was formerly known as Collins Exotic Animal Orphanage. In the past, mostly circus animals and pets that were too big were taken up and formed the basis of the animals. Here visitors will find lions, tigers, mountain lions, leopards, a white wolf and many more.
| Contact | 2900 Highway 49s Collins, Mississippi 39428 www.collinsmszoo.com |
National parks
There are no national parks in the state of Mississippi. But there are 24 state parks here.
Other natural beauties
Natchez Trace (“Devil’s Backbone”)
The Natchez Trace is an approximately 8,000 year old Indian trade route of 714 km in length. It runs from Natchez in Mississippi to the far northwest.
