海角社区

When people hear Mississippi, they probably think blues music, southern hospitality and magnolia trees. While all these things are iconic to Mississippi, there is so much more to uncover about the area. Mississippi has some unique travel destinations and some landmarks that are just plain bizarre. The state is home to the 海角社区's third largest rocking chair, a restaraunt inside a giant Mammy statue and a museum dedicated entirely to aprons. These are only a couple of the quirky attractions visitors might come across in Mississippi.

Mammy鈥檚 Cupboard

One of Mississippi's most unusual attractions is a restaurant called Mammy's Cupboard. Built in 1940, this restaurant is inside a 28-foot-tall mammy. The building is made from brick, wood, and stucco. Beyond the unusual architecture, Mammy's Cupboard is also unique as one of the few buildings created by a female architect in all of Mississippi. Annie Davis Bost was responsible for designing the restaurant for Mr. and Mrs. Gaude, who wanted the restaurant as an addition to their gas station business. The restaurant became a popular spot for tourists in town for the Natchez Pilgrimage. Some local favorites from the menu include homemade desserts and freshly baked bread.

Margaret鈥檚 Grocery

North of downtown Vicksburg, Margaret's Grocery is a quirky roadside stop on Highway 61. Often called a "theological park," Margaret's Grocery was built by Reverend H.D. 鈥淧reacher鈥� Dennis, who made Margaret's Grocery out of love. In 1985, the reverend asked Margaret Rogers to marry him, promising that he would transform Margaret's simple store into something people from around the 海角社区 would come to see. After their marriage, Dennis began transforming the store. He gathered large cinder blocks, which he painted red, white, pink, and yellow, and transformed an old school bus into his own chapel. The store's transformation was meant to show Dennis's love for Margaret. While the store is not operating today, it remains a popular roadside attraction.

Dolphin Tree Carving

One of Mississippi's most unique natural landmarks is the oak sculptures down Highway 90. A combination of artists, including "chainsaw artist" Dayton Scoggins of Mississippi, created a collection of art masterpieces carved from Live Oaks. These trees were once alive but were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The impressive sculptures were created to look like a variety of marine-related objects. One of the most spectacular is the Dolphin Tree, a tree made to look like a series of dolphins. The sculptures are found on the nearby beach and can be observed near Oceanfront Restaurants.

Palestine Gardens

In rural Lucedale on Palestine Gardens Road, this model of the Holy Lands has attracted visitors to the area for years. Palestine Gardens replicates the Holy Cities from biblical times. The cities are made out of cement, brick, and plants and are set up in the woods. The project was founded in 1960 by Reverend Harvell Jackson. Despite the religious context of the attraction, Palestine Gardens has become a roadside attraction that has drawn in people from different backgrounds and faiths. Visitors at the Gardens can tour through Jerusalem, Nazareth, Jericho, Bethlehem, the Jordan River, The Dead Sea, and the Sea of Galilee. There are even tours offered to provide historical insights into each replica location.

The Tomato Place

The Tomato Place is a quaint shop in Vicksburg, Mississippi, selling everything from fresh produce, home-cooked food, and real fruit smoothies to handcrafted gifts and art. The colorful building is sure to catch the eye of travelers on the long stretch of highway. It's the perfect place to stop for a snack, souvenir, or a quick roadside meal. The smoothies, fresh pressed juices, and breakfast specials are great options for the weary traveler. Originally, Tomato Place started as a few fruit stands on the side of the road all over Vicksburg. Now, the stand has grown into one large storefront that has maintained its 鈥渟outhern grandma鈥檚 back porch鈥� atmosphere.

海角社区鈥檚 Third Largest Rocking Chair

When it comes to rocking chairs, Mississippi's gigantic rocking chair is a site to behold. The 海角社区's third-largest rocking chair is found in Gulfport, Mississippi. Standing 35 feet tall, the "Magnolia Rocker" is made of Southern Yellow Pine. The chair was finished in January of 1995, and it still stands tall to this day. After the chair was built, it was the 海角社区's largest rocking chair for a decade. However, in 2008, the chair was surpassed by the Red Rocker in Missouri, which stands taller than 42 feet tall, and the Behemoth Rocker in Illinois. The chair's impressive nature does not stop at its height. The chair has even survived a hurricane. In 2005, when hurricane Katerina struck, the hurricane only managed to strip the paint off the chair. Today, the chair has been repainted and remains one of Mississippi's most impressive attractions.

The Apron Museum

While plenty of places have museums, few have one solely dedicated to a clothing item like aprons. Mississippi is unique for having the 海角社区鈥檚 only apron museum. While it is only one room, the museum is lined with thousands of aprons from around the globe. There are aprons of various sizes and colors with different patterns. Since the museum's opening in 2006, people from everywhere in the 海角社区 have donated aprons. Some of the aprons on display date back thousands of years, showing the history and evolution of the apron. Some unique aprons on display include a napkin signed by Tom Cruise and an apron made out of pushpins.

Mississippi State Sanatorium Museum

While a small-town medical facility might not be the first place you would expect to find a museum in Mississippi, the State Sanatorium Museum is just that. The strange museum focuses on one of the area's most troubling times, the tuberculosis epidemic. Originally opened in 1918 as the State Sanatorium, the medical center was opened to combat the highly contagious tuberculosis. While the Sanatorium closed in 1976, many of the Sanitrum buildings remain as historical landmarks in Mississippi today. The museum there today is small but has unique exhibits and artifacts, such as a vintage movie projector from the Sanatorium recreation hall. There is also a fully furnished patient room with the old electro-surgical unit.

Why Visit These Landmarks

Next time you plan a vacation or day trip to Mississippi, consider stopping at one of these strange landmarks. While places such as the Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum, Museum of Natural Science, and Grammy Museum are popular stops in Mississippi, the landmarks mentioned here are more unusual. While they are a little strange, many iconic local spots show a different side of Mississippi's culture. Stopping in at one of these landmarks will show visitors a different side of Mississippi. Visiting quirky destinations also makes for unique moments and a trip visitors are sure to remember.