We left Missouri and traversed Arkansas, Tennessee, with Mississippi being our home for the night. Four states in one day- Impressive!
We veered off the beaten path to this town due to its name being that of my dear college girlfriend, Leslie. Its history was interesting, especially after the Civil War. Previously called Wiley’s Cove, it was renamed Leslie in 1887. Some sources claim the city took its name after Colonel Sam Leslie, who was also an early merchant, while others claim the city to be the namesake of his brother, “Old Jack” Leslie. The settlement was home to a post office, as well as four stores, a grist mill, and a flour mill before the railroad came in the early twentieth century.
Leslie is now a town that appears to be trying but is struggling. We enjoyed meandering down its main street, pondering its history and potential.
Does anyone else hear a Blondie song?
Our home for the night was at Wall Doxey State Park (1935) in Mississippi. It is named after a former U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator. It is one of the nine original state parks in Mississippi built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Many states, began the organized development of state parks in the early 1930s with the aid of several New Deal relief programs initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt. These programs were begun as a means of relieving the economic hardships of the Great Depression. Of all the "New Deal" programs, the CCC was clearly Roosevelt’s favorite. It accomplished two important goals – preservation of the nation’s natural resources AND its human resources. How cool it was to be in such a historic place built with such great intentions!
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