We left Memphis under a hellacious storm. Our next stop was a one-night stay in Natchez, Mississippi, which was approximately 340 miles away. The rain came down so hard it created whiteout conditions on the roadways and we had to reduce our speed to avoid getting into an accident. This was a problem for us because the hotel I had booked in Natchez, a restored mansion from the 1840s, had a strict 8:00pm check-in deadline. We decided to take I-55 towards Natchez instead of the Great River Road (Highway 61) hoping to make it to the hotel in time. We sure as hell didn't want to be looking for a new place to stay in the dead of night in rural Mississippi! Eventually, we hooked up with the Great River Road as we approached Natchez, traveling through a section of the beautiful Homochitto National Forest. As for Natchez, it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. Initially, this stop was nothing more than a quick one-night sleep stay on the Great River Road before making our way to New Orleans. I only chose the place because it was highlighted in my travel guidebook. But Joe and I were completely blown away by this historic city. Located along the Mississippi River across from Vidalia, Louisiana, Natchez became one of the most prominent cities during the antebellum years (the period from 1812 to 1861). It was originally established by French colonists in 1716, and is considered one of the oldest settlements in the lower Mississippi River Valley. In 1763, the French ceded Natchez to the British after losing the French and Indian War (the Seven Years' War). In 1779, the area came under Spanish colonial rule until 1797 when the United States claimed Natchez and all the Spanish territories east of the Mississippi above the 31st parallel. Natchez then served as the capital of the Mississippi Territory and then later on as the capital of the state of Mississippi. In 1822, Jackson officially replaced Natchez as the capital due to its more centralized location. The city's heyday was during the antebellum period. It was the most prevalent slave trading city in Mississippi, and the second-largest after New Orleans. During the mid-19th century, prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, the city attracted wealthy Southern planters who built magnificent mansions to showcase their prosperity. These mansions were constructed on large properties surrounding the lowlands along the Mississippi River. Cotton and sugarcane were the major commodities, and the city became the principle port from where these crops were exported (both up and down the river). As a result, Natchez was home to the largest number of millionaires in the country outside of New York City. A large collection of the massive homes these wealthy planters and traders built in Natchez prior to 1860 are still standing today. This was due to the fact the Confederates surrendered the city to the Union Army in 1862 without a fight, sparing Natchez the sort of destruction other great southern cities had endured. These awesome structures have been restored or renovated and serve as inns, museums or private residences. We stayed at one called The Guest House just a few blocks from the riverfront. What is absolutely amazing is the sheer number of these beautiful mansions. Just about every street in the historic quarter has several of these large homes. We arrived at the The Guest House around 7:15pm on Day 13. The following morning we spent several hours walking the streets of this historic city and visiting a few of the more prominent mansions before continuing on to New Orleans.