Itawamba County isn’t just the perfect place to get out and enjoy nature, it’s also ideal for soaking in the area’s rich history, and few things epitomize this better than the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
This 2006.5-mile trail was created by the Adventure Cycling Association, a nonprofit organization that sought to memorialize the Underground Railroad, a secret network of routes and safe houses that slaves took to find freedom during the Civil War. Biking along the route allows individuals to truly pass through time, from the Deep South all the way up to Canada.
The route starts in Mobile, Alabama, which served as a key port for ships to unload enslaved Africans in the 1800s. From there, cyclists head north along various rivers, including Itawamba County’s own Tombigbee River, which was the primary mode of commercial transportation for cotton from our county to Mississippi port towns like Aberdeen and Columbus. Legend has it that one of the Underground Railroad routes went from this northern route along the Tombigbee River, across the hills to the Tennessee River and then further north to the Ohio River.
Itawamba County’s portion of the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route itself passes through numerous local fixtures.
Playgarden Park
Playgarden Park was established on October 6, 2009, by Julie Grimes Waldorf and Michael Waldorf, and has endured as one of Itawamba County’s most beloved parks. Families will find a splash pad, picnic tables, a stage pavilion and, of course, a playground that everyone can enjoy. However, Playgarden Park’s most iconic aspect are the series of sculptures created by Tom Otterness, one of America’s most prolific public artists whose work can be seen everywhere from New York City (his “Life Underground” sculptures in the 14th Street / Eighth Avenue subway station remains one of the most popular works in the city) to countries abroad. Otterness’ sculptures for Playgarden Park consist of an anthropomorphized coin and house, which bear similarity to one of his previous works in New York City, “The Marriage of Real Estate and Money.”
The Cedars
One of two antebellum houses in Fulton, The Cedars is a one-story Greek Revival-style planters cottage that was built circa 1859 by ship builder and merchant Pleasant Cates. Named for the cedar trees originally located on-site, The Cedars is a true beauty of Itawamba County, so historically treasured that it was designated an official Mississippi Landmark in 2011.
Jamie L. Whitten Historical Center and Campground
Affectionately known as Whitten Park, the Jamie L. Whitten Historical Center and Campground was designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to showcase exhibits and guided tours from five federal agencies involved in the economic development of Northeast Mississippi. Not far from here, you’ll find the official historical marker for the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
Midway Marina
One of Itawamba County’s most iconic locations, the Midway Marina is a sailor’s paradise. Explorers of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway are encouraged to dock their boats here and stay a while. With numerous accommodations and delicious eats at Guy’s Place right on the water – not to mention fishing tournaments, concerts, holiday events and more – the Midway Marina is the place to be!
We hope you take part in your own journey through Itawamba County and all along the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. It’s all in Itawamba County, where we’re Welcoming by Nature.