Incorporated in 1880, Jonestown was birthed from the nearby Matagorda Plantation, owned by Colonel D.M. Russell and his wife pre-Civil War, the plantation taking its name from a type of long-staple cotton grown there. Currently consisting of many boarded up homes and businesses due to the marginalization of agricultural business within the town, Jonestown holds a Southern charm, nonetheless. Delta Oil Mill has been a large corporation on the limits of town since 1942, producing cottonseed products. I observed at least 3-4 semis entering and leaving Delta Oil in the 15 minutes during my last visit.
Speaking of visits, every single time that I drive through here….it smells like the BEST smoked meat you could ever eat. I have yet to figure out which storefront it is emanating from, but once I solve that conundrum, there will be an update on that one item alone.
Jonestown is the birthplace of some notable folks, such as W.C. Clay, a blues musician who often partnered with Sonny Boy Williamson on the King Biscuit Time radio program; George Lane, who established a Sickle Cell center in Milwaukee, and Oscar Reed, who played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Minnesota Vikings.
At the time of the 2020 Census, only 962 people lived in Jonestown, but like much of the Delta, there is hope that one day new life can be breathed into the town.
As I continue the slow process of editing the RF photos, I’ll move onto a grander scope of conversation by discussing important places, people, and historical objects that I have encountered during this almost decade-long trek through my lenses.
One of the most interesting places in the Mississippi Delta is located in the town of Tunica–the Blue and White. A former Pure Oil Company gas station, the original building was erected in 1924, a new (and present) location rising in 1937. During the early years, the Blue and White included a tobacco and newsstand, a Greyhound bus stop, a full-service restaurant and service station. Since that time, the Blue and White has experienced WWII, operated successfully during the terms of over a dozen U.S. Presidents, and thrived throughout many other economic and domestic changes in both Tunica and the greater USA. Any good road trip includes places with yummy entrees and fixins, and the B&W does not disappoint, offering the southern staple of Fried Green Tomatoes, a Mississippi Catfish Hoagie (tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato on a freshly baked roll), the Big Blue Breakfast (two eggs (your choice), sausage, bacon or ham; toast, biscuit or donut; grits, hashbrowns or fries and one waffle/two hotcakes) and a ton of additional choices for hungry travelers. Whew, I’m getting hungry just thinking about all that food!
The restaurant is split into three areas–the central entrance, with both tables and booths, as well as a salad bar on the days they offer it. The central area also offers a look behind the countertop (with a few tall seats at the counter) into the window where the cooks create their magic. To the north of that is a slightly darker (but lit) large dining room with multiple tables able to accommodate 30+ diners. The opposite south bend offers booths where patrons can look out the windows as cars pass.
The Blue and White is definitely a must-stop as you begin your Delta roadtrip…still adorned in its original clean colors, stop by and give them a try–you won’t be disappointed. It is located at 1355 Highway 61 N.
Next time, we will talk about Jonestown.
Not in a Shining/Overlook kind of way, but I’m finally getting settled into a homespace enough to provide time to update this blog on a regular basis and get some momentum going.
To begin, I believe that this space can be best utilized to detail my photography trips, almost as though you are my travelling companion. As they are scheduled, I will do my best to update you all so that you may plan accordingly and ask off of work for that day, to better soak in all the details with no distractions;).
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and though I don’t have a trip planned this week, look for a post detailing my trip through Rolling Fork, MS after an E4 tornado decimated the town within the week. Be good to one another.
Heath
