"Today on our journey up the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez to Nashville we will look at a couple of exhibits that show us some of the bottom lands through which travelers of the Trace had to pass. We are now about 20 miles north of Tupelo, Mississippi.

"The first exhibit is DONIVAN SLOUGH that contains a woodland nature trail through rich moist soil that supports Tulip poplar, sycamore and water oak, all trees that tolerate lots of water. A slough like this is a winding channel that makes its way through swampy bottom land. The occasional flooding that occurs influences the variety of plant life. There is a nature trail at Donivan Slough and a 20 minute walk lets visitors see how Bald Cypress grow.

"A couple of miles north from the slough is BROWN'S BOTTOM where several bridges now cross Little Brown Creek and other perennial streams in this bottom land. Remember, in the early 1800s there were no bridges.

"Join us next time when we will visit the most important archaeological site in northern Mississippi, Pharr Mounds. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com