The Northeast corner of Mississippi holds a special destination with a past carved by Civil War stories and a futured shaped by the relics of yesteryear. What’s unique about Corinth are the local eateries and adventures that can be found nowhere else in the world. Fill a weekend getaway with activities in a thriving downtown district, some history and culture and savor memories enough for a lifetime.
Unique activities and adventures
History enthusiasts will be well-satisfied visiting the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center to set a solid foundation of Corinth’s role in historic battles before touring Shiloh National Park and Cemetery. The Interpretive Center offers archives and narratives supporting Civil War times in the Corinth area with the use of both videos and exhibits. A well-done project, this world-class center is a must prior to visiting Shiloh.
Making your way through Shiloh, established in December of 1894, you’ll notice an array of monuments strewn throughout the military park as well as historic sites from the battlefield of Shiloh to the Siege and Battle of Corinth. Plan time to also take a sobering walk through Shiloh National Military Cemetery where about 4,000 soldiers were laid to rest.
One of the most poignant art exhibits you’ll ever see might just be the Corinth Contraband Camp established by Union General Grenville M. Dodge to accommodate enslaved folks escaping from plantations and farms safely behind Union lines. The Camp became increasingly popular following the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation of September 1862 by President Lincoln as more freedom seekers searched for protection. The Camp offered housing, a church, school and hospital, and cooperative farming became not only a way of life, but also a way of making a living. There is literally no telling how many thousands of people were helped by this camp, and today a portion of this historic masterpiece is preserved to commemorate those who sojourned this path in 1862-1863. Spend some time walking the quarter-mile walkway where you’ll see six life-size bronze sculpture exhibits depicting the men, women and children who called this camp home.
Enjoy a visit to Lake Hill Motors where the back of the store is the best. Corinth’s hidden gem, the Bike Museum, is an unexpected treasure complete with motorcycles and tales. Dwayne McLemore takes great delight in his prized 30-year collection of bikes from fully restored sand cast models to WWII German cycles and everything in between. Some of McLemore’s bikes date back as far as the early 1900s. Find a favorite and he’ll be glad to give you the back story.
On Thursday nights, Corinthians let their hair down if you will, and enjoy some bluegrass jammin’ sessions at the courthouse square. If you pick a little or simply love music, show up and join in with Pickin’ on the Square.
Unique eats
While Corinth certainly has its share of flagship restaurants as impressive as any big city, the most unique eateries come with their own stories. Borroum’s Drug Store and Soda Fountain, for example, is Mississippi’s oldest operating drug store and soda fountain, and stands filled with artifacts and memorabilia from days gone by. The restaurant’s biggest claim to fame is the slugburger—the city’s infamous delicacy from the Depression era. Slugburgers were made from ground beef or pork and whatever “fillers” were available (soybeans, flour, etc.) to stretch the meat supply when ground beef was expensive. The burgers were fried and topped with mustard, pickles and onions and they sold for a nickel which was commonly referred to as a slug. And there’s the name—slugburger.
Abe’s Grill is the oldest diner on U.S. Highway 72 operated by the original owners and located on a Civil War Landmark (Corona College). Abe’s is “Home of the Mid-South’s Favorite Homemade Biscuit" and offers seating at a long counter on bar stools. Nothing fancy, but resonating with everyone, the diner is an eclectic mix of remembrances like a Scooby Doo lunchbox or an old car tag. Everyone leaves Abe’s with a smile on their face and a full belly.
Spend a weekend, or longer, enjoying what’s eccentric, unusual and just plain unique about Mississippi’s community of Corinth. You’ll love the people, the culture and hospitality. Honestly, what else is there? For more information on Uniquely Corinth, visit www.Corinth.net.