Tallahatchie Flats: An Unforgettable Experience

I received complimentary lodging at Tallahatchie Flats in exchange for my fair and honest review; all opinions are my own.

Traveling is an adventure. I genuinely believe that our stay at Tallahatchie Flats is one of the most unique traveling opportunities we have ever experienced. Sean and I are believers that the best education is through exposure. There is no better exposure of the agricultural-based south of yesteryear than a vacation to historic Greenwood, Mississippi, and an opportunity to call the Tallahatchie Flats our home for a few days.

Tallahatchie Flats

Founded in 2005 by Steve Lavere and Billy Whittington, the flats were inspired to preserve delta history. Whittington’s wife, Aubrey, is responsible for saving the houses from ruin. The shacks now call 7,000 acres their home.

The flats comprise six unique tenant houses from the 1940s Mississippi Delta region. Each shack has its own story to tell its visitors. A great aspect of the flats is that they are authentic. From the pictures hanging on the walls to the porch light that welcomes you home, these houses give an inkling of what life would have been like for the sharecroppers of the delta.

I will never know what daily life on the delta was like in Mississippi. There is no doubt that times were hard, and life was rough. From the oppression of Jim Crow to the mercy of the weather and the crops, the men and women who once inhabited these tenant houses had a strong and hard-working spirit that I am sure we can’t even fathom in modern-day America. It was an honor to be guests in their homes, if only for a while.

The Commissary

The owners of the flats had this commissary moved in from a plantation in Slaughter, Mississippi. Plantation commissaries were popular during the era of the sharecropper. Commissaries were businesses located on the plantation grounds, where owners sold sharecroppers the supplies needed for their livelihood. Unfortunately, the sharecroppers were often forced to pay exorbitant fees or purchase their equipment and supplies on credit. This practice kept the sharecropper indebted and beholden to the plantation owner.

Today, the commissary is used as an event tavern for weddings, reunions, and other gatherings. You can rent the tavern with or without lodging reservations.

Red House Shack

The shack is named for the famous tune, Red House, by Jimi Hendrix.

It was saved from ruin by Aubrey Whittington when it was purchased from a plantation in Holcomb, Mississippi.

Nellie’s Shack

Love preserved Ms. Nellie’s shack. It was donated to the flats by Ms. Emily Donnell, owner of the Lakeview Plantation in Swiftown, Mississippi.

When Emily was a child, she spent a great piece of her childhood at Ms. Nellie’s house on the plantation. Emily’s donation preserved her memory of Ms. Nellie, and the place was named in Nellie’s honor.

Ashland Shack

This shack was found at the Ashland Plantation in Schlater, Mississippi. It was acquired from the Brown Family.

Ashland was once one of the largest plantations in Mississippi.

Palo Alto Shack

Donated by James and Ruthie Townes, this house was originally from the Palo Alto Plantation in Minter City, Mississippi.

Ms. Aubrey’s Shack

Ms. Aubrey’s shack is the personal tenant house where Sean, Jackson, Lucy, and I stayed. I loved the high ceilings and the rustic feel.

This shack was originally located on Billy Whittington’s farm on Money Road in Greenwood. Billy’s grandfather, William Madison Whittington, Sr., was a Mississippi congressman with the 69th Congress of the United States in 1925. His wife Aubrey insisted on the shack’s preservation. The house was named after Ms. Aubrey.

Tush Hog’s Shack

A great deal of mystery surrounds this shack, as it is possibly the home where blues musician Robert Johnson died. When Johnson was poisoned, he was taken to Tush Hog’s place on the Star of the West Plantation. This shack was originally located on the Star of the West and is appropriately named Tush Hog.

Just a tip… the ladders on the river are for entering and exiting boats. Although you will be hard-pressed to find alligators climbing steep river banks, they do swim in the river… I wouldn’t recommend swimming with them.

If you are ever interested in visiting Tallahatchie Flats, the porch light will be shining like a beacon in the darkness of night, ready to welcome you home.

To read more about vacationing in historic Greenwood, click HERE. For more information on family attractions in the area, click HERE.

Are you interested in visiting Tallahatchie Flats? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!

Tallahatchie Flats– 58458 County Road 518, Greenwood, Mississippi 38930