Rodney Mississippi .............Riverport to Ghost Town

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
12,686
338
Ozarks
Rodney thrived as a river port rivaling Natchez and Vicksburg. As well as a business hub, Rodney was also a cultural center on the Mississippi frontier. Among the businesses fronting on Commerce and Magnolia Streets were banks, wagon makers, tinsmiths, barbers, doctors, dentists, general mercantile stores, hotels, saloons, and pastry shops. For cultural activity there were artists, theatre, lecture hall, schools, debating society, churches, jockey club and thespian groups.

The first Rodney newspaper The Southern Telegraph was printed every Tuesday starting in 1834. Over the years the name changes included the Rodney Standard and the Rodney Telegraph. This four page weekly also changed editors frequently, but the two principal editors were Thomas Palmer and Thomas Brown. Thomas Palmer strongly opposed duels and whiskey and quite often editorialized on these topics. Thomas Brown, on the other hand, was an unyielding Whig and strongly promoted the Whig political position through his role as editor. However, throughout all the changes in names and editors the newspaper kept the same headlining motto: "He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot, is a fool; and he that dares not, is a slave."

Some of the Rodney churches are still standing and in use. The Rodney Presbyterian Church is a fine brick edifice which was dedicated on 1 Jan 1832. The Rodney Baptist Church continues to be in use today. The Catholic Church that was built in Rodney was moved to Grand Gulf where worshippers attend today.

What caused Rodney the thriving boomtown of the 1830's to become a struggling ghost town in the 1840's? The first factor was that the mighty Mississippi River changed its course and left Rodney "high and dry." Rodney could have survived if the railroad had put a line through this city, but the railroad never came. This has left us with Rodney, the colorful Mississippi River port which became a much talked about "ghost town."

During the Civil War, the town was involved in a skirmish that the US gunboat, Rattler, found it hard to live down. The Rattler was protecting the MS River after the Battle of Vicksburg and, docked at Rodney, the crew had orders that no one was to go ashore. But some of the men found it difficult to resist the charms of the young ladies passing by on their way to church one Sunday morning and joined the congregation for service. At which point, CSA Cavalry Lt. Allen, announced that the sailors were surrounded and should consider themselves captured. Gunfire ensued, with frightened parishioners diving under the pews and one Yankee sailor seeking refuge in the skirts of his southern girlfriend. The ruckus caused the remaining Rattler crew to start firing into the church. When the dust cleared, the Rebels had taken 17 prisoners, including the captain and a lieutenant. The poor Rattler became quite a laughingstock, the first time in history that a small squad of cavalry had ever captured the crew of an ironclad gunboat.

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Tupelo_Rebel

Tenderfoot
Mar 7, 2007
8
2
Tupelo, MS
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75
I got to visit Rodney, MS last week. Here are some pictures that I took.
 

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HalfSpeed

Full Member
Feb 10, 2008
245
0
Enid, Mississippi
Detector(s) used
White's Eagle II, Ace 250's (2), Cobra Beach Magnet
Great post Gypsy Heart! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Mississippi is such a beautiful state with a very rich history. I love how time just bypasses some of the old small towns here. Wouldn't you just love to have permission to MD some of those old sites you have on video! Thank you for the local history lesson. Well done!
 

zaxfire69

Bronze Member
Jun 26, 2008
1,611
404
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75 / Fisher F44
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I live in Natchez, Ms...I have been wanting to drive over to Rodney and Do some metal Detecting. I want to go to the old Rodney Road and do some digging. I have a friend who lives in Port Gibson, Ms which is right up the road from Rodney. He has an Ace 250 like myself. I don't think it would be to hard to detect some old sites. Heck I would walk up to the nearest house and just ask. Also out in the middle of no where in the woods I don't think it would be a big issue. I am wanting to relic hunt. I want some more Civil war artifacts to put in my collection to make a nice display to hang on my wall. I have dug a good bit just from a 50' X 100' lot next to the fire station I work at in Natchez. If anyone lives close to Natchez or Rodney, ms look me up.
 

stjaw01

Tenderfoot
Mar 13, 2015
8
0
Hattiuesburg, Mississippi
Detector(s) used
Teknetics omega 8000
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi, I would love to meet fellow metal detectors and go to Rodney, MS metal detecting ,I am free this Friday and Sat. If anyone is interested let me know. I know it is hot and we will have to watch for snakes so keep that in mind when deciding.
 

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