Leucistic Peacock

This peacock was seen at the Jackson, MS Zoo. Since it was all white in color, I figured it was an albino. However a true albino peacock would have a pink colored eye and be quite rare. It is more common to be Leucistic which means it is mostly white but not all white.

Old Mississippi State Capitol - Jackson, MS

The Old Mississippi State Capitol, also known as Old Capitol Museum, is a building that is a Mississippi State Historic Site and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990.

It is located at 100 N. State St, on the east side of State Street at Capitol Street, in Jackson. It is operated as a museum by the state of Mississippi. The building dates from 1837, and was the Mississippi statehouse until 1903. Among the features is a rotunda dome 94 feet high.

Mississippi State Capitol

The Mississippi State Capitol is located in Jackson and has been the home of Mississippi's state legislature since 1903. It is the third capitol building in Jackson. It was created by Theodore Link, an architect from St. Louis, Missouri. The building cost $1,095,681, which was paid by the Illinois Central Railroad in the form of back taxes they owed to the state. The building, which is in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, was designed to house all branches of the Mississippi state government. In 1979, it had a complete renovation, which cost $19 million. The renovation attempted to maintain the original design whenever practical. It was completed in 1983.



The Hall of Governors is located on the first floor. Portraits of Mississippi's governors since the creation of the Mississippi Territory in 1798 are on display. The State Library and the Supreme Court chamber, now both committee meeting rooms, are located on the second floor. The Legislature is housed on the third floor, along with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House's offices. Public viewing balconies for both chambers are located on the fourth floor.



a statue erected in memory of the ladies, mothers, sisters, wives and daughters of the Confederate soldiers is located on the capitol grounds and is seen in the foreground in the first photo.

Biloxi Lighthouse

The Biloxi Light is a Mississippi Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. They say it's the most photographed thing in all of Mississippi and also appears on their License Plate. It's weird to see a lighthouse in the middle of a busy highway (US90), but of course the highway was built well after the lighthouse. Over the years it has withstood many hurricanes, including Katrina in 2005 and is a symbol of the city's resolve and resilience.

The cast-iron lighthouse was completed in 1848. For many years it was operated by civilians, most notably Maria Younghans for 53 years. From 1939 to 1968 it was operated by the U.S. Coast Guard until they ceased its operation and deeded it to the city. Today, the lighthouse is open as a tourist attraction, as long as you don't mind climbing all those steps to the top. Tours are only offered in the morning as it would be way too hot later in the day.

Want to see a documentary? www.biloxi.ms.us/visitor-info/museums/lighthouse/lighthou...

Simpson Co. Courthouse - Mendenhall, MS

A few summers ago, my wife and I took an abbreviated weekend trip to the Biloxi, MS area to attend a wedding. We had one day to drive there from Tennessee, the day of, and a final day to drive back. On that drive back home day, we left our hotel in Pascagoula, drove north to Jackson to spend some time at the zoo, and then another five hours home - all before going to work the next day. We weren't planning on making any side excursions on that day. However, when I saw the sign along US49 for the "Home of Mississippi's Most Beautiful Courthouse" I knew I had to stop. The 1908 courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Prarie Dogs

Seen at the Jackson, MS Zoo.

Red Hot Truck Stop sign - Meridian, MS

The Truck Stop went out of business several years ago, and the building was torn down, but the old sign was left standing. Not only is the sign held up by a lot of rusty scaffolding but a small portion of the brick wall remains. It is seen from Interstate 20/59 between exits 153 and 154.

Someone made a tribute website to Red Hot. See it here:
redhottruckstop.tripod.com/index.htm

Lion-tailed Macaque

The hair of the lion-tailed macaque is black. Its outstanding characteristic is the silver-white mane which surrounds the head from the cheeks down to its chin, which gives this monkey its German name Bartaffe - "beard ape". The hairless face is black in color.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion-tailed_macaque

This one is seen at the Jackson, MS Zoo.

Mississippi Governor's Mansion

The Mississippi Governor's Mansion is a historic residence in Jackson, MS, located at 300 East Capitol Street. Since it's first use in 1842, It is the second oldest executive residence in the U.S. that has been continuously occupied as a gubernatorial residence (only Virginia's Executive Mansion is older). In 1969, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Then, It was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior in 1975, an honor previously bestowed on only one other state gubernatorial residence. The mansion was also declared a Mississippi Landmark in 1985.

William Nichols designed the Mansion in the period’s most popular architectural style – Greek Revival. Architectural historians consider the mansion to be one of the finest surviving examples of the Greek Revival style in the U.S. In 1840, here is how Nichols described his plans to the state legislature:

"The building will be seventy-two by fifty-three feet. The ground or basement story is eight feet high and is divided into servants’ room, store rooms, and cellar. On the principal floor the main entrance is from a portico twenty-eight by twelve feet, into an octagon vestibule, which communicates with a drawing room fifty by twenty-four feet, with a dining room which by means of folding doors may be made of the same size, and with the great staircase leading to the upper floor; … the upper floor will contain four spacious chambers, a wardrobe and a private staircase, communicating with the basement story. The portico on the principal front will be supported by columns of the Corinthian order. In finishing the building, it is intended to avoid a profusion of ornament, and to adhere to a plain simplicity, as best comporting with the dignity of the state."

After about seven decades of use, it started to fall into disrepair that in 1908 newly elected Governor Edmund Noel refused to move in. The legislature approved funding for renovations and many internal changes were made. About another seven decades passed and the story repeated itself in 1971 and Governor John Bell Williams had to move out for a second major renovation. Mark your calendars for 2035 when it might be due to happen again. For a more complete history: mdah.state.ms.us/museum/mhistory.html

Lutino Rosy-faced Lovebird

The Rosy-faced Lovebird is also known as the Peach-faced Lovebird. This species has multiple color variations. The standard color outside of the peach-face is green. When they are mostly yellow like this one, they are called Lutino. This one was in a walk-in aviary at the Jackson, MS Zoo.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosy-faced_Lovebird

Mt. Olive, Home of Steve McNair

The NFL preseason is heating up!

I'm not sure how many Tennessee Titans fans there are that drive past this sign, but there was at least one on the day I went by a couple of months ago. The sign is on US49 and Mt. Olive is a city in Covington County, MS between Jackson and Hattiesburg.