In this column: Highway 49, Mississippi, Gulfport, Tutwiler, Greenwood North Jackson, Big Joe Williams, Clarksdale, Crossroads, Howling Wolf, Old Highway 49, Saucier, Perkinston
US Route 49 is historically one of the main highways in Mississippi. It was the first highway in Mississippi with 4 lanes and connects the capital Jackson to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Via Highway 49 Gulf Coast residents are evacuated when there is a big hurricane.
US 49 starts near the port of Gulfport, Mississippi at an intersection with US Route 90.
At Tutwiler the road splits into a eastern and western route. Both run into the Mississippi Delta. Through US 49W onto to the cities Belzoni and Indianola. Through the 49E to Tchula and Greenwood.
In Clarksdale 49 crosses Route 61. Known from "The Crossroads", the legendary crossroads with State Street (an old rack of the US 61), where the blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil for name and fame. Also Howlin' Wolf and Big Joe Williams sang about Route 49.
Well I'm gonna get up in the morning
Hit the Highway 49.....
I got the blues this morning
Rollin into Jackson town....
From Clarksdale the road runs further to the north and crosses the river Mississippi to get into Arkansas near the city Helena. From Arkansas 49 runs towards Kentucky.
Howlin' Wolf performs "Highway 49" at the Washington D.C. Blues Festival, November 1970. Band: Sunnyland Slim (piano), Hubert Sumlin (guitar), Randy Joe Fullerton (bass) and S.P. Leary (drums).