Historical Marker

Corner of 10 and 61

Marker provided by: Mississippi Blues Commission.

Street corners were an important venue for blues artists in the Delta, particularly on Saturdayafternoons when people from the country came to town to shop. Highways 61 and 10 met at thiscorner, making it a bustling center of commerce. Musicians played requests in exchange for tips,and street vendors sold hot tamales and fried fish to the gathered crowds. In the early 1900sLeland earned the nickname “the hellhole of the Delta” because of its many drinking and gambling establishments, which often featured blues. Even after Leland “cleaned up” it remained a hotbed for the blues, and this corner featured musicians regularly until the 1960s.

Early Delta blues performers who played here include master guitarist Eugene Powell (1908-1998), who recorded for Bluebird Records in 1936 under the name “Sonny Boy Nelson,” and guitarist Charlie Booker (1919-1989), a native of Sunflower County who lived in Leland during WWII. Late in his career, Nelson was an early influence on younger artists such as Keb’ Mo’.

In January 1952, Booker recorded four songs for Los Angeles-based Modern Records at a sessionin Greenville that featured harmonica player Houston Boines, drummer “Cleanhead” Love, and pianist Ike Turner, who was also serving as producer. One of the songs was “No Ridin’ Blues,” released on Modern subsidiary label Blues & Rhythm, a dark-themed song that suggested the influence of Charley Patton and referred to historic fires in Greenville and Leland. Booker’s record took on new meaning when, a month following its release, an entire block of Leland burned down. The song brought regional fame to Booker, who relocated to South Bend, Indiana, the following year.

A major source of income for blues artists in the first half of the 20th century was tips. This corner, formerly the intersection of highways 10 and 61, was a profitable spot, particularly on Saturdays when people from the country came to town. Passengers on the “Planter,” a train that ran daily from New Orleans to Memphis, also stopped here to eat dinner and be entertained by Delta musicians.

Today Highway 61 is widely known as the “blues highway,” but early on Highway 10 was of equal importance to itinerant musicians. It crossed Greenville’s blues center and loosely followed the Southern Railway line through Leland, Dunleith, Holly Ridge, Indianola, Moorhead, Berclair, Itta Bena, Greenwood and on to points east. Highway10’s importance declined somewhat with the completion of the considerably straighter Highway 82 in 1936

The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it’s just down the Mississippi Blues Trail.

The Mississippi Blues Trail is an ongoing project of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Funding for this project has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, AT&T, and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University plus additional support from the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division.

For more information visit msbluestrail.org.

Blues Trail
Mississippi was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caused extensive damage to the state's Gulf Coast region and led to the displacement of thousands of residents.
Mississippi random facts
Washington County, located in the western part of Mississippi, has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1827. The area was originally occupied by the Native American Choctaw tribe, who were forced to cede their land through several treaties with the United States government in the early 19th century.

In the 1820s, significant numbers of white settlers began to arrive in the region, establishing plantations and cultivating cotton as the primary cash crop. The county's fertile soil and proximity to the Mississippi River made it ideal for large-scale agriculture, leading to the rise of a plantation-based economy that relied heavily on enslaved African American labor.

During the Civil War, Washington County played a significant role as a strategic location along the Mississippi River. The city of Greenville, the county seat, served as a Confederate supply depot and became a target for Union forces. The Battle of Greenville in 1864 resulted in the Union's control over the city, leading to the end of slavery and the decline of the plantation system.

In the years following the Civil War, Washington County experienced economic and social changes. Reconstruction brought increased political participation for African Americans, and many former slaves became landowners and entrepreneurs. However, the county also faced challenges including racial tensions, economic instability, and the impact of natural disasters such as the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.

Today, Washington County continues to be an important agricultural region, with cotton, soybeans, and rice being major crops. The county also has a diverse cultural heritage, with a rich African American history and contributions to the blues music scene. While the challenges of the past still have an impact, Washington County remains a vital part of Mississippi's history and economy.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Washington County, Mississippi.

  • 1800: Washington County, Mississippi, was established.
  • 1827: Greenville, the county seat, was incorporated.
  • 1837: The Mississippi River flood devastated the county, causing significant damage.
  • 1844: The first county courthouse was built in Greenville.
  • 1871: Major flooding occurred along the Mississippi River, causing a significant loss of property and life.
  • 1892: The Mississippi Levee District was established to protect the county from flooding.
  • 1927: Another devastating flood occurred along the Mississippi River, causing widespread damage.
  • 1942: The United States Army Airfield, now known as the Mid-Delta Regional Airport, was constructed near Leland.
  • 1940s-1950s: The county experienced a decline in agricultural production due to mechanization and a decrease in labor demand.
  • 1960s: The Civil Rights Movement had a significant impact on Washington County, with several key events occurring in Greenville.
  • 1998: The Washington County Convention Center was opened in Greenville.
  • 2005: Hurricane Katrina caused some damage in Washington County, although it was not as severely affected as other coastal areas.