Coahoma County: Blues, Literature and Moon Lake

Coahoma County combines blues and literary history with experiences on the water. In Clarksdale, music and culture take center stage; Moon Lake and the places along the Mississippi offer a different focus. If you’re looking for a place to stay, you can plan your trip around the experiences that interest you most.

Blues History and Literature

The Delta Blues Museum was founded in 1979 and reorganized as an independent museum in 1999. It is housed in a historic freight depot built by the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad in 1918. The museum invites visitors to explore the history and legacy of the blues and is considered Mississippi’s oldest music museum. Fifteen Mississippi Blues Trail markers are recorded in Clarksdale and Coahoma County; the number may change.

Tennessee Williams’ childhood is also connected to Clarksdale: he spent part of his childhood there while his grandfather served as rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church from 1917 to 1931. The Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum is housed in the church’s former rectory. The Tennessee Williams Festival takes place every year over a weekend in October and includes literary events, Porch Plays, and live theater. Check the exact dates before traveling to a festival.

The Friars Point Historic District and the story of civil rights activist Aaron Henry offer additional historical perspectives. The historic district consists of 49 buildings and one structure and lies mostly along Second Street. Henry was a pharmacist in Clarksdale and an important early grassroots activist in the civil rights movement. As the local NAACP president, he led the boycott campaign in Clarksdale in the early 1960s. The Carnegie Public Library Archeology Collection includes pottery from Mississippi, artifacts, and archaeological research materials.

Music and Events

Clarksdale has live music seven nights a week; check individual venues’ schedules if a particular night is important to your plans. The annual Juke Joint Festival combines a blues music festival with a small-town fair. The annual Pinetop Boogie & Crawfish Boil is also part of the event calendar and takes place at the Ground Zero Blues Club. Together with the Tennessee Williams Festival, these events offer a range of occasions that may factor into your choice of travel dates.

Guided outings offer another way to experience the region. Delta Bohemian runs personalized Jeep tours focused on the history, blues, and backroads of the Mississippi Delta, Coahoma County, and Clarksdale. The Quapaw Canoe Company offers custom-guided adventures on the Lower Mississippi from Clarksdale; remote wilderness areas are reached by canoe or kayak. Check tour availability before your trip.

Moon Lake, the Mississippi, and Outdoor Activities

There are public access points for boating and fishing at Moon Lake; the lake is also designated as a bird-watching location. Moon Lake Park has a public boat ramp, a fish-cleaning station, a covered picnic shelter, and public restrooms. Moon Lake Overlook has free parking and a path to a pier at the overlook. The park, lake access points, and overlook each offer a different option for a day on the water.

Clarksdale also has outdoor recreation options: Soldiers Field Disc Golf Course runs along the banks of the Sunflower River. The route has a walking path, picnic tables, and a children’s playground. The playground is a specific detail for families; the Hugh Jack Stubbs Recreational Trail is geared toward exercise and enjoying nature. There is also an overlook on the Mississippi River north of Friars Point.

Getting There and Choosing a Place to Stay

For travel to Clarksdale, Memphis International Airport is about 68 miles away. The drive takes a little over an hour; traffic can affect travel time. This estimate applies to Clarksdale.

When looking for a vacation rental or vacation home in Coahoma County, your travel priorities are a useful first filter: Clarksdale offers connections to blues, literature, and music; at Moon Lake, boating, fishing, and bird-watching take center stage. If a festival or guided tour is central to your stay, take event dates or availability into account when planning.

Explore the places Clarksdale and Coahoma.

Discover more destinations: Desoto, Tunica, Lauderdale, Jones, Smith County, Quitman County.

Go to the main travel overview: Mississippi.