Where in Mississippi is... Rosedale? (Small-Town Spotlight).

Roses were on everyone's mind in the office as we planned our annual gardening issue, focusing on the rose garden at the University of Southern Mississippi and compiling lists of tips for growing roses. Small towns in our state with "rose" in the title abound, so Art Director Lori Brechtel and I had our pick between Rose Hill, Rosedale, Roseacres, Rosebloom, Rosebud, and even a Rosette in Stone County. We had not been to the northwestern part of our state for one of our excursions, so we chose Rosedale, located in the very heart of the Mississippi Delta, between Cleveland and Greenwood. We journeyed there one cold, windy Spring day, traveling up Interstate 55 until we reached the Grenada exit. Then we headed west on Highway 8, arriving in Rosedale after miles of flat, delta land stretched tightly in every direction finally concluded at this town near the state's western border.

On one end of Main Street, upon entering the town, we noticed several different school campuses, buzzing with the activity of children anticipating summer. Continuing through town, we came to some lovely old homes with a broad range of architecture. Although it wasn't time for roses to be in bloom, azaleas, dogwoods, and redbud trees were showing their magnificent colors all along the main part of town, around pretty little churches and throughout the residential area. One especially interesting Presbyterian church was a simple brick structure with a round tower in the front and arched stained glass windows that glowed with every color when the sun hit them.

Another historic attraction in downtown Rosedale is the Bolivar County Courthouse. Bolivar is one of only ten Mississippi counties to have two county seats; Rosedale and Cleveland share this title here. The county's first brick courthouse was located in Prentiss but was destroyed during the War Between the States in 1862. The second brick courthouse stood in Rosedale where the newer courthouse now stands, and it existed from 1889 until 1923, when the foundation gave way to flood seep water, and it had to be torn down and a new courthouse built in its place.

After our journey through downtown Rosedale, Lori and I headed to Great River Road State Park, located in the westernmost part of this small Delta town, on the edge of the Mississippi River. The park is situated inside the levee and boasts camping facilities, an 18 hole disc golf course, fishing on Perry Martin Lake, a nature trail, and a visitor's center, complete with banquet room and catering capabilities. The focal point of the park's layout is a 75-foot observation tower with a wonderful view of the Mighty Mississippi and a pavilion underneath with picnic tables, benches, and a huge grill. Upcoming events at the park include a Disc Golf Tournament on June 15 and a July 4 celebration. Lori's and my brief visit to this state park reminded us just how much there is to do in our home state. In this small town on the banks of the Mississippi River sits a beautiful natural center for recreation, extremely well maintained and filled with outdoor activities. For information about either of the upcoming events or about the park, call 601/759-6762.

One claim to fame of the town of Rosedale is that it has blues connections, as most Delta towns do. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters both sang about Rosedale in the song "Traveling Riverside Blues." Rosedale also hosts the Annual Spirit of the Blues Festival every spring. This year's event will take place on May 4, beginning with Bill Abel and Cadillac John at 5 p.m. Other performers throughout the evening include Mississippi Nou-Nou, The Deep Cuts Blues Band, John Horton, and Mississippi Slim. For more information, contact the Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce at 800/295-7473 or 662/843-2712.