We come to you this week from one of the northern -most counties in the Mississippi Delta. We are in the county and the town of Tunica.

Tunica was the name of a small tribe of Indians who, at one time, occupied the southwest corner of the county. The county and later the town was named for the Tunica, which means "little people."

After a rail line was completed in 1885, the seat of county government moved for the third time, this time to the town of Tunica, which quickly became the center of commerce for the farms and plantations that tamed the land and turned it into some of the state's most productive cotton acreage. Among some of the county's famous landowners were former U.S. President James K. Polk and Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest.

As agriculture became increasingly important to the local economy, Tunica's "skyline" began evolving into the charming downtown -with its turn-of-the century storefronts that visitors and residents still enjoy today.

In our first segment we spend time with Tunica businessman Bobby Papasan. He is one of a few remaining clock and watch repairmen who still operate in small town Mississippi.

Donna Harmon has revitalized one of the buildings in downtown Tunica and turned it into, The Hotel Marie, a charming hotel that fits in nicely with the other quaint stores and shops that line the streets.

We travel down to Clarksdale and find out what's cooking at Morgan Freeman and Bill Luckett's new restaurant "Madidi".

Tunica is located on Highway 61, the nation's blues highway. In this weeks edition of Walt's Way we take a look at the commercialization of the blues and how it has permeated the delta.

(top of page)