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VISITOR’S GUIDE 2026
Come play with us! Whether you want to spend a lovely afternoon soaking in the sunshine at the play area near the Tanglefoot Trailhead in Pontotoc or find your favorite fishing hole to enjoy the water, we have a place for you. Pontotoc also boasts places you can enjoy shopping, eating and enjoying chasing your history at the museum or the library. Each community has a unique atmosphere that draws you in to the quaintness and the friendliness of our residents. So come stay awhile and look for all those exciting things you can do in this little book!
Welcome to Pontotoc County
We hope you enjoy your stay in our place we proudly call home. Our hospitality shines when folks come to see us. Each of our towns offers its own brand of warmth and charm. From great places to eat to quaint, unique shops, there is truly something for everyone. We invite you to explore our hills and hollows and discover the treasures waiting here. A visit to Historic Downtown Pontotoc is a must. Our antique shops, the Town Square Post Office, and the Museum will make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. If you love to shop, you’ll have plenty of choices — from boutiques and gift shops to formalwear and jewelry repair — all within walking distance. Our flowerpots bloom in season, and Court Square proudly displays our nation’s flags during patriotic holidays.
Cyclists from near and far are drawn to the Tanglefoot Trail, a premier biking trail built along a former railroad track. You can begin your ride at the First Choice Bank Trailhead Gateway in Downtown Pontotoc. Enjoy 21 scenic miles locally, or explore the full 44-mile stretch running north to New Albany and south to Houston. Not a cyclist? You’ll see walkers and even golf carts enjoying the trail as well.
If you enjoy fresh homegrown tomatoes, farm-fresh eggs, handmade crafts, and canned jellies, be sure to visit our Farmers Market located downtown. The market has evolved into almost a year around market on Saturdays, taking a break from mid December through January, with
some unofficial soft openings during January when weather permits. It has also expanded into Ecru with brisk sales from June until August.
Food is always high on the list, and Pontotoc County offers delicious choices in every direction. Our downtown features several locally owned restaurants, and along Highway 15 you’ll find both local favorites and popular franchises. If you enjoy dining outdoors, visit the Tanglefoot Food Truck Park near the Tanglefoot Trail at the First Choice Gateway. Throughout the county, you’ll find everything from catfish to classic plate lunches.
For those who love the outdoors, camping and fishing at Natchez Trace Lake offers beautiful scenery and peaceful views. You should also visit Howard Stafford Park, where you can camp, fish, and cool off at the splash pad.
Take a drive through the southern part of the county and experience a slower pace of life when you visit the Amish community. Along the way, you’ll see signs at the ends of driveways advertising homemade goods and seasonal produce. During the summer months, fresh vegetables abound.
Downtown Ecru is a quiet, quaint town filled with shopping, food, and fun. Be sure to stop by the Town of Algoma, where travelers along the Tanglefoot Trail often visit the Country Store and Seafood Junction. The rolling hills of Thaxton provide beautiful views and a strong sense of community with events held throughout the year. And while you’re exploring, plan a visit to Toccopola and enjoy a meal at Toccopola Grocery.
We hope you enjoy your time here and make memories that bring you back again and again.
Thanks for visiting!
Beth Grisham Director, Pontotoc County Chamber of Commerce/Main Street Association
VISITOR’S GUIDE 2026
Welcome to Pontotoc Pages 4-14
Board of Supervisors...........7 City of Pontotoc...................8 Town of Ecru.......................9
Places to Visit Pages 15-30
Places to Stay Pages 31-38
Places to Shop Pages 3; 39-58
Sherman Travel Center.........3
Pontotoc Shell Express......40
Bella Casa Furniture..........41 The Happy Hanger.............42
Places to Eat Pages 59-74
Deja Brew Cafe.................60
Blacksmith Barbecue........61
Antojitos Sophie................65 Montgomery’s on Main.....66
Montgomery’s on Oxford..67 The Clubhouse at Treetop..68
Places for Help Pages 2; 75-96
Pontotoc Progress
You’ll love the time
you spend with us
We always welcome new friends to come to our little towns in the hills and hollows and set a spell. The folks in Pontotoc know how to put out the welcome mat with plenty of spaces for you to enjoy an afternoon in the sun or huddle up under a pavilion and listen to the rain and wait to see the beautiful colored bow arc across the sky. We invite you to enjoy the quieter side of life and watch the butterflies flit over pretty flowers while the birds sing a lullaby in the trees even on snowy days. You will love the time you spend with us.
Enjoy Our Trail Slow down and
Our Tanglefoot Trail offers you the relaxing walk you want or a good course to keep fit. The trail is for the serious rider or the leisure walker or just for the grandmothers who want to enjoy a sunny afternoon with their grandchildren on the golf cart. Whether you are at Algoma, Ecru or the City of Pontotoc you get a birdseye view of the 24 miles of the Tanglefoot Trail that is located in Pontotoc County. If you ride the trail throughout the county you are treated to the sounds of children playing baseball at the local park or the birds twittering the trees, soft babbling creeks and the leaves quietly falling in the autumn months. Each mile is marked off for you so you can know how far you have walked or ridden. It is patrolled every day by sheriff’s department officials who are there to keep you safe. The trail is a total of 45 miles long stretching from New Albany in Union County to Houston in Chickasaw County. Pontotoc County has a main gateway in the city, and two whistle stops, one in Ecru and one in Algoma. At the First Choice Gateway, you can even walk in the security of well lighted path after dark, crossing the footbridge that remains lighted all night. It also features a mural of our history. And if you want to gather with friends there is a lighted pavilion there as well. Enjoy the adventure and relaxation you can find on the Tanglefoot.
offers freshest food for your table
What could be more luscious than biting into a peach that was picked just yesterday? Or picking up a bag of purple hull peas to shell that was picked that morning? This is what Pontotoc Farmer’s Market offers the folks of Pontotoc County. The market has also expanded into Ecru, with people enjoying shopping for fresh produce once a week from local farmers. Now you not only get good vegetables to eat, but also neat plants to grow in your landscape or your home. And there are also chickens to raise, fresh beef to eat… just go check it all out. Whenever the vendors pull in and show up, folks in the community gather and enjoy the day chatting and shopping in the open air market that provides an atmosphere of smiles and joy that second to none in the state.
Travel To Other Worlds At The
Pontotoc County Library
Our library isn’t just about books, it is also about putting your hands on everything from animals to art that celebrates our love for reading. Our library is second to none in delivering to the public not only resources such as magazines, journals and newspaper, they also have online resources that are available from the comfort of your home including Library edition Ancestry. So if the rain drives you inside during your stay with us, make sure you check out the Library on Main Street and in Sherman. They have the book for you. And if the library doesn’t have the book you want, you can always ask for it within the Dixie Regional system. So bring your children and enjoy the day exploring worlds away in our library.
Learn The Old Ways Of Life At
The Amish
Young and old visitors alike enjoy watching the horses and buggies make their way down the road as the clip clop of the hooves resound in the air. If you want to watch folks enjoy life as it was at the turn of the century, take a ride down on Hwy. 9 South and visit the thriving Amish community where you can see the arts of saddle making, plowing with mules and in the summer buy fresh vegetables.
Play On Our Greens At The
Golf Course
One of the best opportunities in Pontotoc is the ability to spend the afternoon relaxing with your golf clubs. If you enjoy hitting off the links, Pontotoc has a full 18 hole golf course on Highway 6 East. Set in the picturesque green hills as you wind through the course you may also catch sight of fish jumping and eagles flying because one of the coves of Trace Lake come up to the recreation spot.
Spend a peaceful moment at
The Cross of Pontotoc
One of the most sacred spots in the county that has been dedicated as a quiet space for people to go and sit and pray and worship is at the Cross of Pontotoc. The giant 120 foot cross is a shining testament to what Jesus did for all mankind. Located at the corner of Highway 278 and 336, it is lit up at night and can be seen on the highway when people travel from here to Oxford. So if you need to spend a quiet moment alone, stop off at the Cross of Pontotoc. The driveway has to be accessed on Highway 336.
Learn All About Rural Electrification At The
PEPA Museum
If you wonder how rural electrification of Pontotoc has progressed since 1935 when the first pole was energized, you will want to go to the Pontotoc Electric Power Association museum and check out the hands on displays that are there for you to enjoy. This is viewed by appointment only so make sure you call PEPA at 489-3511 to set up your time.
Chase Your History At The
Town Square Museum
If you long to walk where our forefathers have walked, just stop by the Town Square Post Office Museum. You will find a hands on museum that will take you down the Chickasaw Trail and remind you of what life was like in the early days when farming was king. From there you can travel to all kinds of historic sites that remind you that our history is important to us. That may even set you to chasing your own ancestors trail as you search out the many cemeteries that mark in stone those who have gone on before. So whether you are looking for your history or our history, you will find it in Pontotoc’s Historical working post office. The museum is open five days a week. If you wish a private group tour please call the museum at 662-488-0388.
Pontotoc Lake at
Howard Stafford Park
There’s nothing like a hidden cove with the wind ruffling your hair as you enjoy the water to relax you and unwind your day. If you need a moment to wet your hook or just sit on the dock and admire the sunshine this is the place for you. The climate of Pontotoc is just right for being outdoors whenever you like. All these are the welcome mat you will find at Pontotoc Lake’s Howard Stafford Park. The park is utilized by fishermen, campers and parents who just want to get out and enjoy nature for awhile. From cooling off in the splash pad in the hot summer to finding the right bream bed in the fall, Howard Stafford Park offers a relaxing enjoying time for all. The park is located on Lake Drive off of Highway 9 South in the city limits.
If you want to get off the beaten path for sure, drive out to Trace State Park located off of Highway 6 East on Faulkner Road. You can stay in the woods with all the amenities of home by renting a modern cabin, or you can camp out in your own RV or tent. The expansive lake offers hours of boating, skiing and tubing fun as well as the chance to find just the right bass on your hook. In the woods you can catch a glimpse of the wildlife or watch the eagles soar overhead.
Trace State Park Other Parks
And if you just want a place for your kids to get out and play near you, the communities of Algoma, Ecru, Sherman, Thaxton and Toccopola have playgrounds for your children to swing to their heart’s content while you sit and enjoy the day.
Our
Pontotoc Historic Tour
Battle of Tupelo
(See monument at Harrisburg) Date: July, 1864. Confederate losses: 153 killed, 794 wounded, 49 missing; Union losses: 77 killed, 559 wounded, 38 missing. Commanding Union Army: Gen. A. L. Smith. Confederates: Lt. Gen. S.D. Lee and Mal. Gen. N. B. Forrest. In 1864, this site was part of Pontotoc County.
The Natchez Trace Marker
The Natchez Trace Marker on Hwy. 6 at Furrs, erected by DAR in 1932 on the original Natchez Trace with the following inscription: “Along this trail once ebbed and flowed a restless tide of humanity, heroes and pioneers, who blazed the way for civilization. Near this spot are sites of the Battle of Ackia, Desoto’s Battle and the signing of the Treaty of Pontotoc Creek in 1832.”
Bullen’s School
Bullen’s School was the first school in this part of America and was begun in 1799 by the son of Rev. Joseph Bullen probably on the site of the Black Zion Cemetery. The Bullens resided at the home of James Gunn, site of the A. M. Ray home. The name Pontetok was first used in the report of the school’s establishment to educate the Chickasaws.
DeSoto’s Camp and Redland
Local tradition places DeSoto’s Winter Camp to the north on the Old Natchez Trace Route. The early town of Redland, which thrived from 1840-1880, extended from the present cemetery south.
Monroe Mission School
Monroe Mission School was the first religious building erected in North Mississippi. Monroe Mission was established by the Rev. Thomas C. Stuart in 1821. Stuart was commissioned by the South Carolina Presbytery as a missionary to the Chickasaw Indians.
The Stephens House
This two-story pioneer home is on the west side of old Cherry Creek Road and was built in the early 1840’s. It was the first meeting place of the Cherry Creek Baptist Church, which was organized there in 1844.
Allen’s Tavern
Old Pontotoc was located about five miles southeast of the present town of Pontotoc. Allen’s Tavern was the “town hall” of the Chickasaw villages. It was located on the Natchez Trace on Tubbee’s Ridge, in Sec. 23, T10, R3. James Allen, the proprietor and attorney from Nashville, had married the daughter of his friend, Maj. Gen. William Colbert. Historians tell us that Gen. Andrew. Jackson, more than once, stopped for a visit and to spend the night with the Allens.
Campground Methodist Church
Campground Methodist Church is west of Hwy. 41 and the Archives and History marker is at the intersection of the Campground Road. It was started in an Indian hut in 1836 and was on the Natchez Trace.
Tockshish or Mclntoshville
Near where Toxish Church now stands, was established by John McIntosh, a British agent, before 1770. Mclntoshville was Mississippi’s second post office and was established in 1801 as a relay station between Nashville and Natchez.
Cates Place
Just south of Hwy. 342 was a council house or chief’s house, sometimes called Topulkah’s house. Much tribal business took place here when the Chickasaws began selling their land to the U.S. Government, they came here to collect their annuities. A huge campground was here on the Natchez Trace near Jackson’s Springs, which was named for Gen. Andrew Jackson who camped there with his troops during the War of 1812. Battle of Ogoula Tchetoka, locally known as the Battle of Tubbee’s Ridge. In the spring of 1736, D’ Artaguette, governor of the Illinois Territory, was sent with a huge company of French soldiers and their Indian allies from the north to destroy the Chickasaw Nation. However, they were defeated by the Chickasaws and D’ Artaguette, along with Father Senac and several Frenchmen, were burned to death by the victorious Chickasaws.
The Chickasaw National Council
House
The Chickasaw National Council House was located about one half mile southeast of the Mississippi Archives and History marker at the intersection of Hwy. 342 and C. R. 853. Actual location on 1834 surveyor’s plat indicated council house by a small square topped by a cross and labeled “Council House.” Andrew Jackson spoke to the Chickasaws here when the Treaty of 1816 was signed. In the Pontotoc Creek Treaty, which was signed here on October 20, 1832 Chickasaws ceded more than 6 million acres to U. S. Government.
The Pontotoc City Cemetery
The Pontotoc City Cemetery was given to the City of Pontotoc by the Chickasaws and the U.S. Government on June 22, 1852, because “many Chickasaws and their white friends were buried there.” Maj. Gen. William Colbert was buried there in 1835. The Rev. Thomas C. Stuart, missionary to the Chickasaws, is also buried in the City Cemetery.
Davy Crockett’s Horse Corral
Defeated for re-election to Congress in his home state of Tennessee, he gathered a drove of horses and brought them down the Natchez Trace to the Pontotoc area. He joined friends already here and built a horse corral in the middle of what is now Trace State Park and ran a thriving business. When Davy Crockett learned of the Texas revolt and the troubles of his friend, Sam Houston, he closed his horse trading business in order to join him in Texas. He was later killed at the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836.
Chicasa or DeSoto’s Camp
In the winter of 1540-41 Historian Dunbar Rowland tells us that DeSoto’s camp was in “Sec. 21, overlapping south into the N 1/2 of Sec. 28.” It was in this camp on Christmas Day, 1540, that the first Christian marriage in America was performed between Juan Ortiz and Sa-Owana, a Seminole princess held captive by the Spaniards. A mural in the Pontotoc Post Office in Pontotoc, MS depicts this scene.
Pontotoc’s Oldest House
Pontotoc’s Oldest House is just across the street and south of the United Methodist Church. It was built in the 1830’s for the founder of Pontotoc, Thomas McMackin.
Old Cherry Creek School
The old school is standing near where Cherry Creek Normal was started by B. R. Webb, before the Civil War.
Ingomar Mounds
This temple mound is the largest prehistoric structure in this part of the state. Excavation by the Smithsonian Institute in 1885 revealed that one of the mounds had been built after European contact as it contained a fragment of green glass bottle and another artifact with a Spanish coat of arms. It was here some historians believe that DeSoto made his second camp in the spring of 1541, before proceeding toward the Mississippi River.
Battle of Mud Creek, June 20, 1863
Confederate forces under Gen. Daniel Ruggles routed Union forces under the command of Lt Col. Jesse J Phillips in a running fight at Mud Creek. Union losses were: 50 killed, 90 wounded; Confederate losses were: 2 killed and 17 wounded.
Buttermilk Springs
The family that operated the Stage Coach Stop kept cold buttermilk in the spring and sold it to the thirsty passengers. Presently called Thaxton for Dr. M. C. Thaxton.
Lochinvar
The antebellum home of Drs. Forrest and Janis Tutor, was built by Robert Gordon in 1842. Gordon bought the land from a Chickasaw woman, Molly Gunn, daughter of William Colbert and wife of James Gunn.
Old Natchez Trace Route
America’s most historic path stretches from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. These markers show the actual route of the original Natchez Trace as it ran through Pontotoc County.
Williams-Thompson House
A landmark in Southern Pontotoc County, built about 1838 by Senator Thomas Hickman Williams, a native Tennessean who moved to Pontotoc County and served as United States Senator from Mississippi. He was instrumental in the organization of the University of Mississippi.
Betty Love Allen
Historical marker on old Toccopola School ground marks the grave of Betty Allen, wife of Maj. John Allen and the daughter of Thomas Love, a Chickasaw. Litigation over a slave given to her by her father and claimed by her husband’s creditors in 1829, resulted in the establishment of the rights of women to own property not liable for the debts of husbands. Mississippi Legislature enacted this Chickasaw tribal code into law to become the first government in the world to give women the right to own property outright. Another historical marker is at the intersection of Hwy. 6 and C.R. 843.
Battle of Brice’s Crossroads
Five miles west of Baldwyn, just past the crossroads, and some nine miles down the road to old Pleasant Hill Church. Confederate losses: 96 killed, 396 wounded; Union losses: 223 killed, 394 wounded, 1,623 missing. Skirmishes in fighting, by a 15,000 man army, reached the northeastern corner of what was then Pontotoc County.
Route of the Invaders
Union Armies came to pillage, loot and burn beginning in late 1862. Pontotoc Countians lived with these tactics almost to the war’s end. The last great raid was the 15,000 man army of Gen. A. J Smith that ended in the Battle of Tupelo. (Harrisburg)
Graves of Unknown Union Soldiers
On a ridge just east of Hwy. 41 are 11 tombstones inscribed, “Unknown Union Soldier.” Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry pursued Union General “Sooy” Smith in a running fight from Okolona to just south of Pontotoc
Federal Land Office
Located on the corner of what is now Oxford and North Brooks St., the land office was built to handle the sale of Chickasaw lands following the signing of the Treaty of Pontotoc Creek. Appointees of President Andrew Jackson were sent from Nashville down the Natchez Trace, to handle the transactions. Among those appointed were Patrick Henry Fontaine, John Bell and D. B. Anderson.
Chickasaw Female College, 1836-1936
On November 4, 1836, Thomas McMackin gave the land for the use of female education. The school was incorporated as Pontotoc Female Academy; then Chickasaw College, owned and operated by the Presbyterian Church. The site is located just behind the present Pontotoc Hospital.
Relax and enjoy a
Good Night Sleep
We know that traveling can be tiring and when you stop in our friendly town we want you to have the best night’s sleep ever. Whether you are staying here over night or for a week, one thing is for sure, there is a bed waiting for you. Our hotel on Highway 15 offers a place to stay that is convenient to all major highways in and out of town. If you want to stay in a home away from home, Pontotoc also has cottage comfort with several home rentals available through Airbnb. If you want to rest and relax by the water, you can get a cabin at the Trace State Park. We wish you the best nights sleep so you can have a refreshing morning.
Shopping is a Pleasure In Pontotoc
Our merchants strive to make their displays so warm and inviting that when you step in you don’t want to leave. Everybody loves to be a bargain hound and Pontotoc is not short on those places to pick up the perfect gift at a great price. Whether you are looking for that unique antique or that beautiful piece of jewelry, a place setting or that special one of a kind treasure you will find it somewhere tucked into a nook or cranny in the shops all across the county. From the perfect plants for your lawn and gardens to the perfect cushion to put in your swing you will find these while you enjoy chatting with your friends. You can’t beat the friendly hospitality of the store owners who want to make sure your shopping experience is both pleasant and fruitful. And when you are through shopping there are several places to eat or enjoy a cup of coffee while you are winding down from your excursion. So come shopping and leave happy.
Our Southern Cuisine
is second to none
Southern cuisine at its best is spread on the tables across Pontotoc when you are ready to whet your appetite. Don’t be shy about pulling up to the table and setting a spell while you chat with family and friends over a good meal. You will find great places to eat in little out of the way places from Ecru to Algoma where you can get that sausage and biscuit in the morning or a full seafood meal at night. In the heart of the county you can have a good ole’ smoked BBQ, chicken, a juicy steak and baked potato, oriental, or a number of other kinds of meals to suit your taste. We also specialize in the snacking kind of food, from cookies to sno cones, we aim to please, so look for your favorite and enjoy your meal. We will keep the stove warm for you.
You
PGood Hands
are in in our communities
art of our hospitality is going out of our way to help you when life brings you trouble during your stay with us. Emergency care is just a step away at the many acute care places or the hospital is on Main Street. Need a quick refreshing drink? How about a loaf of bread for a snack? There are grocery stores nearby in each community. You will find ATMs for quick cash or you can go in and find help during business hours at our local banks. If your bicycle is in trouble there are bike repair stations along on the trail. The trail is also patrolled so if you need any help don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it. You are in good hands!
