History
13
Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto crossed the animal paths that later became the Natchez Trace somewhere in this vicinity. In 1539, he began a long arduous journey across the Southeastern United States. He crossed the Tombigbee River east of here in December 1540 and spent the following winter among the nearby Chickasaw Indians. After a dispute with the Indians, de Soto and his army moved westward. He is credited with discovering the Mississippi River south of Memphis, Tennessee, in June 1541.
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Van Vleet, Mississippi · United States
