Heritage Tourism in the American South

Cowboys Cowgirls Music and Culinary Traditions

The American South is comprised of 14 States from Oklahoma and Texas to the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic port cities and from the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans.

Historical Tourism and Victorian Architecture

Guthrie lies along one of the primary corridors into Texas and Mexico and is a four-hour drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The city is in the center of the state, about 32 miles - 51 km - north of Oklahoma City, in the Sandstone Hills region of Oklahoma, known for hills and oak forests

Dallas is relatively young city with a colorful past. In 1839, John Neely Bryan, a lawyer from Tennessee with a taste for adventure, wandered into the area and was impressed with what he believed to be the perfect ingredients for a trading post and eventually a town: plenty of raw land, Indians with whom to do business, and the river. The young city’s can-do spirit helped bring railroads in the 1870s, the Federal Reserve Bank in 1914, Southern Methodist University in 1915, Love Field Airport in 1927, the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936 and DFW International Airport in 1973.

Fort Worth was settled in 1849 as an army outpost along the Trinity River as one of eight forts assigned to protect settlers on the advancing frontier. The cattle industry was king for a generation of people working the Fort Worth leg of the historic Chisholm Trail, which ran from the 1860s to the 1870s when the Texas & Pacific Railway arrived. In the years that followed, oil and aviation brought new wealth throughout the region. The post-war years found Fort Worth capitalizing on its strengths as a transport, business and military center. Cultural pursuits included the development of the city's internationally acclaimed museum district.

Texas Cities and the Hill Country Austin, on the eastern edge of Texas Hill Country, is the state capital, the live music capital of the world, a center for film, home to the University of Texas and Formula 1's Circuit of the Americas raceway. The city’ parks and lakes are popular for hiking, biking, swimming, boating and other outdoor pursuits as well as a ballet, museums and unique shopping experiences.

San Antonio’s rich heritage includes 18^th century Spanish colonial missions, residential areas dating from the 1860s and local museums that celebrate the city’s past. The San Antonio Mission Trail begins at the Alamo and winds southward along a nine-mile stretch of the San Antonio River.

New Orleans was established by the French in 1718 at a location that continues to be a valuable site for trade due to its strategic position along the Mississippi River. The French Quarter is a National Historic Landmark and is bordered by Canal, Decatur and Rampart Streets and Esplanade Avenue. It boasts cultural contributions from the French, Spanish, Italians, Africans and Irish.

Reduce Transit Times and Travel Costs on Your Next Trip

Mobile Alabama is located at the head of Mobile Bay and the Central Gulf Coast. Founded by the French in 1702, during its first 100 years, Mobile was a colony of France, Britain and Spain; it became a part of the United States of America in 1813. 

Savannah was founded in 1733 on the Savannah River, it became the colonial capital and later the first state capital of Georgia. Its port was of strategic importance during both the American Revolution and the Civil War. 

Charleston was founded in 1670, Charleston is defined by its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel pre-Civil-War-era houses, particularly in the bustling French Quarter and Battery areas. The Battery promenade and Waterfront Park both overlook Charleston Harbor, while Fort Sumter, a Federal stronghold where the first shots of the Civil War rang out, lies across the water. 

Charlotte is named in honor of King George III of Britain’s consort. It is a city with 199 neighborhoods and many nicknames, including: the famed Hornet’s Nest derived from the American Revolution, The QC, Crown Town, Home of NASCAR, Gem of the South, CLT, Bank Town, Char-Town and City of Trees.

Asheville has a fascinating past; experience a walking itinerary that commemorates the city’s most significant cultural, educational, social and architecture stories; a museum without walls. Urban Farm and Mountain Trails Gourmet Cuisine Public Art Music Heritage and a Bohemian Culture.

Louisville is centrally located along the Ohio River and is one America’s most accessible cities within a day’s drive of more than half the nation’s population. This city has a colorful past, from its frontier founding at the time of the American Revolution, to early 19^thcentury steamboats and as a Union base during the Civil War. Named for King Louis XVI of France in appreciation for his assistance during the Revolutionary War, Louisville was founded by George Rogers Clark in 1778.

Nashville has been the subject of many books, movies and songs. But, while music is the lifeblood of this city, you will also find here culture, history, haute cuisine, sports, natural beauty and especially Southern charm.

Memphis is a city with a rich and eclectic history. Some of the city’s traditions and milestones: the home of Elvis Presley, the Memphis Zoo, the Indie Memphis Film Festival, Sun Studio, National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Beale Street Music Festival.

The Sights Sounds and Culinary Traditions of the Mississippi Regions. A melting pot of cultures, a mighty river, antebellum mansions and restaurants featuring soul food, authentic ethnic dishes and modern culinary delights. The tastes of this region take their influences from Native American heritage.

a true melting pot of regional, ethnic, national and international cuisine

Gulf Coast Travel Itineraries

Houston Galveston Rockport and Fredericksburg Texas Louisiana and Mississippi

Located in the Texas Hill Country Fredericksburg is one of the earliest German settlements with a district encompassing 40 blocks of buildings dating from the mid-19^th century The Admiral Nimitz Museum is a landmark since the late 1800's when it was the old Nimitz Steamboat Hotel.

Rockport is a tourist destination with access to various forms of marine recreation and attractions such as boating, bay, offshore, wade, beach, and pier fishing, duck hunting, waterskiing, swimming, birdwatching, and seafood.

The History of the Texas Maritime Museum goes back to the late 1970’s at the Rockport annual Sea Fair

The Museum’s purpose is to recount Texas maritime history through artifacts, documents, and other materials of unique or historical value; collections and exhibits are based on four central themes:

Technology of offshore petroleum production and transportation

Development of Texas seaports, maritime communities and commerce along the Gulf of Mexico

Exploration and Settlement history of the Texas Gulf Coast beginning with the Spanish and French

The Texas seafood and fishing industry.

Galveston is located on Galveston and Pelican Islands on the Gulf Coast It was the main port of the Texas Navy and later served as the capital of Texas During the 19^th century it was a commercial center the largest city in Texas and a major port in America.

A deep-water channel connects the harbor with the Gulf and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

The Texas Seaport Museum tells the story of a rich legacy of seaborne commerce and immigration. Look for ancestors in a computer database containing the names of more than 133,000 immigrants who entered the United States through Galveston.

The Center for Coastal Heritage is a resource for practitioners working at the cross-section of the built environment and natural environment and a commitment to coastal resilience, sustainability and environmental health.

Houston is the largest city in Texas and the US South as well as America's fourth-largest. A cosmopolitan destination and home to an energetic arts community, it was founded in 1836 near the banks of Buffalo Bayou. The city was named after former General Sam Houston, who was president of the Republic of Texas and commander at the Battle of San Jacinto, 25 miles - 40 km - east of where the city was established.

The Port and Railroad, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city's population. In the mid-20^th century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions, and NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Architecture the Bayou City is full of interesting buildings that reveal its past; throughout Downtown and the city's central core, there is an abundance of significant architecture that tells the story of this port and railroad town turned metropolis.

Boating and Cruising the Bayport Cruise Terminal is located on the Western shore of Galveston Bay, 30 minutes from downtown Houston. The state-of-the-art facility is near the Kemah Boardwalk with a 36-foot carousel, a 65-foot Ferris wheel and rides like Aviator, Boardwalk Tower and the Boardwalk Beast, a boat ride that takes you four miles into Galveston Bay at speeds up to 40 mph.

The Story of Mobility in America

Maritime Museums in Historic Towns

The Houston Maritime Museum started out as a small private museum for founder Jim Manzolillo’s extensive collection of maritime artifacts and ship models, now grown to over eight galleries that cover the world of maritime history and culture from early navigation and exploration, to World War II, the merchant marine and the energy industry. Noteworthy is the exhibit on the history of Buffalo Bayou, the origins of the Houston Ship Channel and the port’s impact on the economy of Houston, and the nation.

Industry and the Environment HMM hosts lectures by members of the maritime community and academia highlighting innovation and progress in the maritime industry.

Madisonville is located at on the banks of the Tchefunke River near where the river enters Lake Pontchartrain. Founded by in 1800, as the town of Coquille or Cokie because of the abundance of shells in the area, at the site of the Native American village of Chiconcte. The town was later renamed after President Madison.

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum is located on the banks of the scenic Tchefuncte River in Madisonville. The museum brings Louisiana’s maritime history to life through unique interpretive programs, exhibits, and publications.

A Historic Journey through Maritime Louisiana

The Museum features unique exhibits that illustrate the innovation, creativity, and perseverance of Louisiana’s people, concentrating on the maritime history of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, the lower Mississippi River Valley, and the Gulf Coast of Louisiana.

The Tchefuncte River Light Station is a symbol of the dynamic maritime history and culture of Louisiana. The original tower was badly damaged during the Civil War and was rebuilt in 1867-1868 on the same foundation using many of the same bricks.

The Biloxi Waterfront lies directly on the Mississippi Sound, with barrier islands off the Coast and into the Gulf of Mexico. Old Biloxi was part of the First Permanent Settlement in 1699 by French Colonists in French Louisiana. The name of Biloxi in French was Bilocci, a transliteration of the term for the local Native American tribe in their language.

The Biloxi Lighthouse is the best-known local landmark. It was built in Baltimore and completed at the site in May 1848; it is one of the two, out of twelve, surviving lighthouses along the Mississippi Coast.

The First Cannery was built in 1881 to process seafood, an economic development that attracted new immigrants from Europe to work in the seafood factories processing shrimp and other local fish harvested by shrimp boats and oyster luggers.

The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum was established in 1986 to preserve and interpret the maritime history and heritage of Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It offers exhibits on shrimping, oystering, recreational fishing, wetlands, managing marine resources, charter boats, marine blacksmithing, wooden boat building, netmaking, catboats/Biloxi skiff and shrimp peeling machines.

The Museum has brought life to local maritime traditions by replicating two 65′ two-masted Biloxi Schooners that sail on the Mississippi Sound and waters of the north central Gulf of Mexico almost daily. The Museum also conducts yea- round educational programs and a summer Sea-n-Sail Adventure Camp which teaches youth about local maritime heritage.

The American South and the Gulf Coast

American Travel Hubs and Itineraries

The Southern United States includes the states from Texas and Oklahoma to the Atlantic coast and Kentucky and West Virginia to the Gulf Coast. Plan a journey from the Atlantic to the Gulf Coast via Appalachia and the Mississippi River.

Texas Cities and the Hill Country

Austin, on the eastern edge of Texas Hill Country, is the state capital, the live music capital of the world, a center for film, home to the University of Texas and Formula 1's Circuit of the Americas raceway. The city’ parks and lakes are popular for hiking, biking, swimming, boating and other outdoor pursuits as well as a ballet, world-class museums and a unique shopping experience. 

Experience San Antonio’s rich heritage by visiting its 18^th century Spanish colonial missions, residential areas dating from the 1860s and the local museums that celebrate the city’s past. The National Historic Park the Mission Trail is a walking, biking or driving experience of the five local missions and the centuries of local history and culture: Mission San Antonio de Valero, commonly known as the Alamo, Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission San Francisco de la Espada. The San Antonio Mission Trail begins at the Alamo and winds southward along a nine-mile stretch of the San Antonio River.

Dallas is relatively young city with a colorful past. In 1839, John Neely Bryan, a lawyer from Tennessee with a taste for adventure, wandered into the area and was impressed with what he believed to be the perfect ingredients for a trading post and eventually a town: plenty of raw land, Indians with whom to do business, and the river. The young city’s can-do spirit helped bring the railroads to the area in the 1870s, the Federal Reserve Bank in 1914, Southern Methodist University in 1915, Love Field Airport in 1927, the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936 and DFW International Airport in 1973. 

Cowboys Cowgirls Wineries Public Art Trails and Vintage Railroads

Grapevine is a small town located between Dallas and Fort Worth and is home of DFW International Airport, the world’s fourth largest, with nonstop service from more than 200 cities, including over 50 international destinations. Main Street in the historic downtown has a public library, recreation center, antique stores, restaurants, bars, theaters, a park, and many specialty shops. Here, you can also bottle your own wine, explore Historic Nash Farm, the Botanical Gardens and Lake Grapevine.

A Downtown Walking Tour the Main Street Historic District includes over 50 buildings and their architectural descriptions as well as stories, events and people who contributed to the town’s development. Founded in 1844, Grapevine is the oldest community in Tarrant County. In 1888, when the Cotton Belt Railroad came to Grapevine, businesses flourished and the wooden buildings on Main Street were replaced with new structures constructed of locally-made brick. 

Fort Worth was settled in 1849 as an army outpost along the Trinity River as one of eight forts assigned to protect settlers on the advancing frontier. The cattle industry was king for a generation of people working the Fort Worth leg of the historic Chisholm Trail, which ran from the 1860s to the 1870s when the Texas & Pacific Railway arrived. In the years that followed, oil and aviation brought new wealth throughout the region. The post-war years found Fort Worth capitalizing on its strengths as a transport, business and military center. Cultural pursuits included the development of the city's internationally acclaimed museum district.

Food Brews and Spirits in Fort Worth you can experience cowboy cuisine, trendy farm-to-table, authentic Mexican and bayou fare. Highlights include beef briskets, pork ribs and locally grown, organic artisan cheeses, alongside nicely paired wines. Artisanal distilleries offer straight bourbon, premium blended whiskey and vodka made from black-eyed peas. Also handcrafted beers, some brewed with milk, honey and sugar, accompanied by live music and local food trucks. 

Tennessee

Nashville has been the subject of many books, movies and songs. But, while music is the lifeblood of this city, you will also find here culture, history, haute cuisine, sports, natural beauty and especially Southern charm.

Memphis is a city with a rich and eclectic history. Some of the city’s traditions and milestones include: Graceland, Home of Elvis Presley, the Memphis Zoo, the Indie Memphis Film Festival, Sun Studio, National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Beale Street Music Festival.

 Mississippi

The Sights Sounds and Culinary Traditions of the Mississippi Regions. Delta is a melting pot of cultures – from African to Italian to Asian. Capital-River from a mighty river and antebellum mansions to downtowns with restaurants featuring soul food, authentic ethnic dishes and modern culinary delights. Pines barbecue and bakeries, cheese and cheesecakes, the tastes of this region take their influences from their Native American heritage. Hills home to William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Southern fiction characters, platters of fried chicken, skillets of cornbread, and delicacies such as pecan pie. 

Coast golf, gambling, art, architecture and great food. 

Mississippi is a true melting pot of regional, ethnic, national and international cuisine

New Orleans

The original settlement of New Orleans and the oldest neighborhood in the city is Vieux Carre, better known as the French Quarter. Established by the French in 1718, the location continues to be a valuable site for trade due to its strategic position along the Mississippi River. The district is a National Historic Landmark and is bordered by popular streets, such as Canal, Decatur and Rampart Streets and Esplanade Avenue. The French Quarter boasts cultural contributions from the French, Spanish, Italians, Africans, Irish and others – as demonstrated by the development of New Orleans as a global port.

North Carolina

Charlotte is named in honor of King George III of Britain’s consort. It is a city with 199 neighborhoods and many nicknames, including: the famed Hornet’s Nest derived from the American Revolution, The QC, Crown Town, Home of NASCAR, Gem of the South, CLT, Bank Town, Char-Town and City of Trees.

Asheville has a fascinating past; experience a walking itinerary that commemorates the city’s most significant cultural, educational, social and architecture stories; a museum without walls. Urban Farm and Mountain Trails Gourmet Cuisine Public Art Music Heritage and a Bohemian Culture.

A Journey along the South Atlantic to the Gulf Coast and up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. A Southern Towns Itinerary

Richmond the Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson and featuring a hidden dome and one of Virginia’s most treasured works of art, is the oldest continually-operating legislative assembly in the Western Hemisphere. Stroll along Monument Avenue, the only street in the United States to be named a National Historic Landmark, and take in its impressive historic homes or follow the cobblestone streets of Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom. Read More

Asheville has a fascinating past; experience a walking itinerary that commemorates the city’s most significant cultural, educational, social and architecture stories; a museum without walls. Urban Farm and Mountain Trails Gourmet Cuisine Public Art Music Heritage and a Bohemian Culture.

Charleston was founded in 1670 and is defined by its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel pre-Civil-War-era houses, particularly in the bustling French Quarter and Battery areas. The Battery promenade and Waterfront Park both overlook Charleston Harbor, while Fort Sumter, a Federal stronghold where the first shots of the Civil War rang out, lies across the water Read More

Architecture Diverse Neighborhoods History and Southern Charm

Savannah was founded in 1733 on the Savannah River, it became the colonial capital and later the first state capital of Georgia. Its port was of strategic importance during both the American Revolution and the Civil War. The city lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 miles -32 km - upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. It is also located near the Intracoastal Waterway. Read More

We have developed anchor locations from which you can best base your travel movements, mindful that you are likely to visit three to four places in a compressed period of time, typically 7 to 10 days, and experience multiple interests that range from cultural to culinary, wellness and the environment. 

Smart Trip Planning Logistics Locations Costs Time and Personalized Solutions

Mobile is located at the head of Mobile Bay and the Central Gulf Coast. Mobile was founded by the French in 1702. During its first 100 years, Mobile was a colony of France, Britain and Spain; it became a part of the United States of America in 1813. Mobile Bay is the fourth largest estuary in the US.

The original settlement of New Orleans and the oldest neighborhood in the city is Vieux Carre, better known as the French Quarter. Established by the French in 1718, the location continues to be a valuable site for trade due to its strategic position along the Mississippi River. The district is a National Historic Landmark and is bordered by popular streets, such as Canal, Decatur and Rampart Streets and Esplanade Avenue.

Sights Sounds and Culinary Traditions of the Mississippi Regions

Delta is a melting pot of cultures – from African to Italian to Asian. Capital-River from a mighty river and antebellum mansions to downtowns with restaurants featuring soul food, authentic ethnic dishes and modern culinary delights. Pines barbecue and bakeries, cheese and cheesecakes, the tastes of this region take their influences from their Native American heritage. Hills home to William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Southern fiction characters, platters of fried chicken, skillets of cornbread, and delicacies such as pecan pie. Coast golf, gambling, art, architecture and great food. Read More

Memphis is a city with a rich and eclectic history. Some of the city’s traditions and milestones include: Graceland, Home of Elvis Presley, the Memphis Zoo, the Indie Memphis Film Festival, Sun Studio, National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Beale Street Music Festival.

Nashville has been the subject of many books, movies and songs. But, while music is the lifeblood of this city, you will also find here culture, history, haute cuisine, sports, natural beauty and especially Southern charm.

Derbies Diversity Sluggers Bourbon Food Historic Architecture and Parks

Louisville is centrally located along the Ohio River and is one America’s most accessible cities within a day’s drive of more than half the nation’s population. The city has a colorful past, from its frontier founding at the time of the American Revolution, to early 19^th century steamboats and as a Union base during the Civil War. Strategically located at the Falls of the Ohio, Louisville was a major commercial center with river transportation supplemented by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Read More

The Widest Point on the Ohio River is One Mile just west of downtown Louisville

Travel Logistics Move in one direction. Anchor your stays in strategic locations conveniently located near points of interest. Take in sites, meals and other planned events in a hub and spoke fashion and enjoy the places and the people you are visiting. Tema develops and manages personalized travel itineraries, an in-depth knowledge of your destinations and superior client service throughout your trip.

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