Many people think of Natchez and only see antebellum mansions in their minds’ eye.

For locals, we know that Natchez is far more culturally diverse than to be trapped in a relatively short period of prosperity prior to the American Civil War.

In fact Natchez’s history to us is intertwined with the Mississippi River. Without the river, Natchez simply wouldn’t exist as we know it today or as it existed in the past had the river not run past the city’s front porch.

The river brought many of our early “tourists” to town as they floated down the river to participate in commerce in the city.

Today, we often can take for granted the importance of the river, but the river still brings thousands of tourists to our doorstep each year through riverboat cruises that stop along the way up or down the nation’s most important waterway.

Two more riverboats have announced plans to make their ways to Natchez soon, adding to a handful that already stop here and unload curious tourists.

Those tourists are important, both while they’re in town on the tours, but also as they return later.

We’re thankful to all the people who have helped lure more riverboats to stop in Natchez. The more visitors come the more tax dollars are coming to the area from outside our community and that makes great business sense for all of us.