The Mississippi Delta 32b: Satartia (revisited spring 2020)

Satartia is a handsome little town next to the Yazoo River, partway between Redwood and Yazoo City, Mississippi. I visited in 2019 during the great flood that year. This year, the water came up again, and residents of the lower Delta were semi-inundated for months once again. I revisited Satartia one day in April when I needed a change of scene and opportunity to do some photography.

Satartia, Mississippi, at the edge of the loess hills (map from ESRI ArcGIS Online)

Levees line the Yazoo River and prevent flooding in low areas, such as the town of Satartia. This broad, flat agricultural region is the famous Mississippi Delta. However streams flow down from the loess hills to the east. If the Yazoo River is low (non-flood conditions), the streams drain into the river via culverts that run through the levee. But when the Yazoo rises above a certain level, flood gates across the culverts must be closed to prevent backflow. Then the local water has nowhere to go other than spread out into the fields, making them soggy. It is difficult for the farmers.

The little Satartia Grocery on Plum Street formerly served lunches, but it has been closed for at least a year. I saw an electric light burning inside.

Shed behind Satartia Grocery (Fuji X-E1 digital file, in-camera jpeg)

This little shed was on the side street. Did someone live in it at one time? Maybe it was a tiny home long before their time.

Former grist mill, Satartia (4×5" Tri-X Prof film, 135mm ƒ/4.5 Xenar lens, yellow-green filter)

Plum Street goes up and over the Yazoo River levee. A group of houses are on the river side of the levee. Most are up on stilts or on elevated mounds. A local gent told me that this little building was a former grist mill. As you can see, water was almost up to the base of the steps. Last year (2019), the water was just a bit higher higher and under the porch.

Shed (4×5" Tri-X Prof film, 135mm ƒ/4.5 Xenar lens, yellow-green filter)

This is a shed at the Satartia Gin. Rain was beginning to fall, and I had to photograph in a hurry and pack up. Using a 4×5 inch camera in the rain is difficult, but I like the soft non-directional light.

Fina on MS Rte 3 (4×5" Tri-X Prof film, 90mm ƒ6.8 Angulon lens)

The Fina station on Rte 3 has been closed for years. Status: unknown.

I will show more 2020 flood photos in future articles. Most of these photographs are from 4×5"Tri-X Professional (ISO 320) film taken with a Tachihara wood field camera. I scanned the negatives on an Epson 3200 Photo flat bed scanner using the Epson scan software.