Residents

House Guide

Everything you need at The Cedars — house essentials, Water Valley, and day trips to Oxford, Clarksdale, and Memphis.

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The House

Wi‑FiThe Cedars Guest
Password211WoodSt
Check-in / out3 PM · 11 AM
Emergency911
The Cedars — front of the house, Water Valley, Mississippi
The Cedars · 1863 Self-directed writing residency — one writer at a time, 2 or 4 weeks. Housing, utilities, laundry, internet, and TV included. See your signed Residency Agreement for legal terms.
House Rules
  • Quiet hours: 10 PM – 8 AM · no overnight guests without approval
  • No pets · no smoking or vaping anywhere on the property
  • No candles · no grilling on the back porches
  • Arthur may come inside — don't feed; watch when driving
Security, Climate & Parking
  • Lock front door · return key to hall table · lost key $100
  • Thermostat: south wall of dining room
  • Checkout thermostat: 80°F or 60°F · driveway fits two cars
Room by Room
Entry hallHall table for keys
Living roomWorkspace; TV
Dining & officeDesk; thermostat
Full kitchenFully stocked
South bedroomArmoire; iron
North bedroomSecond bedroom
West porchCovered; yard
North porchLaundry east side
BasementArthur
Kitchen & Laundry
  • Full appliances; food on hand free to use
  • Laundry: soap provided — clothes/towels only
  • Iron in south bedroom closet
Trash & Included
  • Bin by driveway — curb Wednesday night for Thursday pickup
  • Tie bags closed; strap the lid shut (raccoons)
  • Included: housing, utilities, wifi, TV, laundry
  • Not included: meals, stipend, travel · letterpress off-limits
Writing Spaces
  • Living room and dining/office — primary workspaces
  • Porches for reading · self-directed residency
  • Your work remains entirely yours
Emergencies
  • 911 · first-aid kits in bathrooms
  • Fire extinguisher in every room
  • Yalobusha General Hospital · notify hosts of concerns
The Landscape
The Yocona/Yoknapatawpha valley — Faulkner's "postage stamp of native soil." The Cedars sits in downtown Water Valley, walking distance to groceries, coffee, and a bookstore. Twenty minutes from Oxford, an hour from Clarksdale, ninety from Memphis. Pages 2–4 cover local and regional visitor guides.

Water Valley

Downtown Water Valley, Mississippi

Downtown Water Valley — a few blocks from The Cedars

A small railroad town in the North Mississippi hill country — walkable, unhurried, and full of character. Most of what you need is within ten minutes on foot from 211 Wood Street.

Where to Eat
  • The B.T.C. — Groceries upstairs; lunch and coffee downstairs
  • El Charrito's — Mexican; margaritas. No standalone bars in town
  • Crawdad Hole — Seafood and po'boys
  • Dunn's · Hummingbird Bakery · Magnolia Coffee
Groceries & Essentials
  • B.T.C. — Best local produce and staples
  • Lawson's Cost-Plus · Dollar General
  • Turnage's Drug Store — Pharmacy
  • Main Street Fitness · Yalobusha General
Culture & Browsing
  • Violet Valley Bookstore — Essential for writers
  • Water Valley Library · Casey Jones Museum
A Morning Downtown
8:00
Magnolia Coffee
9:30
Violet Valley Bookstore
11:00
B.T.C. — lunch or groceries
3:00
Walk back to The Cedars
Watermelon Carnival — Two-day festival, first Saturday of August. Parades, food, music — free and open to all.
Visitor Tips
  • Everything downtown is walkable from The Cedars — no car needed for errands.
  • No Sunday alcohol sales; restaurants may be your best bet for a drink.
  • Many shops keep limited hours — call ahead if unsure.
  • Cash helps at smaller spots; cards widely accepted.
Getting Around
  • Memphis Airport Shuttle — Daily Memphis ↔ Oxford
  • Rideshare from Oxford · Rental car for day trips
  • Oxford ~20 min · Clarksdale ~1 hr · Memphis ~90 min via Hwy 7

Oxford & Clarksdale

Oxford (~20 min north on Hwy 7, then Hwy 6 east) is the literary capital of the South. Clarksdale (~1 hr on Hwy 7 to Hwy 49 north) is the heart of Delta blues country. Both make excellent day trips — or half-day escapes when you need inspiration away from the desk.

Oxford

~20 min · Literary South
  • Square Books — Three stores on the Square; signed editions, staff picks, readings. Start here.
  • Off Square Books — Events, Thacker Mountain Radio tapings, general trade titles.
  • Rowan Oak — Faulkner's home and woods; open Tue–Sat; allow 1–2 hours.
  • St. Peter's Cemetery — Faulkner's grave; bring pens for the tradition of leaving one.
  • The Square — City Grocery, Ajax Diner, Bottletree Bakery, Neilson's (since 1839).
  • Ole Miss campus — Lyceum, the Grove, Archives & Special Collections.
  • Blues Archive — On campus; one of the world's great blues collections.
  • Thacker Mountain Radio — Live literary/music broadcast; check thackermountain.com for schedule.
  • Lamar Park — Walking trails and lake; good for clearing your head.
  • Getting there — Hwy 7 north to Hwy 6 east; park near the Square and walk.

Clarksdale

~1 hr · Delta blues
  • Delta Blues Museum — Mississippi's oldest music museum; Muddy Waters artifacts.
  • The Crossroads — Highways 61 & 49; the mythic Robert Johnson intersection.
  • Ground Zero Blues Club — Co-owned by Morgan Freeman; live blues most nights.
  • Red's Lounge — Authentic juke joint; raw Delta blues; cash helps.
  • Cat Head Delta Blues — Records, books, folk art; ask what's happening tonight.
  • Hopson Plantation — Commissary and blues history; mechanical cotton picker site.
  • Abe's Barbecue — At the Crossroads since 1924; tamales and BBQ.
  • Mississippi Blues Trail — Markers throughout town — pick up a map at the museum.
  • Getting there — Hwy 7 to Hwy 49 north; plan to stay past dark for live music.
Sample Day — Oxford
Morning
Square Books → coffee on the Square → Rowan Oak
Midday
Lunch at Ajax or City Grocery → stroll Neilson's
Afternoon
St. Peter's Cemetery → Blues Archive or Lamar Park
Evening
Thacker Mountain taping if scheduled; dinner on the Square
Oxford Tips
  • Game days (Ole Miss football) fill the Square — check the schedule.
  • Rowan Oak closes at 4 PM; go early.
  • The Square is compact — park once, walk everywhere.
  • Square Books hosts authors year-round; check their events calendar.
Sample Evening — Clarksdale
4:00 PM
Delta Blues Museum — allow 90 minutes
5:30 PM
Cat Head — ask who's playing tonight
6:30 PM
Dinner at Abe's or Ground Zero
8:00 PM
Ground Zero or Red's for live blues
Late
Drive back via Hwy 7 — dark rural roads; take your time
Clarksdale Tips
  • Live music peaks Thu–Sat; some venues quiet on Mon–Wed.
  • Red's is informal — expect smoke, heat, and real Delta atmosphere.
  • Ground Zero has food and AC; good entry point for first-timers.
  • Combine with a daytime Delta drive — cotton fields, silos, flat horizon.
  • Fill your gas tank before you go; fewer stations on rural highways.

Memphis & Departure

Memphis (~90 min via Hwy 7 to I-55 north) is likely your arrival or departure city — Memphis International (MEM) has the best flight options. Plan at least one full day for the city; two if you want Graceland and the major museums.

Memphis

~90 min · Music & history
  • National Civil Rights Museum — Lorraine Motel; essential; allow half a day.
  • Stax Museum of American Soul — Soulsville USA; interactive and moving.
  • Sun Studio — Guided tours; birthplace of rock and roll.
  • Beale Street — Live music; best after dark; cover charges vary.
  • Graceland — Elvis's estate; plan 3–4 hours; buy tickets online.
  • Brooks Museum — Overton Park; Southern art collection.
  • Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum — On Beale; good overview if time is short.
  • Slave Haven / Burkle Estate — Underground Railroad history.
  • Getting there — Hwy 7 to I-55 north; MEM airport south of downtown.
Sample Day — Memphis
Morning
Civil Rights Museum — arrive at opening
Midday
Central BBQ (Midtown or Downtown) or Cozy Corner
2:00 PM
Sun Studio tour — book ahead on weekends
4:00 PM
Stax Museum or Brooks in Overton Park
Evening
Beale Street — live blues and neon
Barbecue Shortlist
  • Central BBQ — Ribs and pork; several locations
  • Cozy Corner — Dry-rub ribs; cash-friendly
  • Payne's — Fried bologna sandwich legend
  • The Bar-B-Q Shop — Local favorite on Madison
Memphis & Travel Tips
  • MEM is 90 min from Water Valley — allow buffer time for flights.
  • Memphis Airport Shuttle runs Memphis ↔ Oxford daily; rideshare or hosts can bridge Oxford ↔ Water Valley.
  • Downtown Memphis parking is manageable on weekdays; weekends get busy near Beale.
  • Graceland is in South Memphis — separate from downtown museums.
  • Summer heat is intense — carry water; many lines are outdoors.
  • Cooper-Young and Overton Square neighborhoods worth a meal if you have time.
Life at The Cedars

Between day trips, the house is yours — cook in the full kitchen, read on the west porch, work at the dining room desk. That's the point of a self-directed residency.

Before You Go
Towels in shower or tub
Thermostat 80°F or 60°F
Key on hall table
Text hosts when you've left
Unplug chargers
Wednesday: trash to curb; strap lid shut
Hosts & Residency
Daniel Uncapher · 662-473-7609  ·  Deirdre Uncapher · 662-202-2343  ·  apply@thecedarsresidency.org  ·  thecedarsresidency.org  ·  Off-season rental: thecedars.xyz

"To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi."

— William Faulkner
Thank you — and good writing.