Our Story

Three Forks

Tallahatchie Flats is operated by the Three Forks LLC partnership. The name carries deep significance: it honors both the three original partners and the historic Three Forks area where Robert Johnson is known to have been poisoned, not far from the plot of land selected for this venture.

The original partners were:

• Stuart Fincher

• Steve LaVere

• Billy and Aubrey Whittington (a husband-and-wife team)

Their partnership was the outgrowth of discussions concerning the Robert Johnson phenomenon that has engulfed the cultural sensibilities of the Greenwood area for the last 15 years.

"A lot more money was spent than was ever anticipated, but the result, which is still a work in progress—and probably always will be—is something in which the entire community of Greenwood can be proud."

The Tallahatchie Flats are both a living museum and a working motor court (the predecessor to the modern motel). We sincerely hope you like them, too.

Steve LaVere Shares the Story

In 2014, Mississippi Public Broadcasting's South Bound visited Tallahatchie Flats to talk with Steve LaVere about the property's history, its preservation, and its place in the Delta.

"Just three miles north of Greenwood, in the middle of a cotton field and only a hundred yards away from the muddy waters of the Tallahatchie River, sits a row of old farmhouses from the 1930s. It's just right out in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere but the birthplace of the blues."

Steve, who also helped bring Robert Johnson's music to millions of fans by producing the largest-selling blues record ever, shared the story of how Tallahatchie Flats came to be:

"I saw The Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, and I thought, 'That's a great idea. We need something like that in Greenwood.' The idea was to save old sharecropper houses from around the Delta and move them here."

Today, these six houses are outfitted with plumbing, electricity, and insulation to make them livable—while everything else remains original to the time period. Tourists love staying here, recapturing a little bit of the blues life that's quickly disappearing.

As Steve said:

"It ain't no more. Guys aren't wandering the streets, carrying guitars, singing for nickels and dimes anymore. That's all in our imagination now. With this experience out here, you kind of get a little closer to it."

For others, the flats aren't about the blues at all. It's just a quiet place in the countryside where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the modern world.

"A girl came here two or three years ago and wrote a book in one of the little houses—from Australia. This is a little more down to earth, a little more real. It's more laid back, definitely."

The South Bound host summed it up best:

"For me, sitting on a porch at the Tallahatchie Flats is like revisiting my childhood. My grandparents lived out in the country in Webster County, and I spent a fair amount of time on a porch just like this, with cousins making homemade ice cream."

Each flat has a front and a back porch, all with fantastic views. The sights, sounds, and solitude can even provide inspiration.

A Life Devoted to the Blues

Steve LaVere's contributions to blues music extended far beyond Tallahatchie Flats. For over four decades, he worked as a producer, researcher, historian, and promoter, leaving an indelible mark on the preservation of Delta blues.

Born December 11, 1943, Steve's passion for the blues took root in the 1960s when he worked as a reissue coordinator for Liberty Records, producing the influential Rural Blues compilations. In the late 1960s, he produced a series of albums for World Pacific, recording legendary artists like Shakey Jake, George "Harmonica" Smith, and Sunnyland Slim. He also tracked down and recorded the long-lost Papa George Lightfoot, cutting an album for Vault in 1969.

In Memphis, Steve founded the Memphis Blues Caravan, a traveling revue of blues veterans that brought the music to new audiences. He produced Bukka White's final album, Big Daddy (1974), which earned him a Grammy nomination. He recorded the first sides by Joe Willie Wilkins under his own name and helped document the careers of countless other musicians who might otherwise have been forgotten.

"LaVere did devote his life to the music as a producer, researcher and promoter. I don't doubt his sincerity to the music."
— Big Road Blues

Steve's relationship with Robert Johnson's legacy was complex and often controversial. In the early 1970s, he located Johnson's half-sister, Carrie Thompson, and entered into a legal agreement that transferred the rights to Johnson's photos, songs, and memorabilia. He was instrumental in Sony's Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings box set in 1990, which sold a million copies and earned him a Grammy. He moved to Greenwood, Mississippi, in 2001 to open the Johnson-inspired Greenwood Blues Heritage Museum and Gallery.

He also helped confirm the location of Robert Johnson's grave, using research and statements from locals to identify the site under a big pecan tree at Little Zion Church, just a mile from Tallahatchie Flats.

Steve passed away on December 27, 2015, at his home in Greenwood at the age of 72. Today, his vision lives on at Tallahatchie Flats: in the cabins he helped save, the music he helped preserve, and the guests who come to experience the Delta as it once was.

The Second and Third Forks: Billy & Aubrey Whittington

The second and third forks are Billy and Aubrey Whittington, and it is on their land that the Tallahatchie Flats are situated.

Aubrey has been instrumental in the acquisition of most of the structures as well as their overall appearance, both inside and out, and keeps the others focused on historical detail. From tracking down the Brown family's Ashland Plantation house to securing Nellie from the Donnell family and saving Red House from destruction, Aubrey's dedication ensured that these historic structures found a new home on the banks of the Tallahatchie.

Billy has also done a great deal more of the day-to-day oversight than he ever expected, but without his dedication and diligence, there would be no Tallahatchie Flats.

In the Mississippi Roads interview, Billy shared what makes the property special:

"The whole idea is to get people to come out here and feel like they're stepping back in time. They're not dolled up. They're not overdone. They're furnished in the style of the tenants who originally inhabited these homes. That's the charming part about it."

And about the experience of staying here:

"The calm out here is just pervasive. The stars can really be seen well. There's a river less than 100 yards away. It's really quite an enjoyable experience to spend time out here. Very peaceful. As far as a getaway is concerned, I don't think there's a better place on Earth to be fair about it."

Aubrey's Collection

Billy often says he wouldn't have gotten involved in the project without Aubrey's lifelong gathering of old, interesting tools, artifacts, and signs. She gathered a world of old signs and things that needed a proper home—somewhere other people could enjoy them.

The tall GULF sign in front of the Tavern was her final master stroke. The tall, visible glass gas pump on the front porch of the Tavern was also a major coup.

Aubrey is the authority on placing proper things in proper places—and she keeps the team focused on historical detail.

Saving a Way of Life

The houses at Tallahatchie Flats are not replicas, they are genuine 1940s tenant houses, saved from destruction and relocated to this property. Many were donated by families who wanted to preserve their history. Others were purchased and carefully moved from farms across the Delta.

Each cabin has its own story:

• Miss Aubrey was saved from the St. Joe Place on Money Road.

• Nellie’s House came from Lakeview Plantation at Swiftown, donated by Mrs. Emily Donnell in memory of her family's beloved cook.

• Ashland was acquired from the Brown family, whose farm was once one of the largest plantations in the state.

• Tush Hog came from the area where Robert Johnson is believed to have died.

• Red House was purchased by Aubrey Whittington from Mr. Grey at Holcomb.

As Steve said:

"These houses are not in great supply anymore. They've either fallen down or been burned off the land. We started with these seven, and if Providence is good to us and fills up these little houses, we have other houses and room to expand."

A Song for the Flats

Tallahatchie Flats has inspired more than a few musicians over the years. Here are a few songs written about this place.

"Tallahatchie Flats" – Fish Michie & Kristian Dambrino

Mississippi musicians Fish Michie and Kristian Dambrino wrote a tune called "Tallahatchie Flats" for their album Bluer Than This. They called the whole album a tribute to Mississippi, and it won them a state arts award.

In a behind-the-scenes video about the making of the album, Kristian explained why they made it:

"The reason that we made Bluer Than This was to thank Mississippi and thank the people that we've known all of our lives—our friends and our family who have always supported us and come out to our shows. Every single song on the record is a thank you to Mississippi."

"Tallahatchie Flats Blues" – Marc Upchurch & Tina Neumann

Mississippi songwriters Marc Upchurch and Tina Neumann wrote a tribute to the property called "Tallahatchie Flats Blues." With music by Suno, the song captures the spirit of the Delta—the shacks, the porches, the Tavern, and the ghost of Robert Johnson still walking the grounds.

As Marc wrote when he shared the song:

"Sandy Bottom Songwriters is proud to present for your listening pleasure Tallahatchie Flats Blues. Everybody in the area knows where it is—the local band is in the first verse. Let's see who can name the band. Enjoy."

"Tallahatchie Flats where the music don't lie. Where the ghost of the blues still walks on by."

"Tallahatchie Flats" – Chris Kramer & Beatbox 'n' Blues

German blues trio Chris Kramer & Beatbox 'n' Blues included a track called "Tallahatchie Flats" on their 2018 album Way Back Home. The trio—Chris Kramer (harmonica, guitar, vocals), Kevin O'Neal (beatbox, rap, vocals), and Sean Athens (guitar, vocals)—brings a modern, inventive energy to the blues.

After touring the United States and competing in the International Blues Challenge, the band brought home the sounds and stories of Mississippi, closing their album with this gentle, dreamy tribute to the Delta.

As Chris wrote after his stay:

“Tallahatchie Flats wasn't simply a place for us to stay. It was inspiring. I remember sitting there and thinking: ‘If I can write two songs in one night here, give me a week and I'll write a whole album.’“

Listen here: Spotify | Deezer

The Film Trailer

The trio also released a film trailer featuring their music, with scenes shot at Tallahatchie Flats and featuring Sylvester Hoover, the Robert Johnson grave marker, and the trio playing music on the porch of one of the shacks.

Watch the Full Film: Way Down South

Tallahatchie Flats is part of Way Down South—a documentary following three German blues musicians as they travel through the American South, discovering the places, people, and history behind the music that shaped their lives.

Watch Way Down South on ARD Mediathek →

“For us, Mississippi wasn't about luxury. It was about history, music, people, stories, and standing in places we had heard about since we were young musicians in Germany.”
— Chris Kramer

Preserving the Legacy

Today, Tallahatchie Flats continues to welcome guests from around the world: blues fans, history buffs, families, hunters, and anyone seeking a genuine Delta experience.

The legacy Steve LaVere started lives on in every cabin, every bonfire, and every guest who leaves with a deeper appreciation for the Mississippi Delta.

As Billy says:

"We try to keep them as authentic as we can. But you have to make them livable too. Running water, hot and cold water, heat, air conditioning—we did what we could. But we didn't take anything apart. They're still country living, and that can be part of the fun too."