Tupelo, Mississippi

==Arts and culture==
* The [[Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo]] is home to a large [[American bison]] herd, as well as exotic animals like Emu, Pythons, and [[Zedonk]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tupelobuffalopark.com/explore/exotic-animals|title=Exotic Animals at the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo|website=Tupelobuffalopark.com|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref>
* It is the headquarters of the historic [[Natchez Trace Parkway]], which connects [[Natchez, Mississippi]], to [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. The parkway follows the route of the ancient [[Natchez Trace]] trail, a path used by [[indigenous peoples]] long before the Europeans came to the area.<ref name="TupeloCity">"About the City of Tupelo" (2006), City of Tupelo website, web: [http://www.tupeloms.gov/about-tupelo/ TupeloMS-About] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314150502/http://www.tupeloms.gov/about-tupelo/|date=March 14, 2012}}: for Elvis, the Natchez Trace Parkway, and Tupelo Automobile Museum.</ref>
* Nearby is the [[Pharr Mounds]], an important Middle [[Woodland period]] complex of nearly 2000-year-old [[Earthwork (archaeology)|burial earthworks]], dating from 1 to 200 AD.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pharr Mounds-National Register of Historic Places Indian Mounds of Mississippi Travel Itinerary |publisher=National Park Service |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/mounds/pha.htm |access-date=2010-11-16}}</ref>
[[Image:USA Mississippi Tupelo area NPS map.jpg|thumb|right|Tupelo area [[National Park Service]] map]]
* [[American Civil War|Civil War]] sites include [[Tupelo National Battlefield|Tupelo]] or the battle of oldtown creek and [[Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site|Brices Cross Roads]] national battlefields.
* The [[Tupelo Automobile Museum]] was one of the largest in North America.<ref name="TupeloCity" /> In 2003, it was designated as the official automobile museum of the state. It housed more than 150 rare automobiles, all from the personal collection of [[Frank K. Spain]]—who founded the channel [[WTVA]]. Unfortunately, the museum closed in March 2019 and the cars were auctioned off the following month.
* Since its founding in 1969, the Tupelo Community Theatre has produced more than 200 works. In 2001 and 2004, it won awards at the Mississippi Theatre Association's Community Theatre Festival. In 2004 its production of ''Bel Canto'' won at the Southeastern Theatre Conference. TCT's home is the historic Lyric Theatre, built in 1912.<ref>{{cite web |author=Tom Wicker |url=http://www.tctwebstage.com/lyric.htm |title=Lyric History |publisher=Tctwebstage.com |access-date=2013-07-02}}</ref>
* The [[North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra]]'s season runs from September–April with concerts held at the Tupelo Civic Auditorium.<ref name="TupeloAttract">[http://www.tupeloms.gov/attractions/TupeloMS-Attractions "City of Tupelo - Attractions"]{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=no}}, 2006, City of Tupelo website</ref> The symphony's free annual July 4 outdoor concert at Ballard Park draws thousands of fans.
* In 2005, [[Rotary International]] sponsored a commission for a statue to honor [[Tribal chief|Chief]] Piomingo, a leader of the [[Chickasaw]] people who had occupied this area. It was erected in front of the new Tupelo City Hall.
* The Oren Dunn City Museum tells the ''Story of Community Building'' through permanent exhibits and a collection of historic structures. The Special Exhibit Gallery provides a venue for a variety of traveling and temporary shows throughout the year.
* In June 1956, [[Elvis Presley]] returned to Tupelo for a concert at the Mississippi-Alabama State Fair & Dairy Show. This event was recreated at the eighth "Elvis Presley Festival" in Tupelo on June 3, 2006. The fairgrounds are part of Tupelo's Fairpark District. The [[documentary]] film ''The Homecoming: Tupelo Welcomes Elvis Home'' premiered at the 2006 festival.
* The Lee-Itawamba Library System was serviced in Tupelo. The Lee County Library in downtown Tupelo has an annual lecture series featuring nationally known authors. In addition to the annual lecture series, the Lee County Library features a Mississippi room dedicated to genealogy research. 
* The Church Street Elementary School (for white students in the segregated system) was hailed as one of the most outstanding designs of its time, which was built in 1937. A scale model of this [[Art Moderne]] structure—described as "the ideal elementary school"—was displayed at the [[1939 New York World's Fair]].
* The [[Cadence Bank Arena]] (previously known as the BancorpSouth Arena) opened in 1993 and is a venue for large events.<ref name="TupeloAttract" />
* [[Taylor Swift]] mentioned the town in her song "[[Dorothea (song)|dorothea]]".