What was at first a curious sight in west Tupelo has grown into a major attraction in just a couple of years. And it’s little wonder, because word of the Tupelo Buffalo Park’s existence has travelled far and wide.

Tukota, the star of Tupelo Buffalo Park and one of only two white buffalo in the United States, is revered by Sioux Indians.

Owner Dan Franklin’s collection of animals along the rolling hills on north Coley Road has grown from being a hobby into being one of the top tourist attractions in Northeast Mississippi. Many a school child and parent alike have gotten up close and personal with buffalo via a ride on the park’s Monster Bison Buses, and have seen many more animals they earlier would have been able to watch only in a trip to the zoos in Memphis or Jackson.

The park now features more than 300 animals. They range from the herd of buffalo to much smaller critters, such as capuchin monkeys, a wallabee, a couple of guineas that own the place, and more. Also, the park features a trail ride, petting zoo, and an authentic Chickasaw Indian village, where groups can camp overnight.

Franklin decided to open a park on his land in Northwest Tupelo as more and more interest grew from passersby. A lot of people were stopping their vehicles along Coley Road to take pictures of the largest buffalo herd east of the Mississippi River.

Since then, there’s been no looking back. The park has become a success, annual events have been established, and the Franklins are getting even more enjoyment from their animals as they see and hear the enthusiastic responses from visitors.

Getting around

Word of the park has been spread far and wide, too. While in Northeast Mississippi visiting family family during the Christmas holiday season, Glenn and Donna Scott took an afternoon to tour the park with their sons, Chandler and Ryan. The Scotts, from Wadsworth, Ill., were “looking for something unique to do, and this looked like fun,” Donna Scott said. “We first read about it in Reader’s Digest on a map of unique places to visit across America.”

Glenn Scott, with his son, Ryan, feed a pygmy goat at the Tupelo Buffalo Park. The Scotts, from Wadsworth, Ill., were in the area for the holidays and visited the park.

Of all the animals in the park, Ryan liked the cougar the most.

“I’ve seen one in pictures, but not in real life before,” he said.

The Scotts weren’t the only out-of-towners visiting the park that day. The visitor’s log on the counter of the cabin-like entrance to the park showed visitors from Rochester, N.Y., Fort Worth, Texas, Denver, Colo., Almour, Mich., Boise, Idaho, and Fayette, Ala., to name a few.

Not just fun for the kids

While visitors to the park get a kick out of seeing the exotic wildlife and the common barnyard animals, the employees of the park also get vast enjoyment from interacting with the animals, and from talking with visitors about their furry and feathered friends.

“This is my dream job,” said park hand Bill Hinds. Hinds, who is very popular as a guide on the Monster Bison Bus tours, at one time served as manager of the park. However, the work involved with running the park kept him from doing what he loved.

“I really enjoy interacting with the animals,” Hinds said. As Hinds fed some of the potbelly pigs at the park, he talked a great deal about many of the animals in the park. His enthusiasm for working with and taking care of the animals shows in how he handles his duties. Duties might be an ineffective way of describing Hinds’ work, though; when you love a job as much as he loves his, it’s not work.

Hinds has worked long and hard to establish rapport with various animals in the park. He said he’s begun to earn the trust of the zebras, and the giraffe has taken to him, too. As he slopped the pigs and fed the deer, he talking about his work at the park. Along the way, he gathered some winter grass, and as he walked into a covered barn, he passed it to the kangaroos, who were more than happy to accept the green treat.

Berniece Burkeen is another caretaker at the park. On this day she was slicing up apples, feeding the kangaroos, some goats and an emu. The emu, not wanting to wait patiently for the small slices of apple, reached out and grabbed a beak-full of apple – about half the fruit – and proceeded to swallow it. Another visitor to the park voiced concern about the emu’s ability to handle such a large morsel, but Burkeen knows the emu too well. She reassured the visitor that while normally the emu wouldn’t eat such a large helping at once, he was a tough enough bird that he would get it down. Sure enough, he does.

Top draw

Visitors can tour the park on a Monster Bison Bus.

It is the buffalo, though, that remain the top draw to the park. And, of the large herd, there is one that stands out. Tukota (pronounced (Too-ko-ta), a white buffalo, has become the star of the facility since his arrival. The three-year-old buffalo is one of only two white buffalo in the entire nation, and is revered as being sacred in Indian culture. In fact, a white buffalo is considered by the Sioux Indian tribes to be the most sacred living thing a person can encounter. A white buffalo is an extremely rare creature, occurring one time in 5 million births.

The Tupelo Buffalo Park held its first celebration for Tukota last fall. The inaugural White Buffalo Pow Wow brought Sioux Indians from far and wide to celebrate and revere Tukota. The event featured dancing exhibitions, dancing contests, singing, and American Indian clans with full dress and displays.

Other annual events have been launched at the park, including the annual Pumpkin Patch, which features 1,800 square feet of pumpkins and a three-acre hay maze.

The park, located at 2272 North Coley Road, is open year-round. From May to September, the park is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to dusk, and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, adults get in for $8, senior citizens and children under 12 for $6, and children under 1 for free. Fridays and Saturdays, adults get in for $10, senior citizens and children under 12 for $8, and children under 1 for free. The family rate (Mom, Dad and the kids) is $25 for the group any day.

For more information on the park, go online to www.tupelobuffalopark.com, or call (662) 844-8709, or toll-free (866) 272-4766.

This story appeared in the Spring-Summer 2004 edition of the Apartment Finder & Newcomers Guide. Copyright 2004 Jason Collum and Associates, LLC. All Rights Reserved.