BY GENE COLEMAN

NATCHEZ — Sen. John McCain, R–Ariz., placed Natchez alongside the United States treasures, such as the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns and Mount Vernon in his 2018 memoir “The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations.”

McCain, who died Saturday at age 81, co-wrote the book with Mark Salter.

At Tuesday’s aldermen meeting, Mayor Darryl Grennell asked that the City of Natchez take a moment of silence out of respect for McCain.

Grennell memorialized McCain as “a man who I have a lot of respect for, a man who I considered to be a true statesman and not a politician. He was a prisoner of war. He was a hero to this country.”

In “The Restless Wave,” McCain wrote of his teenage memories of traveling through Natchez, according to a Thursday article on washingtonpost.com.

Since the McCain family moved frequently because McCain’s father was in the military, his mother often took their children on road trips across America to help further their education. What stood out to McCain about these trips at that young age, the article says, were the galleries, museums, buildings designed by famous architects, natural wonders and homes of famous figures.

Grennell, a Natchez native, said seeing Natchez placed in such a grand manner gave him chills.

“It actually sent goose bumps on my body. I was like, ‘Whoa!’” Grennell said. “This was really something for him to mention Natchez as one of the memorable places he has been. The citizens need to get on board and make sure this place shines even more.”

After Tuesday’s meeting, Grennell said he was approached by others, who shared the impression he felt from McCain’s written words.

Grennell said he would like to see the moment inspire the people of Natchez to lift the city to its greatest potential.

“The greatest asset is the people of Natchez — really, really nice people,” Grennell said. “We need to recognize what we have, expand it and tell the world about it.

“People have sensory adaptation. If you wear a cologne every day, you stop smelling it. If you’re born here and raised here, you might not recognize what you have here. We need to work together to make sure our streets are clean and we join together, black, white, rich and poor, and work in unity.”