Community

About Vicksburg

Vicksburg was established in 1811 and incorporated in 1825.  The location was chosen because of its strategic location high above the unpredictable whims of Old Man River.  The city rapidly grew to become a center of commerce and wealth as railroads brought goods from throughout the region to be loaded on steamboats for shipment to markets around the world.  By the mid-1840s the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad spanned the state and was the only east-west railroad between Memphis and New Orleans.  Today Vicksburg still has a major influence on the Mississippi River by serving as the headquarters of the U.S. States Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division and Engineer Research and Development Center as well as the Mississippi River Commission.

Vicksburg offers visitors a number of museums and historic tour homes that provide insight into the city’s unique history.  The Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates the 47-day Siege of Vicksburg and is home to the largest National Military Cemetery of Union soldiers in the country.  The Old Court House Museum houses over 15,000 artifacts that detail the history of the city and region.  The Biedenharn Coca-Cola® Museum has the distinction of being where the soft drink was first bottled.  In downtown you will find a number of restaurants, specialty shops and art galleries.