Mississippi, McRaven House is located at 1445 Harrison St., formerly McRaven Street, and is more than just a Halloween destination. The house has a rich history dating back to 1797, before Mississippi was a state, and many say residents from that time period continue to inhabit the home to this day. McRaven House is open to historical tours by day and ghost tours at night. For more information, visit mcraventourhome. com.
OLD COURT HOUSE MUSEUM
Vicksburg is most known for its rich history and nowhere in town is it more on display – quite literally – than at the Old Courthouse Museum in downtown.
The museum boasts a bevy of historical artifacts – from clothing to silverware to remnants of the siege that nearly destroyed the RIver City during the Civil War – documents, historical narratives and even full rooms completely restored to their former glory. Visitors can see the trophy antlers won by the steamboat Robert E. Lee in an 1870 race, antebellum dresses, toys, Indian and pioneer implements, and an original Teddy Bear given to a local child by Theodore Roosevelt, to name just a few of the available exhibits.
The Court House has hosted guests and speakers that include Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Booker T. Washington, Teddy Roosevelt and William McKinley.
The Court House, at 1008 Cherry St., was abandoned for a new courthouse, which is across the street, in 1939 and was converted into a museum by the Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society. The museum opened on June 3, 1948.
For more information, call 601-636-0741, visit oldcourthouse. org or email societyhistorica @ bellsouth. net.
THE OLD DEPOT MUSEUM * Brought to life by a 250 square-foot diorama, 2,300 miniature soldiers and the film,“ The Vanishing Glory,” visitors at the Old Depot Museum can better understand the terrain, the leaders and their strategies of the Vicksburg Campaign and Siege, Vicksburg National Military Park and the people who endured the 47-day siege.
The museum, formerly a depot for the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad, also includes 250 ship models, with exhibits for towboats and riverboats, a large WBTS gunboat collection and U. S. Navy vessels.
The old depot also has an architectural display with models depicting the different styles of architecture in Vicksburg, 150 named model cars spanning the development of the automobile, model
The Vicksburg Civil War Museum
railroads in“ HO” scale,“ N” scale and“ O” gauge, with railroading artifacts, more than 40 original paintings of war on the river and WBTS artifacts.
For more information, call 601-638-6500 or visit theolddepot. net.
RIVERFRONT MURALS
The panels of the Vicksburg floodwall are the canvas capturing the City of Vicksburg’ s past, present and future roles in American history, commerce, culture, religion and technology.
The 32 lifelike pictorial murals were painted by artist Robert Dafford. The paintings include the steamboat era, the Great Bear Hunt with President Teddy Roosevelt and African-American history.
The murals can be seen in downtown Vicksburg along the Yazoo Diversion Canal.
For more information, visit riverfrontmurals. com.
VICKSBURG CIVIL WAR MUSEUM *
The Vicksburg Civil War Museum opened its doors in May 2021. The museum features millions of Civil War artifacts that owner and proprietor Charles Pendleton has acquired.
The museum pays special attention to the U. S. Colored Troops which served in the siege of Vicksburg. The museum is located downtown in the former Corner Drug Store, 1123 Washington St. For more information, visit vicksburgcivilwarmuseum. org.
VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK *
Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. The park also commemorates the greater
Vicksburg Campaign which led up to the battle. Reconstructed forts and trenches evoke memories of the 47-day siege that ended in the surrender of the city. Victory here and at Port Hudson, farther south in Louisiana, gave the Union control of the Mississippi River.
The park includes 1,325 historic monuments and markers, 20 miles of historic trenches and earthworks, a 16-mile tour road, a 12.5-mile walking trail, two antebellum homes, 144 emplaced cannons, the restored gunboat USS Cairo( sunk on Dec. 12, 1862, on the Yazoo River), and the Grant ' s Canal site, where the Union Army attempted to build a canal to let their ships bypass Confederate artillery fire.
For more information on the Vicksburg National Military Park, and the programs offered at the park, visit www. nps. gov / vick or call 601-636-0583.
WASHINGTON STREET
Washington Street in downtown Vicksburg has always been a main artery in town, but has seen a resurgence in recent years. While other downtowns may be fighting for tenants, Washington Street is the anchor of a thriving downtown Vicksburg and boasts retail, dining, art galleries, museums and activities for the entire family.
Multiple locally owned shops line the streets offering clothing, shoes, antiques, stationery, décor home goods and much more.
A rich art culture centers on the H. C. Porter Gallery and the Attic Gallery. Below the Attic Gallery is Highway 61 Coffeehouse, and next door is Lorelei Books and lunch options include Bohemia Cafe and Bakery and Brick Street Market.
The Vicksburg Farmers’ Market is held seasonally in Washington Street Park, just a block north of these businesses.
* Chamber Member.
2026 CHAMBER GUIDE • 73