Vicksburg could, no, should, be the "Gettysburg of the south." the battle was fought at the same time as Gettysburg and was more of a tactical victory, effectively splitting the CSA in half. like Gettysburg, the battlefield has lots of attractive monuments, and intact earthworks. it even has the only civil war ironclad above water, the USS Cairo. in 1894, the first Coca-Cola was bottled in Vicksburg.
Vicksburg is a city full of potential; there's tons of old houses perfect for bed and breakfasts to hold tourists to the large 1863 siege battlefield in addition to several casino hotels. open up some antique stores and art shops to spend the winnings and retirement away. but despite this potential, the city's largely falling apart, which is tragic.
like Waco, the city was crippled by a 1-2 punch in the 50s; a 1953 F5 tornado that destroyed around 1000 buildings and damage from the urban renewal period. there's also a shameful history of lynchings.
but what's left of the urban fabric is beautiful and rife with potential if civic leaders ever wake up.
the 1953 tornado, like the rest of the city's history, is commemorated on the walls of the Catfish Row park by the river
1953
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present day...
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sadly, only one casino is downtown...
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train station
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this old high school was proposed to be converted into condos
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a couple photos from the battlefield park
trench line and a monument
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USS Cairo, which was raised from the Mississippi, partially rebuilt and on display
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I visited there back in 83, but never went into the downtown part. Quite a stock of old buildings and houses!!
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