Civil War Attractions in the Magnolia State – Visit Mississippi

Vicksburg National Military Park

Tate Nations — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 19:46:04 +0000

Commemorating one of the Civil War’s pivotal campaigns, Vicksburg National Military Park is arguably Mississippi’s most renowned historical attraction. Confederate President Jefferson Davis himself referred to Vicksburg as the “nailhead that holds the South’s two halves together,” and there’s no better way to explore the significant role the city played throughout the Civil War than by discovering the park’s many attractions firsthand. Vicksburg National Military Park is jam-packed with attractions that serve as a testament to the location’s prominent place in American history. More than 1,400 memorial monuments, tablets and markers dot the 1,800-acre park to honor soldiers who served on both sides of the Civil War. The park also features an impressive 20 miles of trenches and earthworks that have been reconstructed to reflect days gone by. The USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum are also located within the park, enabling visitors to view the restored vessel, along with Civil War-era artifacts recovered during the boat’s excavation.

The military park’s scenic, and often hilly, roads are popular with cyclists and walkers. Cycling, including the use of e-bikes, is permitted on park roads and parking lots only.

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Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library

Edie Kay Conner — Thu, 30 May 2024 18:29:39 +0000

The Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, located on the fouth floor of Mississippi State University’s Mitchell Memorial Library, is a rich collection of items related to the 18th president of the United States. Established in 2012, it houses over 15,000 items including correspondence, photos, and memorabilia covering Grant’s life, from his early days to his presidency and beyond.

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Longwood

randylynn — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 21:53:44 +0000

Longwood is a historic mansion located in Natchez. It is the largest octagonal house in the United States, listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and designated as a National Historic Landmark. The home was designed in the Oriental Villa style, with a unique onion-shaped dome on the highest of its six floors. Construction began in 1860 and was halted a year later due to the outbreak of the Civil War, leaving only nine rooms of the home’s basement level finished. The home, which is one of Natchez’s most visited attractions, is open for tours year-round.

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Pemberton’s Headquarters

paulatravis — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 21:04:58 +0000

Pemberton’s Headquarters is the residence that Confederate Lt. General John C. Pemberton occupied during the Siege of Vicksburg, led by Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant from May 23 to July 4, 1863. It was in this building that Pemberton held a council of his officers to discuss plans for surrender of the city.

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Cedar Hill Cemetery and Soldier’s Rest

paulatravis — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 21:37:49 +0000

Commonly known as City Cemetery, graves in the sprawling graveyard represent more than 150 years of history in Vicksburg. A section of Cedar Hill Cemetery established by the United Daughters of the Confederacy contains grave of 5,000 Confederate soldiers who died during the Siege of Vicksburg.

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Vicksburg Campaign Trail

paulatravis — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:31:53 +0000

Nationally significant sites associated with Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s Campaign for and Siege of Vicksburg. Self-guided driving tour. Download the free Vicksburg Battle App on your iPhone or Android to follow the trail on your mobile device. The trail includes sites in Raymond, Port Gibson, and Champion Hill.

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Vicksburg National Cemetery

paulatravis — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:48:33 +0000

Vicksburg National Cemetery is the second largest national cemetery embracing 116 acres inside the Vicksburg National Military Park, holding the remains of 17,000 Civil War Union Soldiers, a number unmatched by any other national cemetery. Located by the USS Cairo in the Vicksburg National Military Park.

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Old Depot Museum

paulatravis — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 15:51:04 +0000

The Siege of Vicksburg is brought to life by the 250-square foot diorama of the battlefield and the film “The Vanishing Glory”. Many exhibits feature water transportation, aircraft and more. Handicapped accessible. […]

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DeSoto County Confederate Monument

paulatravis — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 22:52:18 +0000

Mississippi’s second oldest Confederate monument was erected in 1875 after the Civil War. It is dedicated to those who died for the Confederate States. Hernando Memorial Cemetery has the largest number of Confederate graves in DeSoto County with 100 marked graves and a mass grave for 60 soldiers. Open year round from dawn to dusk.

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DeSoto County Museum

paulatravis — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 23:24:52 +0000

The museum provides education programs, as well as exhibits on the history of DeSoto County from past to present, showcasing artifacts and exhibits featuring the history of DeSoto County, Mississippi. Artifacts and displays begin with the arrival of Hernando DeSoto and his contact with the native inhabitants of Mississippi. Displays continue through the riverboat days with a working model of a paddlewheel boat. Other exhibits feature the parlor of an antebellum mansion and artifacts from the Civil War. Key events in the agricultural, recreational and social development of DeSoto County are also on display. Events in the African-American community are also featured in the museum. Also on the museum property is an 1840’s restored log cabin.

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Edmondson Cemetery

paulatravis — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 22:03:33 +0000

Edmondson Cemetery was originally organized in 1844 as Pisgah Presbyterian Church. Land was donated by William Campbell Edmiston for a cemetery next to the church building, which was built on what is today called Stateline Road or Main St. The Church was later named Edmiston in honor of that family and later the spelling evolved to Edmondson, which was the spelling used by a branch of the family that was very active in helping the church. (This was the family of “Belle” Edmondson, the Confederate Spy). The Church and cemetery were just below the TN – MS boundary line which was “moved” several times due to disputes by the states. At one time the church was in TN and the cemetery in MS. Today the church is Whitehaven Presbyterian Church on Shelby Drive in Memphis. The cemetery is Edmondson Cemetery in Southaven. Old tombstones read like a Who’s Who list of prominent men and women, including Indian traders, politicians and Civil War veterans.

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Grand Gulf Military Park

Tate Nations — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 18:38:49 +0000

In May of 1962, the Grand Gulf Military Monument Park was officially opened, dedicated to preserving the memory of both the town and the battle in which occurred there. Located eight miles northwest of Port Gibson, Mississippi off Highway 61, this 450 acre landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes Fort Cobun and Fort Wade, the Grand Gulf Cemetery, a museum, campgrounds, picnic areas, hiking trails, an observation tower, and several restored buildings dating back to Grand Gulf’s heyday.

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