After our visit to Tupelo and all things Elvis, we headed south to Vicksburg, Mississippi. Known for the Battle of Vicksburg, a great location perched on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi, and even a haunted house, Vicksburg has a lot to offer.

Battle of Vicksburg

The Battle of Vicksburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, holding the residents of the city captive for 47 days. Many dug caves into the hillside and lived out the war in them. The Illinois Monument has 47 steps leading up to it, one for every day of the battle.

The National Battlefield Museum tells the story of how the city survived the Union siege. Be sure to head to the visitor’s center to get your Passport Stamp.

Here is a great resource for planning your visit.

USS Cairo

The USS Cairo saw action during the Battle of Vicksburg. On December 12, 1862, this ironclad warship let a flotilla of gunboats into the Yazoo River, with the task of destroying Confederate batteries and clearing the river of torpedoes. Unfortunately, the Cairo was hit with two explosions leaving a gaping hole in the hull, which was catastrophic. The skipper ordered the Cairo to be beached and the crew to abandon ship. The ship sunk twelve minutes later in 36 feet of water.

The USS Cairo was later brought up from the river’s floor and work began to restore it.

You can now go on the ship and tour the museum dedicated to the USS Cairo.

For more information and hours of operation, click here.

The Old Depot Museum & Lower Mississippi River Museum

I put these together because they are within walking distance of one another.

The Old Depot Museum has an extensive collection of artifacts from the Siege on Vicksburg. However, what we really enjoyed was the Diorama. This helped us visualize the battlefield. There is a small fee, but it is worth the price.

Down the street is the Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum. This museum tells the history of the Mississippi River and those who live along its banks. You can also tour the M/V Mississippi IV and experience life aboard the vessel.

McRaven Home Tour

If you’ve ever watched Ghost Adventures, then you’ve heard of the McRaven Home. Known to be the most haunted house in Vicksburg, this historic home dates back to the 1790s.

The tour takes you through the home and the various eras of construction that made this a unique property. We chose to do the day tour, but if you are adventurous, they do offer a night ghost tour.

The Seawall

As we were driving along Levee Street, we saw these murals painted on the walls. We also saw this Riverboat Cruise docked.

Conclusion

We enjoyed learning all about the history of Vicksburg and the Battle of Vicksburg. We would recommend anyone interested in American history to check out this fascinating city.

We’re Mike & Jennifer Skinnell, and together we are The Rambling Quilter. We travel the country full-time in our 41ft. fifth-wheel pulled by our F-350 – affectionately named Beauty & The Beast. Jennifer writes our blog, travel articles, contemporary romance, cozy mysteries, and “Don’t Wait – Our Full-Time Journey Through Breast Cancer”. Our blog is purely for information and entertainment purposes. However, if you’d like to support Jennifer’s writing career, her author link to her books is below.