The Old Court House Museum in Vicksburg originally served as the Warren County courthouse. Today, it houses thousands of objects, including an extensive collection of Civil War memorabilia. The McCardle Research Library complements these holdings with more than 1,400 historical volumes. Books and objects offer different ways to explore the past—and give the name Warren a tangible historical connection.
Siege and Remembrance in Vicksburg
Vicksburg National Military Park was established on February 21, 1899, to protect areas associated with the siege and defense of Vicksburg. Pemberton’s Headquarters served as the Confederate forces’ command center during the siege. The memorial landscape also includes more than 1,400 monuments, tablets, and markers. More than 17,000 soldiers are buried at Vicksburg National Cemetery, the nation’s largest Union cemetery. The park also manages a preserved section of Grant’s Canal.
Another perspective on the siege comes from the USS Cairo. It is one of only three surviving gunboats from the Civil War era. Visitors can enter and board the ship at Vicksburg National Military Park; check current visitor information before your trip. The USS Cairo Museum displays several hundred artifacts recovered from the ironclad. At the Old Depot Museum, an immersive diorama depicts the siege, while the museum also explores earlier modes of transportation in Vicksburg’s history.
On Foot, by Bike, or Along a Themed Route
The Vicksburg Heritage Walking Trails follow five different routes to a total of 35 markers in downtown and the historic districts. The 16-mile Tour Road in the Military Park offers a different scale: pedestrians can use loop routes of 3 to 16 miles along portions of the road. Bicycles, including e-bikes, are also permitted on portions of the Tour Road. The route details make clear the difference between a walk through downtown and the historic districts and the longer stretches in the park. Check current park updates before your visit.
See the Mississippi from Different Perspectives
The M/V Mississippi IV can be explored on a self-guided themed tour; weather-related closures may occur. The Lower Mississippi River Museum explains how different communities, farm families, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have used the Mississippi. Its exhibits include a 1,515-gallon aquarium with river fish and a scale outdoor model of a section of the Mississippi. The river’s uses, wildlife, and form are presented side by side—three different perspectives on the same river.
Architecture, Commerce, and Local Stories
The Christian and Brough Building, home to the Catfish Row Museum, was built in 1905, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is designated a Mississippi Landmark. The building showcases Vicksburg’s history of carriage manufacturing, blacksmithing, and early automobile sales featuring Packard and Studebaker vehicles. The Vicksburg Riverfront Murals offer another highlight: their 32 pictorial murals depict eras in the city’s history.
The Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum explores Joseph Biedenharn’s first bottling of Coca-Cola in 1894. The restored candy store and office area contains furnishings and exhibits from the 1890s. The museum offers visitors ice cream, fountain Cokes, and Coke floats; check in advance whether these are available during your visit. At McRaven Tour Home, three architectural periods can be distinguished: Frontier from 1797, Empire from 1836, and Greek Revival from 1849. Oak Hall Tour Home offers private tours by request; reserve and confirm a time before your visit.
An Older View of the Landscape
Glass Mounds is a Plaquemine-period mound complex, dating from about 1200 to 1600 CE, in the Mississippi floodplain. Unlike the museums and historic buildings, the site is not open for unrestricted visits: it is on private property and should be viewed from the designated overlook. This archaeological landscape broadens the perspective beyond the history of the siege and the city.
Discover more destinations: Vicksburg, Webster County, Madison, Adams County, Lafayette, Monroe County, Coahoma County, Pontotoc County.
For the main travel overview: Mississippi.
