Stoppin' in Vicksburg

Vicksburg is chock full of history. The Vicksburg National Military Park is a testament to the endurance and courage of the men who fought with honor for both the North and South during the Civil War. The park shows how the battlelines were drawn in graphic red and blue signs and monuments, telling the tale of the siege. There are historic homes all over the area from exquisite antebellums to inns that have stood the test of time (sometimes with the help of a restoration crew). The area is gorgeous in the spring and summer with the blooming of the flowers and trees, especially the wonderful Magnolias. Right on the Mississippi, the riverboat casinos offer great slot and table action if you're looking for games of chance - just be sure to bring Lady Luck (and a pocket full of change) with you. Vicksburg is also the home to a large outlet shopping center. The stores are full of name brand merchandise and who knows - you may actually find a good deal if you look hard enough.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around is in the comfort of your own vehicle. Get a GOOD map of the town, because it is not laid out in straight lines, nor is everything in one place. The landscape is hilly and in places steep, so be careful in inclement weather.

The Hampton Inn Vicksburg is a great location that is clean, comfortable and close to many area attractions. Almost adjacent to the Military Park, the Hampton sits on a hill next to the Holiday Inn. It has a great pool for the swimmers in the family, with a nice surrounding deck with tables and lounge chairs for those who want to soak up some sun. Nestled in the hillside like it is, the Hampton is shielded from highway noises so it is a peaceful setting. There are restaurants nearby, two which are reviewed in this journal, to satisfy your appitite, and the hotel is close to the outlet center. The rooms are mostly standard sized, but are nicely appointed with irons and ironing boards, data ports, and cable. If you don''t want to go out to eat, room service with a nice variety of dishes is available from the Holiday Inn next door. The Hampton also has it''s continental breakfast, served every morning in the lobby, complete with cereals, pastries and breads, coffee, juice and milk. We found great service and suggestions from the staff which capped the visit.

At first glance, The Beechwood looks a little suspect. The building is old and a little beat looking, but the number of cars filling the lot told the tale we hoped. We were not disappointed. The restaurant was packed with hungry patrons, ordering up the vast array of seafood and charcoal-grilled steaks offered on the menu. We started with a fresh salad, complete with homemade croutons and a superb house vinigrette dressing. My main course, a combination of fish and shrimp, was out of this world. The shrimp were HUGE, all in a beer batter and fried golden. The fish was thick tender filets served with tartar sauce, a loaded baked potato, and fresh steamed veggies. Accompanied by fresh hush puppies and rolls, the meal was more than enough to satisfy any appetite. I was careful and saved room for dessert, which was a cool slice of Key Lime Pie, a great finish to dinner. The service was great, handling our requests with smiling ease. Please don't let the rough exterior of the Beechwood scare you off, you'll find that this is one book you can't judge by it's cover.

Maxwell's is another restaurant that dosen't look like much on the outside, but is a very nice place. We had to wait a while to get a table, but it ended up being well worth it. The menu is extensive, with fine seafood dishes like oysters Rockefeller or Beinville and fresh-caught fish, tender veal, thick cut steaks, prime rib, and a variety of chicken entrees. I chose the Veal Oscar, which was wonderful. The veal medallions were fork-tender, topped with fresh asparagus, generous chunks of crab, and a light Bernaise sauce. Rice, steamed vegetables, and fresh baked rolls came with the meal, nicely rounding it out. There was a soup and salad bar with loads of options, but I opted for the Caesar salad instead. The service was good, but the restaurant was busy and so it seemed like they could have used a little more help.
Maxwell's proved to have wonderful fine dining at a price that was much easier to swallow than the restaurants at the Vicksburg area casinos.

We just were through Vicksburg on July 3,2008 and this restaurant has been torn down. What a shame!

The Vicksburg campaign and siege was one of the major decisive battles of the War Between the States. The National Military Park both commemorates and memorializes the battle waged here and the valiant men on both sides who fought amid the trenches and emplacements. As you drive through the park, you are graphically shown the battle lines with blue and red signs along the way. The lines meet where skirmishes were fiercely fought, sometimes from earthworks and trenches, as the tense campaign progressed.

There are monuments throughout the park, erected in memory of the troops from the 28 states that had men in action in Vicksburg. Also in the park is the USS Cairo, a Union 'city class' iron-clad gunboat that was sunk in the waters of the Yazoo River by an underwater mine. The gunboat was slowly covered in the protective silt and sand of the river until recovered from it's watery grave in the mid 1960's. The armaments and gear of the men aboard the Cairo were found almost intact when the gunboat was found, each piece carefully cleaned and saved by the recovery team. The Cairo and its vast treasure of wartime artifacts are on display at the USS Cairo museum which is located along the tour road.

Adjacent to the Military Park, is the Vicksburg National Cemetery in which over 17,000 Union veterans - almost 12,000 unknowns - are interred. Also included in the cemetery are veterans from the Mexican and Spanish-American Wars, World Wars I and II, and the Korean Conflict. The tour of the park is a somber reminder of the struggle and price paid for our freedom and way of life. Take the tour through the park, watch the films, and learn. For only a $4.00 fee, it's an inexpensive history lesson.

The Biedenharn Museum is a restored 1890 building in which Coca-Cola was first bottled anywhere in the world in 1894. Two men from Vicksburg had the idea of being able to take the wonderful fountain drink home without losing the fizz and bought the exclusive bottling rights to Coca-Cola for one whole dollar. The museum has exhibits that tell the story of the original bottling process, right down to the metal mesh mask the bottler wore in case of exploding overfilled bottles. The remainder of the displays are volumes of Coca-Cola memorabilia from picture postcards and signage to collectibles and trinkets. It was amazing to look at the way Coke was promoted over the decades - from a health and vitality elixir to what we have and enjoy today. The museum is small (especially if you've ever been to The World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta), but if you are a Coke memorabilia collector, you'll want to stop and check this place out. The Biedenharn Museum also has a restored 1890 candy store, as well as a 1900 genuine soda fountain. You may purchase homemade candies, sodas and ice cream floats, hand-dipped ice cream, and over 100 Coca-Cola commemorative items. Stopping here was a nice little diversion along the way, and yes - the ice cream floats are great.