Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Vicksburg, MS, May 5-10, 2011 and a few days prior

With plans to leave Grand Gulf Military Park (Port Gibson, MS) on Thursday, we took some time on Wednesday to do some local sightseeing.


IMG_0194


The photo below was taken 24 hours later, the water had risen over a foot.


IMG_0206


The residents of this home were just about done moving out, the first time since 1973, due to the rising waters. You can see the water in front of their home.


IMG_0207


No problems for us with the flooding when we pulled out on Thursday, nice easy drive to Vicksburg to the Ameristar RV Park, and yes, it was high on the bluff overlooking the flooding Mississippi.


IMG_0230


IMG_0218


We enjoyed visiting the Coca-Cola Museum where the product was first bottled in 1894.


IMG_0220


IMG_0228


A ca 1900 Soda Fountain Machine. These could sell from $900-$3000 when new in the late 1800’s.


On Saturday, we visited Vicksburg National Military Park. In 2006 we had been here on a rainy day, so today’s visit was very pleasant. We also had a mission, to find where the Third Battery Ohio Light Artillery had been, you see Bob’s great, great, great uncle was in that unit.


Found it!!


IMG_0238


IMG_0240


IMG_0249


During the siege, one of the 6 pounder’s was moved closer to the Confederate lines (at the top of the hill in the photo below), so one can speculate if his 3 gr uncle was here or not, but he was for sure in the area of the photos above. Needless to say Bob was in his glory trying to imagine the past.


IMG_0252


IMG_0254


This is the USS Cairo on display at the Military Park. The Cairo was an ironclad ship during the Civil War. It was the first ship sunk (1862) by a enemy torpedo, or as we know it today, a mine.


IMG_0266


IMG_0261


This is the Cairo’s Bell, when it was raised after being under water for over 100 years, some air bubbled to the surface, air that had been trapped in the bell when it sank. Do you think that air may have trapped some sound waves??


IMG_0268


Later in 2011 the USS Cairo will be featured on a new quarter coin collector series, American The Beautiful.

6 comments:

Jim and Sandie said...

Boy is that flooding a sad sight on the TV. That is so neat that you found where Bob's 3g uncle fought. There is something about seeing where our ancestors were and thinking about their lives. Really enjoyed your visit to the Coca-Cola Museum.

Erin said...

Neat find and a very interesting spot to visit.

Travelwithwhippets said...

Wow, I would have been like Bob trying to time-travel back in time! The detail about the trapped air under the bell was fascinating to me.
-- Dianne

Kathy said...

Great post on Vicksburg!
Isn't it getting a little hot & steamy down there in the south?!
Will you still be heading for the Atlantic Provinces this summer?

Last May we were in NC when it was 85 degrees and 95% humidity! We had to get to Maine before we left it behind! LOL
Happy and safe travels!

Chuck and Anneke's RV travels said...

The Civil War park was very impressive for us and we spent two days there. That area has seen lots of flooding over the years, but this seems to be a record year.

Stay safe.

Paul and Marti Dahl said...

I really enjoy your history posts, I'm a history buff, too.

Bob looks really threatening next to that cannon. Too cool that he found the spot where his GGG uncle fought. That must have made it even more special.

Related Posts with Thumbnails