With plans to leave Grand Gulf Military Park (Port Gibson, MS) on Thursday, we took some time on Wednesday to do some local sightseeing.
The photo below was taken 24 hours later, the water had risen over a foot.
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.
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.
We enjoyed visiting the Coca-Cola Museum where the product was first bottled in 1894.
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!!
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.
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.
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??
Later in 2011 the USS Cairo will be featured on a new quarter coin collector series, American The Beautiful.
6 comments:
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.
Neat find and a very interesting spot to visit.
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
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!
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.
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.
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