Christmas in Vicksburg is celebrated with a parade that uses one of the main streets of the city as its route. People were lining up along Washington Street with folding chairs, strollers, coolers filled with snacks and beverages, and other items in anticipation of watching the parade.
Christmas in Vicksburg.
Seeing the leaves on the trees still adorned with vibrant colors on this early yet mild December day amid colorful decorations for Christmas seemed rather unusual.
This was my first time in Vicksburg, which is the twentieth largest city by population in the state of Mississippi. It has a nice downtown that is walkable.
The northern end of Washington Street was blocked to traffic for the parade at Jackson Street.
Naturally, I was curious about exploring the city of greater than 21,000 residents — but I was also hungry and on my way to a restaurant to have dinner; so I was not interested in watching a parade.
The building which once housed the Beidenharn Candy Company now houses the Beidenharn Coca-Cola Museum, where the famous beverage was first bottled in 1894. Visitors can still enjoy ice cream, Coca-Cola dispensed from a fountain, Coke floats, and a wide selection of Coca-Cola souvenirs. The admission fee is $3.50 for people who are a minimum of 12 years of age; and $2.50 for children between the ages of six and twelve.
Washington Street Park — which was dedicated on Thursday, August 15, 2019 and is located at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Grove Street — is decorated for Christmas every year. The clock does display the correct time.
New Orleans may be located approximately 205 miles to the south and slightly east of Vicksburg…
…but its influence of the classic architecture on some of the buildings in downtown Vicksburg is easily seen — especially with the wraparound balconies that have ornate metal railings.
Information pertaining to historic Vicksburg is available along Washington Street — complete with a map.
In 1853, Vicksburg became the first city in the state of Mississippi which had gas lamps installed on its streets, according to the publication Gaslighting in America A Guide for Historic Preservation by the National Park Service of the United States. Lamps that are powered with natural gas are still in service on some streets in Vicksburg.
At a historic building called The Vicksburg Apartments at 801 Clay Street, 14 windows were illuminated with red light to form a cross for Christmas. This building was once known as Hotel Vicksburg and is located in the Uptown Vicksburg Historic District. It is also one of numerous structures in Vicksburg that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The First National Bank & Trust Company once occupied this historic building at 1301 Washington Street, which currently houses Lofts Luxury Apartments and 10 South Rooftop Bar & Grill. A large holiday wreath with colorful lights was affixed to the top of the archway of the main entrance.
After the parade, one can see the festive lights and decorations that adorned the buildings, trees, and electric street lights of Washington Street.
Earlier that day, the southern end of Washington Street was blocked to traffic for the parade at Belmont Street. The street became rather quiet that night — save for the restaurants and bars that were open for business.
Other things to consider doing in Vicksburg include:
- Grave Site of The Founder of Vicksburg
- A Confederate Camel. Buried in Mississippi.
- USS Cairo Gunboat in Vicksburg
- Historic Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburg
Final Boarding Call
I found Vicksburg to be a quaint city that is unlike any other part of Mississippi. The city is located in Warren County on a high bluff on the east bank of the Mississippi River across from the state of Louisiana, which is unusual as much of the remainder of Mississippi is generally flat.
Vicksburg is not what I would call a destination where one can spend a week on vacation — but it is worth considering to visit for a couple of days.
Interstate 20 cuts through the southern end of Vicksburg. The central area of the city is conveniently located only approximately three miles from the highway; and the drive can be as few as eight minutes.
Photograph ©2022 by Brian Cohen.
