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Cruising Right Along Multiple businesses utilize port
THERE SHE ISBeauty pageant reigns on
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?Plenty of choices to chew on
What’s Online Take a glimpse of the murals along the Mississippi River in a quick video.
SpONSORED by THE VICkSbuRg-WARREN COuNTy CHAMbER OF COMMERCE
2011 | IMAgESVICkSbuRg.COM
VICkSbuRg, MISSISSIppI
®
Vicksburg/ Warren County
Port of Vicksburg
WorkingServing as a transportation thoroughfare for port businesses and drawing the advanced technology of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Mississippi River is truly the backbone of business in Vicksburg. The three commands of the Corps of Engineers (Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg District Office and Mississippi Valley Division), have spurred economic growth and helped to define the area as a leader in emerging technologies. Interstate 20 and Highway 61 also intersect in the heart of Warren County, providing access to both manufacturing and service industries.
PlayingDiverse recreational opportunities await you in Warren County. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy fishing in our many lakes and rivers, hunting, golfing, hiking, and more. History buffs can immerse themselves in our National Military Park, Old Courthouse Museum, Antebellum Homes and other historic sites. Five casinos line the riverfront and offer lively gaming, entertainment and dining options. Surely, there is something for everyone in our wonderful city.
City of Vicksburg P.O. Box 150 • Vicksburg, MS 39181
(601) 636-3411 • www.vicksburg.org
Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1012 • www.vicksburgchamber.org
livingVicksburg offers everything that people love about Southern living. You will find that our community is rich in genuine Southern hospitality and home to some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. A mild climate allows for year-round outdoor activities and a low cost of living (median home price is approximately $120,000) makes the area attractive to old and young alike. Residents also enjoy access to quality community health care and a strong network of education systems.
learningIn addition to the rich experiential learning opportunities provided by the Vicksburg National Military Park and educational museums, Warren County offers a combination of first-class education systems. Private and public elementary and secondary education options are available. Continuing education opportunities are provided by Hinds Community College and several four-year universities are within an hour of Vicksburg. Students can even earn a PhD through their studies at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Graduate Institute.
US Army Corps of Engineers –
Mississippi Valley Division
Mississippi River
The Juke Joint Restaurant
Lorelei Books
Cedar Grove Inn Mansion & Restaurant
Container Shipping
Opportunities
Beechwood Elementary School
Building Business .Building Com munit y.
Vicksburg/ Warren County
Port of Vicksburg
WorkingServing as a transportation thoroughfare for port businesses and drawing the advanced technology of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Mississippi River is truly the backbone of business in Vicksburg. The three commands of the Corps of Engineers (Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg District Office and Mississippi Valley Division), have spurred economic growth and helped to define the area as a leader in emerging technologies. Interstate 20 and Highway 61 also intersect in the heart of Warren County, providing access to both manufacturing and service industries.
PlayingDiverse recreational opportunities await you in Warren County. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy fishing in our many lakes and rivers, hunting, golfing, hiking, and more. History buffs can immerse themselves in our National Military Park, Old Courthouse Museum, Antebellum Homes and other historic sites. Five casinos line the riverfront and offer lively gaming, entertainment and dining options. Surely, there is something for everyone in our wonderful city.
City of Vicksburg P.O. Box 150 • Vicksburg, MS 39181
(601) 636-3411 • www.vicksburg.org
Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1012 • www.vicksburgchamber.org
livingVicksburg offers everything that people love about Southern living. You will find that our community is rich in genuine Southern hospitality and home to some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. A mild climate allows for year-round outdoor activities and a low cost of living (median home price is approximately $120,000) makes the area attractive to old and young alike. Residents also enjoy access to quality community health care and a strong network of education systems.
learningIn addition to the rich experiential learning opportunities provided by the Vicksburg National Military Park and educational museums, Warren County offers a combination of first-class education systems. Private and public elementary and secondary education options are available. Continuing education opportunities are provided by Hinds Community College and several four-year universities are within an hour of Vicksburg. Students can even earn a PhD through their studies at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Graduate Institute.
US Army Corps of Engineers –
Mississippi Valley Division
Mississippi River
The Juke Joint Restaurant
Lorelei Books
Cedar Grove Inn Mansion & Restaurant
Container Shipping
Opportunities
Beechwood Elementary School
Building Business .Building Com munit y.
2 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 3
Images Vicksburg is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is
distributed through the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce
and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions
or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080
or by email at [email protected].
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce
2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180Phone: (601) 636-1012 • Fax: (601) 636-4422
www.vicksburgchamber.org
VISIT Images VIcksburg ONlINE AT IMAgESVICkSbuRg.COM
©Copyright 2011 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067,
(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced
in whole or in part without written consent.
Member The Association of Magazine Media
Member Custom Content Council
Member Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce
pROjECT MANAgER MITCh klINeON THE COVER eAgle lAke AT SuNSeT
pHOTO by BrIAN McCord
VICkSbuRg, MS
®
cOntents
Features
8 THERE SHE ISBeauty pageant reigns on
12 CRuISINg RIgHT AlONgMultiple businesses utilize port
26 WHAT’S FOR DINNER?Plenty of choices to chew on
departments
4 Almanac
16 biz briefs
18 Chamber Report
20 Image gallery
22 Education
24 Health & Wellness
28 Arts & Culture
30 Sports & Recreation
32 Community profile
33 Through the lens
2011 EDITION | VOluME 3
all or part of this magazine is printed on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.
please recycle this magazine
What’s Online imagesvicksburg.com
See more photos in our online photo gallery
Get the inside scoop from our photographers’ blog
Easily share articles and photos on Facebook, Twitter or via email
Photos
Digital eDition
Facts & statsDig deeper with in-depth data on industries, schools and more
ViDeoGet a moving glimpse at favorite local places and attractions
Real estateLearn about the local housing market and get started finding your place
iMagesVicksBurg .coM 5 4 VicksBurg
Welcome to Vicksburgan introduction to the area’s PeoPle, Places and eVentsan introduction to the area’s PeoPle, Places and eVents
Start With ArtIt’s hard to miss Vicksburg’s claim to art
fame. The 32-panel Vicksburg riverfront
Mural displays both the city’s history and
its emphasis on the arts. It first went up in
2002, and over seven years the mural has
been added to and enhanced, leading to
its completion in 2009. The mastermind
behind the project, artist robert dafford,
designed and created each mural from a
specific event in Vicksburg’s history. In
2005, the $2.8 million Art Park at Catfish
row was completed, contributing to a
rebirth of the city’s downtown scene.
Almanac
At the CorpsThe u.S. Army Corps of engineers
Vicksburg district encompasses 68,000
square miles in three states with a $220
million annual water resources program.
established in 1873, the district is one of
the largest civil works districts in both
size and activities, and the city’s second-
oldest employer. Current projects include
transforming a dry-dock area into an
interpretive center and museum, which
should be open in the fall of 2011.
Stay ConnectedA directory of businesses in Vicksburg is just a button push
away. The Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce has
joined My Chamber App, which can be downloaded to mobile
devices such as smart phones and the iPad. The app helps users
quickly find businesses, discounts and events in the city. And
with free Wi-Fi offered downtown, it’s easy to go online and find
what you’re looking for.
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WARREN
Yazoo R
.
Big Black R.
Vicksburg
JacksonTo Jackson
Vicksburg at a glance
Take a gamblelooking for exciting casino
action, delicious dining and
friendly service? Then head to
the river, where five casinos are
located along the Mississippi
river in Vicksburg. They offer a
combined 171,000 square feet of
gaming space, more than 450
hotel rooms, live entertainment
and restaurant options. The
Ameristar Casino is the largest
with 1,600 slot machines, 29 table
games and a pair of lounges.
other casinos in the area include
horizon Vicksburg, diamondJacks
Casino and rainbow hotel Casino.
Fast Factsn Vicksburg is known as the red carpet city of the south for its hospitality.
n riverfront Park is a popular family destination, with walking trails, picnic tables and grills, and, of course, a lovely view of the river.
n the city is home to the world’s longest-running melodrama, Gold in the Hills.
n Vicksburg is one of only 21 certified retirement communities in the state.
n coca-cola was first bottled in 1894 in Vicksburg. some of these prized early bottles are on display in the Biedenharn coca-cola Museum.
n the Vicksburg national cemetery is the second-largest national cemetery in the united states, second in size only to arlington national cemetery in arlington, Va.
Vicksburg
What’s Online Take a virtual tour of Vicksburg, courtesy of our award-winning photographers, at imagesvicksburg.com.
pOpulATION (2009 ESTIMATE)Vicksburg: 24,896 Warren County: 48,175
lOCATIONVicksburg, the only city in Warren County, is in west-central Mississippi at the confluence of the Mississippi river and yazoo river, and on Interstate 20 at the midpoint between dallas and Atlanta. The city is 40 miles west of the state capital of Jackson.
bEgINNINgSFirst settled by the French, Vicksburg
was incorporated in 1825 and named
for Newitt Vick, a conscientious
objector of the American revolution.
FOR MORE INFORMATIONVicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 Vicksburg, MS 39180 www.vicksburgchamber.org
6 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 7
get golfingWhether you’re looking for a
leisurely match or a high-stakes
game of golf, you’ll find it at the
private Vicksburg Country Club.
This course was built in 1929
along the Mississippi river. like
many courses built at the time,
Vicksburg Country Club is short
by today’s standards, measuring
only 6,059 yards from the back
tees. As a result, the par-70 layout
rewards precision shooting over
pure power. But the lack of
distance does not mean this is an
easy course. Vicksburg Country
Club is built on rolling terrain,
which can result in some difficult
lies. The fairways are tight, the
greens are small and there are
several water hazards that come
into play throughout the course.
Shop ‘til you dropgrab your walking shoes and head to the city’s only indoor shopping
destination, Vicksburg Mall. Anchor stores at Vicksburg Mall include
dillard’s, Belk, JCPenney and goody’s, along with dozens of smaller
shops and restaurants ensure shoppers will not travel far for convenience
and variety. Shopping for a bargain? Find exactly that at the Vicksburg
Factory outlets located off I-20. This outdoor outlet center offers more
than 20 name-brand stores that sell merchandise 30 to 70 percent off
suggested retail. Popular stores include: gap outlet, oshkosh B’gosh,
rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Van heusen and more. you can also
admire brick-paved streets that glow in the old-fashioned gaslights while
you shop in downtown Vicksburg. Washington Street is aligned with
small shops that sell everything from trendy to rare, including a number
of antique stores, Art and Soul, and Willingham’s Inc. If you are looking
to spend the day, there are a number of restaurants, cafes, museums and
galleries to check out while in the area.
Pride in the ParkThe Vicksburg National Military Park draws hundreds of thousands of
visitors each year, largely because of the site’s pivotal role in the American
Civil War. But for those who live here, it provides an artistic amenity
unparalleled elsewhere. The park commemorates the campaign, siege
and defense of Vicksburg – the gibraltar of the Confederacy – prior to
its surrender on July 4, 1863, and contains more than 1,340 monuments,
a restored union gunboat and a national cemetery. The nearby Vicksburg
Battlefield Museum is a combination of the Vanishing glory and gray &
Blue Naval museums, and has become so well known for its collection that
it was referred to as a “gold mine” by producers for the history Channel’s
Great Ships series.
iMagesVicksBurg .coM 9 8 VicksBurg
iMagesVicksBurg .coM 9
VICkSbuRg HAS HOSTED MISS MISSISSIppI FOR MORE THAN 50 yEARS
There
STory By lAuRA HIll | PhoTogrAPhy CourTeSy oF SuSAN ElDERTON
Not every city devotes a week each year to beautiful, talented and brainy young women, but
as host of the Miss Mississippi pageant, Vicksburg has enjoyed that distinction for more than 50 years.
Each summer, more than 45 contestants from around the state arrive in Vicksburg for a week of parades, meet-and-greets, autograph parties, balls, competitions in talent, swimsuit and evening gowns, and thorough grilling by judges, all in hopes of winning college scholarships. It's quite a week for those competing – and a citywide project to keep it running smoothly.
“We've got an outstanding group of about 150 volunteers who work on the pageant,” says David Blackledge, the pageant's executive director and chairman of the Miss Mississippi Corporation board. “People really enjoy working on it. It's a labor of love.”
While preparations go on year
She Is
the newly crowned Miss Mississippi 2010, sarah Beth James left: Miss Mississippi’s outstanding teen 2009, laura lee lewis, sings for the judges.
10 VicksBurg
round, during pageant week Vicksburg is hopping. Contestants arrive on Saturday and settle in to their hotel before a gala parade that evening down Washington Street, followed by an autograph party. Competition begins on Wednesday evening at the Vicksburg Convention Center, and continues through Saturday evening when the winner is announced.
Miss Mississippi Has Economic Clout
Fun? Absolutely. But besides highlighting its social calendar, the pageant has a major impact
on Vicksburg's economy.“Our convention center holds 2,100
people and we have fully 1,500 people from out of town who come here and spend an entire week,” Blackledge says. “The impact is in excess of a million dollars. When you add gasoline, food, f lowers, hotels and shopping, it multiplies quickly.”
The Miss Mississippi pageant, an official preliminary to Miss America, came to Vicksburg in 1958. For 24 years prior to that it had moved to a different town each year, leaving the competition without continuity or financial support. When the Miss America program
granted Vicksburg the pageant, all that changed. That year, Mary Ann Mobley won the crown and went on to become Miss America the following year. The second year of the Vicksburg pageant saw a second Miss America from Mississippi, Lynda Lee Mead.
Vicksburg has supported the pageant so deeply that it became one of the leading providers of scholarships in the Miss America program. Blackledge estimates some $8 million, 95 percent of it from Vicksburg, has been awarded to Miss Mississippi contestants over the years.
10 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 11
Clockwise from top left: Miss Mississippi 2010 sarah Beth James and her princess; Miss Mississippi’s 2010 outstanding teen christina Bostick performs; crowns; christina Bostick; Miss Mississippi 2010 contestants perform
Mississippi Teens CompeteIn addition to the Miss Mississippi
pageant, Vicksburg hosts the Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen competition early in June, a preliminary for the Miss America Outstanding Teen Pageant. Even younger children have a part to play: The pageant’s Magnolia Prince and Princess program gives kids 8 to 11 a chance to appear in shows, the parade and other activities during the pageant week.
An invaluable part of the week are the pageant's hostesses, who volunteer to chauffeur contestants to events, stay with them all day and, most importantly, serve as “fill-in mothers who can talk to them and comfort them,” says senior hostess Pam Dorrell.
Vicksburg, she says, embraces the pageant – and the pageant has helped Vicksburg, too.
“People may not know where Vicksburg is, but when you tell them it’s where the Miss Mississippi pageant is held – they know that.”
12 VicksBurg
Cruising
pHOTO by bRIAN McCORD
iMagesVicksBurg .coM 13
Right Along
pORT OF VICkSbuRg IS A MAjOR Hub FOR TRANSpORTINg
gOODS TO AND FROM THE ENTIRE COuNTRy – AND THE WORlD
STory By lAuRA HIll
Cruising
14 VicksBurg
From the Port of Vicksburg, you can easily reach New Orleans or Memphis on the Mississippi River. Or maybe the east or west coast. Or, if you like, you might even travel halfway around the world.
One of the largest inland ports in the country, the Port of Vicksburg imports and exports nearly 14 million tons of freight each year, sending and receiving barges of cotton and steel coils, soy and pig iron, aluminum and crude oil, and much more to and from destinations around the world. The port, owned and operated by Warren County and the Warren County Port Commission, in 2004 was ranked 11th among U.S. inland ports, based on trip ton miles. Its geographical location, halfway between Memphis and New Orleans, and its outstanding road and rail connections make it a major player in the Southeast – and a stalwart of Vicksburg's economy, home to 22 businesses and industries.
“The port is very critical to Vicksburg,” says Wayne Mansfield, executive director of the Warren County Port Commission. “When you look at our industrial base, we have industries that have been here 50 years or longer, one more than 100 years. And the majority have some tie to river transportation.”
Vicksburg port AmenitiesThe port's infrastructure is impressive. The slack-water
harbor is large for an inland port, approached through a channel whose 12-foot depth is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, keeping barge traffic moving smoothly. The port itself is 600 acres, most of it privately owned. A rail/road loop allows direct access to barges, warehouses and other services. It boasts a 150-ton mobile crane, two 15-ton overhead cranes, all-weather loading
and unloading, and 135,000 square feet of storage.“We are very much a regional port in terms of the
Southeast, because it's a multimodal facility – lose to interstates and rail, so it's a convenient place for goods to be onloaded or offloaded,” Mansfield says. The port, he notes, supports 2,500 jobs.
business Calls port of Vicksburg HomeAmong the leading businesses located in the
Port of Vicksburg:• Kinder Morgan, whose 11-acre terminal handles paper,
steel, packaged and dry bulk products, barge loading, unloading, stowage and handling. It operates the port's largest crane.
• Anderson-Tully Lumber Company ships more than 200 containers overseas each month from the port. Established in 1889, the company is one of the leading hardwood lumber producers in the U.S., maintaining more than 300,000 acres of timberland along 700 miles of the Mississippi River. The company employs 300 people at its port facility.
• Vicksmetal/Armco supplies slit steel to the transformer industry. In 2009, the parent company Summitt Steel Holdings Inc. launched Vicksmetal Company, a $4 million investment. The company employs 55 at its 26,500-square-foot facility at the port.
• Ergon Refining, one of the largest manufacturers of napthenic-process oil in the world, is capable of processing 25,000 barrels of crude oil daily. Specialty Process Fabricators, a subsidiary of Ergon's parent company, designs and manufactures process equipment and machinery such as pressure vessels and custom pipe.
a golding Barge line boat (above) leaves the port. anderson-tully lumber company (right) ships more than 200 containers overseas each month from the Port of Vicksburg.
pHOTO by bRIAN McCORD
14 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 15
16 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 17
BusinessBusiness
Biz BriefsBusinesses – Both large and sMall – that helP define
VicksBurg’s econoMic cliMate
scorecardbuSINESS AT
A glANCE
$440 millionAnnual retail sales
$16,980Retail sales
per capita
$261 millionAnnual hotel
and food sales
1,955Total number
of firms
source: u.s. census Quick Facts
gOlDINg bARgE lINEBiz: Transportation companyBuzz: A third-generation family-owned and -operated company, Golding Barge Line consists of a f leet of 10 boats and more than 40 barges that transport refined products and petrochemicals throughout the United States. Steve Golding, GBL’s president, began the company in 2001.www.goldingbarge.com
VICkSMETAl COMpANyBiz: Electrical steel processing companyBuzz: Working to become the primary supplier of wound cores to the transformer industry, Vicksmetal Company uses the most modern equipment available to ensure quality products and customer satisfaction. The company also creates cores for a variety of voltage regulator manufacturers.www.vmccore.com
16 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 17
MAV 6Biz: Defense contracting companyBuzz: Formerly known as ARES Systems Group, Mav 6 was created in May 2007. The company, contracted through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, focuses on developing software to protect the U.S. military. Mav 6 is comprised of technologists, strategists, analysts, engineers and more.www.mav6.com
ROCA RESTAuRANT & bARBiz: Restaurant and barBuzz: ROCA Restaurant & Bar offers a casual dining experience, serving dinner and lunch with brunch available on Sundays. Owned by Jay Parmegiani, who is also the chef, guests can enjoy entrees such as seared tuna and Angus filet. In addition, ROCA offers a banquet room that can be rented.www.rocarestaurant.com/roca
CORpS OF ENgINEERS CHAMbER OF COMMERCEBiz: Chamber of commerce chapterBuzz: Operating as an entity of the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce (VWCOC), the Corps of Engineers Chamber of Commerce Chapter began more than 15 years ago to provide interested Corps employees a way to participate in the VWCOC.www.mvk.usace.army.mil
18 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 19
Business
chamber reportMeMBers Benefit froM new PrograMs and eVents
It wasn’t long ago that the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of
Commerce found itself at a bit of a crossroads. With its staff in transition and numbers stagnant, the chamber was known primarily for its networking and social events.
“That was not necessarily a bad thing,” Christi Kilroy says, who took
over as executive director in 2006. “But the board knew that the community needed the chamber to be more – a collective voice of business, a visionary organization that could inform and guide its members to a more productive and bright future.”
Kilroy and company set about building that future, revitalizing its
Where Customers Rule & Charity Benefits
New: (877) 776-4770Used: (877) 276-3041
4105 E. Clay St.Vicksburg, MS
www.vicksburgtoyota.com
membership and growing its numbers along the way. Today, the chamber boasts more than 400 companies and over 1,000 associated representatives.
Members on the MoveOver the past five years, the
chamber has worked to improve its events – both in terms of content and support. Attendance has nearly doubled at monthly luncheons and ribbon-cutting events. And new events are drawing great interest and support.
Issues That MatterThe chamber board also has taken
a more proactive approach on key business issues, traveling to Washington, D.C., to lobby for support of local projects. The organization also has worked closely with the Mississippi State Chamber to advocate for critical base-load energy legislation. Another important issue is education, and the chamber is determined to show newcomers that Vicksburg-Warren schools can compete with neighboring communities.
partners in progressRecognizing that teamwork is
key, the chamber regularly partners with member businesses and other organizations in the community. The chamber recently joined forces with various entities to stage its first Southern Hospitality Academy. The one-day workshop on customer service received rave reviews and is expected to become a regular event.
Another example is the Vicksburg Area Job Fair, made possible through the partnership of the chamber, local businesses and the Governor’s Job Fair Network. The 2010 event included around 60 employers and 1,600 job seekers, and more than 450 job offers resulted from the event.
“Partnerships with other agencies here in Vicksburg have been paramount to our success,” Kilroy says. “We work together for the common good of the community.”
– Amy Stumpfl
18 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 19
buSINESS ClIMATEVicksburg is home to a strong working foreign trade zone port,
a solid industrial and manufacturing base, and a healthy retail
and service industry.
ECONOMIC pROFIlE
TAxES
7%total sales tax
INCOME
$21,399Per capita income
$46,330average annual household expenditure
gOVERNMENT OFFICES
Vicksburg city hall1401 Walnut St.
Vicksburg, MS 39180
(601) 801-3411
warren county government1009 Cherry St.
Vicksburg, MS 39180
(601) 636-4415
www.co.warren.ms.us
WORkFORCE
75% white-collar Jobs
25% Blue-collar Jobs
MAjOR EMplOyERS
usa engineer research
& development center
1,600 employees
river region
health systems
1,500 employees
Vicksburg-warren
school district
1,300 employees
usace, division/district and
Mississippi river commission
1,100 employees
ameristar casino
900 employees
ECONOMIC RESOuRCES
warren county
Port commission
(601) 631-0555
www.vicksburgedf.org
Vicksburg-warren county
chamber of commerce
2020 Mission 66
Vicksburg, MS 39180
(601) 636-1012
www.vicksburgchamber.org
greater Jackson alliance
P.o. Box 3318
Jackson, MS 39207-3318
(601) 948-3111
www.metrojacksoneda.com
Mississippi economic
development authority
501 N. West St.
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 359-3449
www.mississippi.org
EDuCATION
28%associate degree
13%Bachelor’s degree
10%graduate degree
TRANSpORTATION
Jackson evers international airport100 International dr., #300 Jackson, MS 39208 (601) 939-5631 www.jmaa.com (Located about 56 miles from Vicksburg)
Port of Vicksburgwww.vicksburgedf.org
Vicksburg Municipal airport5855 hwy. 61 S. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-4925 www.airnav.com
Vicksburg-tallulah regional airport175 VTr Airport rd. Tallulah, lA 71282 (877) 720-5260 www.airnav.com/airport/kTVr/A
nroute transit2501 halls Ferry rd. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1053
20 VicksBurg
A riverfront mural titled A Center of Commerce at the Century’s Turn
Photo by Brian McCord
Image gallery
iMagesVicksBurg .coM 21
22 VicksBurg
The next generation of
leaders isn’t very hard
to find in Vicksburg: just
peek into any classroom.
Vicksburg-Warren schOOls lead state
From pre-kindergarten
programs all the way through
high school and college,
Vicksburg and Warren County
have education covered.
The district has more Advanced
Placement classes than almost
any other system in Mississippi.
The district’s more than 9,000
students also have access to the
gifted and Talented educational
Services Program and
Mississippi Scholars Program.
priVate schOOls giVe Vicksburg parents a chOice
Private schools are another
quality option here, with some
of the state and region’s best
right in town. Among them is
Vicksburg Community School,
which works with above-average
and gifted students; Porter’s
Chapel Academy and Campus
Preparatory Christian School,
faith-based college preparatory
schools; and the parochial system
operated by Vicksburg Catholic
Schools, which includes
St. Aloysius high School and St.
Francis Xavier elementary School.
Vicksburg higher educatiOn OptiOns keep grads lOcal
At the higher education
end of the spectrum, Vicksburg
continues to excel. There are more
than 14 colleges and universities
within a 50-mile radius, including
hinds Community College. The
largest community college in the
state, it enrolls more than 19,500
students annually.
offering degree programs
since 1917, hinds also has a full
a real class actVicksBurg educational offerings include college, uniVersity
education
hinds community college, the largest community college in Mississippi, provides a variety of courses, such as practical nursing (above and right).
22 VicksBurg
roster of athletics so students
and locals alike can cheer on the
eagles year round. hinds also is
engaged in local economic
development efforts, working
with businesses and elected
officials to provide customized
training and retraining programs
for new and existing industries.
For a more specialized
approach, check out the graduate
Institute, a collaboration between
the u.S. Army Corps of engineers,
louisiana State university,
Mississippi State university
and Texas A&M university. This
program allows students to earn
specialized undergraduate and
graduate degrees from member
universities through coursework
offered at the institute.
– Joe Morris Ph
oT
oS
By
Br
IAN
McC
or
d
24 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 25
health & Wellness
Whether it’s for advanced cardiac
care, outpatient surgery or just a
skinned knee, having quality health care
near home means peace of mind. In
Vicksburg, it also means river region
Medical Center.
The center, a part of river region
health System, continues to expand its
services to take care of the community.
It is the first accredited chest pain center
in Mississippi, at the front edge of both
diagnostic and treatment methods in
many other specialties.
chest pain center accreditatiOn achieVed
Accreditation from the Society of
Chest Pain Centers means the heart
& Vascular Center at region river’s
protocols, systems and approach to
patient management all work to reduce
time needed for the fastest, best
treatment when a heart episode
is occurring or about to occur.
Accreditation also means that hospital
administrators and staff have met
rigorous requirements that include
on-site evaluations in several areas.
Beyond its heart care facilities,
river region also excels in emergency
services, with a fully integrated
emergency room tied into the local
emergency medical system. other
on-site facilities include physician
practice clinics, an outpatient diagnostic
imaging center, orthopedics clinic, street
clinic, pain medicine clinic and a chemical
dependency unit.
neW hOspitalist prOgram adds extra layer OF care
river region also has launched a
hospitalist program, which will enhance
patient care by stepping up physician
accessibility and treatment coordination.
hospitalists are doctors who focus on
illnesses that require hospitalization.
They work with patients and physicians,
and are on call around the clock. This gives
them special expertise, and provides
river region’s physicians and staff with
an extra layer of service for patients.
All this takes a lot of room, so it’s small
wonder river region is the largest single
hospital project ever built in Mississippi.
The 372-bed complex has nine
surgery suites, one just for open heart
procedures, three cardiac catheterization
labs, gI suites, a digital mammography
area and an imaging department with
a 64-slice CT scanner under its roof.
– Joe Morris
the heart of the matterriVer region Medical center giVes VicksBurg toP cardiac care
river region Medical center in Vicksburg, part of river region health system PhoTo By BrIAN McCord
What’s Online
For more insight on Vicksburg’s health and
wellness offerings, head to imagesvicksburg.com.
24 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 25
iMagesVicksBurg .coM 27 26 VicksBurg
local Flavor
Br
IAN
McC
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iMagesVicksBurg .coM 27
For those who think Southern cooking is limited to meat ’n’
threes, Vicksburg is a culinary eye-opener of the first order.
Sure, there are plenty of home-style, blue-plate specials to be enjoyed, including the legendary fried chicken at Walnut hills, but the city also boasts a tempting array of new twists on old ideas, as well as infusions of other cultures.
caFé anchuca, cedar grOVe lend histOrical air
A mainstay for tourists and locals alike is Anchuca historic Mansion and Inn, and its Café Anchuca where the filet is so tender only butter knives are issued to cut it (the Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie doesn’t last long either). At the Cedar grove Mansion Inn & restaurant, another antebellum favorite, specialties include wild game and mint juleps.
goldie’s Trail Bar-B-Que, recently celebrated 50 years of serving up delicious meals with all the fixin’s that are tasty every time. For authentic fried catfish, diners head to rowdy’s for their thick or thin cut fish and top it off with the secret-recipe Nosser sauce.
rOca tees OFF With great cuisine
overlooking the golf course
at the Vicksburg Country Club
is roCA restaurant & Bar.
run by Jay Parmegiani, a third-
generation chef, roCA serves
lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.
Parmegiani has created a
sophisticated yet familiar menu
that includes such mouth-watering
entrees as crispy soft shell crab
with Mississippi comeback sauce,
angus filet with cabernet-shallot
compound butter and buttermilk
fried chicken breast drizzled with
maple chili glaze.
dOWntOWn district OFFers rusty’s, main street market
Steak and seafood lovers
know they’ve got plenty to
choose from in the downtown
district, including rusty’s
riverfront grill and its justifiably
famous fried green tomatoes
with lump crab meat appetizer.
A newcomer to the downtown
scene, duff’s Tavern offers a wide
range of menu choices from
steaks to traditional Cajun dishes.
There’s even more Creole and
Cajun to be had at the family-run
Main Street Market nearby.
even with all this to choose from,
some do-it-yourselfers still want
to wear the chef’s toque, so the
Vicksburg Farmers’ Market does
a booming business at the corner
of grove and levee streets from
June through August. Both food
supplier and community gathering
place, the market represents
everything that’s fresh and lively
on the Vicksburg food scene.
– Joe Morris
What’s for dinner? there are Plenty of delicious food choices in VicksBurg
a popular duck and sweet potato dish at roca restaurant & Bar
28 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 29
M ilitary history buffs and scholars alike descend
in droves on the Vicksburg National Military
Park and the nearby Vicksburg Battlefield Museum.
But once here they quickly learn that the arts and
culture scene in the red Carpet City of the South
encompasses more than the city’s Civil War legacy.
cOnFederate memOrials, museumsThe park commemorates the campaign, siege
and defense of Vicksburg – the gibraltar of the
Confederacy – prior to its surrender on July 4, 1863,
and contains more than 1,340 monuments, a
restored union gunboat and a national cemetery.
The museum is the combination of the Vanishing
glory and gray & Blue Naval museums, and has
become so well known for its collection that it was
referred to as a “gold mine” by producers for the
history Channel’s Great Ships series.
get a top-down view of Vicksburg at the
Southern Cultural heritage Center, a collection of
buildings erected between 1830 and 1955. Formerly
the St. Francis Xavier Convent and Academy, the
compound now is operated by the Southern Cultural
heritage Foundation, and has become a space that
celebrates all aspects of the lower Mississippi delta.
riVerFest, Juneteenth highlight FestiVals calendar
Above and beyond its rich historical offerings,
Vicksburg’s present is dotted with festivals and
other activities year round. From the Vicksburg
Mardi gras Ball to riverfest, the Chamber Music
Festival, Juneteenth heritage celebration, historic
downtown Fall Festival and Confederate Christmas
Ball, calendars here stay full.With all this to capture, it’s no wonder Vicksburg’s
art scene is nationally renowned. A current leading light is h.C. Porter, whose downtown gallery features photographs from her collection and book, Backyards & Beyond: Mississippians and Their Stories, which chronicles the devastation and recovery from hurricane katrina. There’s also
a cultured pearlVicksBurg’s ciVil war history, southern charM add to liVely arts, entertainMent scene
28 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 29
the Vicksburg Art Association with its monthly meetings and competitive exhibitions in the landmark old Constitution Firehouse, the most intact Victorian fire station in the state. And then there’s the riverfront Mural Project, a recently completed, eight-year effort by artist robert dafford to install 32 murals on the downtown flood wall.
tOur histOric Vicksburg hOmes, murals
The home life of Vicksburg’s earlier residents
comes alive during Tapestry: A Pilgrimage to
Vicksburg, an annual tour of homes that opens up
16 of the city’s most historic properties, such as the
duff green Mansion and Cedar grove Mansion. And
on the civic and business side of things, the old
Court house Museum offers up the chance to see
where everyone from ulysses S. grant to Teddy
roosevelt and Booker T. Washington stood and
spoke, while the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum
showcases the beginnings of the legendary soft
drink, and houses authentic restorations of its candy
store and office area from the 1890s. – Joe Morris
Ph
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By
Br
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McC
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Clockwise from top left: duff green Mansion, part of the annual Vicksburg spring Pilgrimage; John e. smith monument at Vicksburg national Military Park; Biedenhard coca-cola Museum; cedar grove Mansion; Biedenhard coca-cola Museum
Arts & Culture
30 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 31
W ith the Mississippi river at its border, small wonder that Vicksburg is a boating town.
But with running, fishing, hiking, hunting, birding and more, there’s no need to get wet to enjoy the natural beauty here.
mississippi, yazOO riVers OFFer bOating, kayaking
In addition to the Mississippi, there’s plenty of
boating, canoeing and kayaking on the yazoo river
and lake Centennial, where everglades-like
conditions provide safe harbor for bald eagles,
blue herons, pelicans and more. The water’s also
the locale for the annual BluzCruz Marathon, a
22-mile canoe and kayak race on the Mississippi.
The race is held during riverfest, an annual April
festival that also includes an arts and craft show,
live music and plenty of food.
Paddlers often stumble across birders, and no
wonder. In addition to the eagles and other rare
World of Water & WildernessVicksBurg outdoors offers Boating, hunting, Birding and More
Sports & recreation
tara wildlife near eagle lake has a reputation as one of the best hunting spots in Mississippi. PhoTo By ANToNy BoShIer
30 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 31
avian residents of the area,
Vicksburg’s also home
to Mississippi’s only Audubon
Nature Store, where all purchases
help the organization’s
conservation work
throughout the state.
tara WildliFerural enthusiasts on both land
and sea enjoy getting out to Tara
Wildlife, about 30 miles northwest
of town. Tara has 17,200 acres of
oxbow lakes and bottom-land
hardwood forests, as well as 12
miles of river frontage, making it a
deer and turkey hunter’s paradise.
It also sports a new 5,700-square-
foot conference center, making it
a corporate retreat destination as
well. Warren County also provided
the perfect terrain for the 2010
Championship Stake of the
National retriever Club.
runs, races, parks keep dOWntOWn Vicksburg busy
The river’s the center of activity
for the over the river run, a
5-mile run and race/walk across
the old Vicksburg Mississippi
river Bridge. The race has gone
on for more than two decades
and brings in hundreds of
enthusiastic participants, many
of whom also take part in the 10k
and 5k portions of the run Thru
history race, a 32-year-old
tradition that begins in Vicksburg
National Military Park and draws
more than 1,000 runners.The city center also is home to
the Art Park at Catfish row, a $2.8 million adventure into the history of the Mississippi river and the paddle-wheel steamboats that used to travel it. A splash fountain, garden walks and murals along the levee Street flood wall are all part of the park’s charm.
Vicksburg is well aware of
its natural beauty, so a tip of
the hat to the city’s Parks and
recreation department, which
watches over 15 playgrounds,
eight baseball fields, five softball
fields, an olympic-size pool and
10 tennis courts. – Joe Morris
visit ouradvertisers2R3 Properties LLC
Anchucawww.anchuca.com
BancorpSouthwww.bancorpsouth.com
Blackburn Motor Companywww.blackburnmotor.com
City of Vicksburgwww.vicksburg.org
Diamond Jackswww.diamondjacks.com
Hinds Community Collegewww.hindscc.edu
River Region Health Systemwww.riverregion.com
Trustmark Bank www.trustmark.com
Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureauwww.visitvicksburg.com
Vicksburg Convention Center & Auditoriumwww.vccmeet.com
Vicksburg Toyotawww.vicksburgtoyota.com
Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commercewww.vicksburgchamber.org
6039-TR12260M_TGB_Livability.indd 1 3/22/10 11:40:09 AM
32 VicksBurg
SNApSHOTVicksburg is a thriving, modern community with amazing
architecture, a vibrant cultural scene, rich history and
year-round recreational activities.
COMMuNITy pROFIlE
Executive Rentals One or Two Bedrooms
Homes With Spectacular River View
2R3 PRoPeRties – (601) 415-3299
ClIMATE OVERVIEW
Mississippi has short winters
and long, humid summers.
Summer temperatures vary
little from one part of the
state to another. Because of
the temperate influence of
the gulf of Mexico, however,
the southern coast is much
warmer than the northern part
of the state during the winter.
92° FJuly average high
36° FJanuary average low
58”annual rain fall (vs. national average annual rain fall of 37”)
TIME zONE
Central
COST OF lIVINg
$42,880Median household income
$139,000average home Price
$674Median rent for a two-Bedroom apartment
HOuSEHOlD INFORMATION
24,896total Population
36Median resident age
48% Married
52% single
30% age 19 and under
45% age 20-54
25% age 55 and over
48% white
49% Black
1% hispanic
2% other
TRANSpORTATION
17 minutesMedian travel time to work
closest airport:Jackson-evers International www.jmaa.com
iMagesVicksBurg .coM 33
Through the lens
now that you’ve experienced Vicksburg through our photos, see it through the eyes of our photographers. Visit imagesvicksburg.com to view our exclusive photographers’ blog documenting what all went in to capturing those perfect moments.
While shooting for Images Vicksburg, I stumbled upon the
Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum
where Coke was first bottled in
1894. I walked inside to check it
out and I saw this family standing
at the counter. It reminded me
of a Norman rockwell painting –
they looked like the perfect
American family in a warm and
friendly atmosphere. I grabbed
a couple of quick shots as they
enjoyed a local history lesson
and soda fountain treat at the
downtown museum.
The store has displays and
furnishings from the 1890s, and
offers ice cream, fountain Cokes,
Coke floats and souvenirs.
FrOm Our phOtO blOg: Vicksburg
PoSTed By BrIAN McCord
get the story behind the photo
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A Reason for Every Season in Vicksburg!For meeting, eating and needing services, these Vicksburg businesses are eager to help.
Main Street Program 1000 Levee St.
Vicksburg, MS 39180 Office: (601) 634-4527 Cell: (601) 831-8043
www.downtownvicksburg.com
Vicksburg Convention Center & Auditorium
1600 Mulberry St. Vicksburg, MS 39180
(866) 822-6368 www.vicksburgevents.com
Wilsonwood Lodge 1040 Mallet Rd.
Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-0300
www.wilsonwoodlodge.com
Rusty’s Riverfront Grill 901 Washington St.
Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 638-2030
www.rustysriverfront.com
2566 S. Frontage Rd., Ste. C Vicksburg, MS 39180
(601) 630-9966 www.staffltd.com
916 Belmont St., Ste. 2 Vicksburg, MS 39180
(601) 619-0204 www.edwardjones.com
Wayne V. Pratt, AAMS®
Financial Advisor