Images Vicksburg, MS: 2011

2011 | imagesvicksburg.com ®

Vicksburg, mississippi

Cruising Right Along Multiple businesses utilize port

THERE SHE IS Beauty 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

Vicksburg/ Warren Count y rs – Enginee f o s p r o C US Army Valley Division pi ip s is s Mis

Mississippi R

Working

Serving 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.

iver

Playing

Diverse 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.

Port of Vicksburg t Restaurant The Juke Join

City of Vicksburg P.O. Box 150 • Vicksburg, MS 39181 (601) 636-3411 • www.vicksburg.org

Buil di ng Busi ness.

B u i l d i n g C o m m u n i t y.

Lorelei B

living

ook s

Vicksburg 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.

learning

In 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.

Beechwood Elementary School

ipping Container Sh s Opportunitie

Cedar Grove In

n Mansion &

Restaurant

Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1012 • www.vicksburgchamber.org

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What’s Online imagesvicksburg.com

2011 edition | volume 3 ®

Vicksburg , MS

Photos See more photos in our online photo gallery Get the inside scoop from our photographers’ blog

Facts & Stats

co nte nt s

Dig deeper with in-depth data on industries, schools and more

F e atu r e s

Video Get a moving glimpse at favorite local places and attractions

Real estate

8 THERE SHE IS Beauty pageant reigns on

12 Cruising Right Along

Learn about the local housing market and get started finding your place

Multiple businesses utilize port

26 WHAT’S FOR DINNER? Plenty of choices to chew on

Digital edition Easily share articles and photos on Facebook, Twitter or via email 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 info@jnlcom.com.

For more information, contact: Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180 Phone: (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

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

The Association of Magazine Media Member

Custom Content Council

Member Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce project manager mitch kline On the cover Eagle Lake at sunset Photo by Brian McCord

d e pa r tm e nt s

All or part of this magazine is printed on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

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Almanac

Welcome to Vicksburg An introduction to the area’s people, places and events

Start With Art It’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.

The 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 secondoldest employer. Current projects include transforming a dry-dock area into an interpretive center and museum, which should be open in the fall of 2011.

Photo Courtesy of Kavanaugh Breazeale

At the Corps

Stay Connected A 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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Fast Facts n Vicksburg is known as the Red Carpet City of the South for its hospitality.

Take a Gamble

n Riverfront Park is a popular family destination, with walking trails, picnic tables and grills, and, of course, a lovely view of the river.

Looking 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.

n The city is home to the world’s longestrunning melodrama, Gold in the Hills. n Vicksburg is one of only 21 Certified Retirement Communities in the state.

Vicksburg At A Glance POPULATION (2009 estimate) Vicksburg: 24,896 Warren County: 48,175 LOCATION Vicksburg, 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.

What’s Online

BEGINNINGS First settled by the French, Vicksburg was incorporated in 1825 and named for Newitt Vick, a conscientious objector of the American Revolution.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber R. of Commerce o 2020zoMission 66 Ya Vicksburg, MS 39180 www.vicksburgchamber.org

Vicksburg

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.

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Take a virtual tour of Vicksburg, courtesy of our awardwinning photographers, at imagesvicksburg.com.

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Get Golfing Whether 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.

Pride in the Park The 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.

Shop ‘til you Drop Grab 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.

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There

She Is

Vicksburg has hosted Miss Mississippi for more than 50 years

Story By Laura Hill | Photography courtesy of Susan Elderton

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The newly crowned Miss Mississippi 2010, Sarah Beth James Left: Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen 2009, Laura Lee Lewis, sings for the judges.

ot 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 i m ag e s v i c k s b u r g . c o m

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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 10

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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, flowers, 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.

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 Compete In 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.”

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photo by Brian M cCord

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Cruising 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

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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.

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rom 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 Amenities The 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 14

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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 Home Among 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-squarefoot 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.

photo by Brian M cCord

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Business

Biz Briefs Businesses – both large and small – that help define vicksburg’s economic climate

Scorecard Business At A Glance

$440 million Annual retail sales

$16,980 Retail sales per capita

$261 million Annual hotel and food sales

1,955 Total number of firms Source: U.S. Census Quick Facts

VICKSMETAL COMPANY Biz: Electrical steel processing company Buzz: 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

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GOLDING BARGE LINE Biz: Transportation company Buzz: A third-generation family-owned and -operated company, Golding Barge Line consists of a fleet 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

MAV 6 Biz: Defense contracting company Buzz: 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 & BAR Biz: Restaurant and bar Buzz: 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 COMMERCE Biz: Chamber of commerce chapter Buzz: 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

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Business

Chamber Report Members benefit from new programs and events

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t wasn’t long ago that the VicksburgWarren 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) 776-4770 Used: (877) 276-3041 4105 E. Clay St. Vicksburg, MS

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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 Move Over 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 ribboncutting events. And new events are drawing great interest and support.

Issues That Matter The 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 Progress Recognizing 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

Economic Profile Business Climate Vicksburg is home to a strong working foreign trade zone port, a solid industrial and manufacturing base, and a healthy retail and service industry.

workforce

75% White-Collar Jobs

25%

taxes

7% Total Sales Tax

income

$21,399 Per Capita Income

$46,330 Average Annual Household Expenditure

government Offices Vicksburg City Hall 1401 Walnut St. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 801-3411 Warren County Government 1009 Cherry St. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-4415 www.co.warren.ms.us

Mississippi Economic Development Authority 501 N. West St. Jackson, MS 39201 (601) 359-3449 www.mississippi.org

Blue-Collar Jobs

education

major employers

28%

USA Engineer Research & Development Center 1,600 employees

Associate Degree

River Region Health Systems 1,500 employees

Bachelor’s Degree

Vicksburg-Warren School District 1,300 employees

Graduate Degree

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

13% 10% Transportation Jackson Evers International Airport 100 International Dr., #300 Jackson, MS 39208 (601) 939-5631 www.jmaa.com (Located about 56 miles from Vicksburg) Port of Vicksburg www.vicksburgedf.org Vicksburg Municipal Airport 5855 Hwy. 61 S. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-4925 www.airnav.com Vicksburg-Tallulah Regional Airport 175 VTR Airport Rd. Tallulah, LA 71282 (877) 720-5260 www.airnav.com/airport/ KTVR/A NROUTE Transit 2501 Halls Ferry Rd. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1053

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Image Gallery

A riverfront mural titled A Center of Commerce at the Century’s Turn Photo by Brian McCord

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Education

Hinds Community College, the largest community college in Mississippi, provides a variety of courses, such as practical nursing (above and right).

A Real Class Act Vicksburg educational offerings include college, university

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he 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

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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

photos by Brian M c Cord

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

Health & Wellness

The Heart of the Matter River Region Medical Center gives Vicksburg top cardiac care

What’s Online For more insight on Vicksburg’s health and wellness offerings, head to imagesvicksburg.com.

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hether 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

River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg, part of River Region Health System

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Photo by brian M c Cord

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Local Flavor

What’s for Dinner? there are plenty of delicious food choices in vicksburg

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or 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 homestyle, 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.

Brian M c Cord

ROCA Tees Off With Great Cuisine

Overlooking the golf course at the Vicksburg Country Club is ROCA Restaurant & Bar. Run by Jay Parmegiani, a thirdgeneration 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

A popular duck and sweet potato dish at ROCA Restaurant & Bar

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A Cultured Pearl Vicksburg’s Civil War history, Southern charm add to lively arts, entertainment scene

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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, Museums 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 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

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Vicksburg

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

PHOTOS BY Brian M c Cord

Arts & Culture

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

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

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Sports & Recreation

World of Water & Wilderness Vicksburg outdoors offers boating, hunting, birding and more

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

Tara Wildlife near Eagle Lake has a reputation as one of the best hunting spots in Mississippi.

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Vicksburg

photo by Antony Boshier

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 Wildlife Rural 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-squarefoot 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 6039-TR12260M_TGB_Livability.indd 1 million adventure into the history 2R3 Properties LLC of the Mississippi River and the Anchuca paddle-wheel steamboats that www.anchuca.com used to travel it. A splash fountain, garden walks and murals along BancorpSouth www.bancorpsouth.com the Levee Street flood wall are all part of the park’s charm.

Blackburn Motor Company Vicksburg is well aware of www.blackburnmotor.com its natural beauty, so a tip of City of Vicksburg the hat to the city’s Parks and www.vicksburg.org Recreation Department, which Diamond Jacks watches over 15 playgrounds, www.diamondjacks.com eight baseball fields, five softball Hinds Community College fields, an Olympic-size pool and www.hindscc.edu 10 tennis courts.

– Joe Morris

visit our

advertisers

3/22/10 11:40:09 AM

River Region Health System www.riverregion.com Trustmark Bank www.trustmark.com Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau www.visitvicksburg.com Vicksburg Convention Center & Auditorium www.vccmeet.com Vicksburg Toyota www.vicksburgtoyota.com Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce www.vicksburgchamber.org

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community profile snapshot Vicksburg is a thriving, modern community with amazing architecture, a vibrant cultural scene, rich history and year-round recreational activities.

time zone

30%

Central

Age 19 and Under

Cost of Living

45%

$42,880

Median Household Income

climate overview

$139,000 Average Home Price

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° F July Average High

36° F January Average Low

58” Annual Rain Fall (vs. National Average Annual Rain Fall of 37”)

$674

Median Rent for a Two-Bedroom Apartment

48% White

49% Black

24,896

2%

Total Population

36

Hispanic

Other

Transportation

Median Resident Age

48% Married

52% Single

2R3 PRoPeRties – (601) 415-3299

Age 55 and Over

1%

Executive Rentals One or Two Bedrooms

Vicksburg

25%

Household Information

Homes With Spectacular River View

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Age 20-54

17 minutes Median Travel Time to Work Closest Airport: Jackson-Evers International www.jmaa.com

Through the Lens

Get the Story Behind the Photo 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.

From Our Photo Blog: Vicksburg 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.

Posted by Brian McCord

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Ad Index

32 2R3 Properties LLC

6 Anchuca

2 BancorpSouth

6 Blackburn Motor Company

2 Diamond Jacks

23 Hinds Community College

25 River Region Health System

6 Trustmark Bank 17 Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau C4 Vicksburg Convention Center & Auditorium 18 Vicksburg Toyota C2 Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce

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

Wayne V. Pratt, AAMS Financial Advisor

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916 Belmont St., Ste. 2 Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 619-0204 www.edwardjones.com