It isn’t often that I write to American Battlefield Trust supporters urging them to support legislation that would decrease the size of a national battlefield park, but the Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act is a very special case. By transferring 11 targeted acres to the State of Mississippi, it will enable the construction of a brand new, and much needed, visitor center for the battlefield and surrounding historic community.
Vicksburg National Military Park is the most visited cultural site in Mississippi, welcoming more than 400,000 visitors in 2024. But its cramped 1960s-era visitor center is no longer up to the task of interpreting and orienting so many people to one of the Civil War’s most important campaigns.
That’s because when the Park was first created in the 1890s, it focused only on the 47-day siege; but thanks to more recent legislation, the park’s preservation and interpretation footprint has expanded to encompass the full campaign, including critical battlefields like Champion Hill, Chickasaw Bayou, Port Gibson and Raymond. Vicksburg National Military Park deserves a state-of-the-art facility with the space, technology and infrastructure to tell the full story of the Vicksburg Campaign.
Thanks to a collaborative effort spearheaded by the state of Mississippi and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, with further assistance from Vicksburg National Military Park and Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign – all fully supported by the American Battlefield Trust – a new Vicksburg Civil War Visitor Center is scheduled to open its doors in 2028.
This will do far more than showcase the park. It will serve as a gateway to the region’s rich history, guiding visitors through stories beyond the siege, encouraging them to explore further and connecting them with information about all that the area has to offer – battlefields, museums and solid southern hospitality. With around 200,000 visitors expected to explore the new facility each year, the economic benefits will everberate across the area.
Please take a moment and sign our letter to your United States Senators and Members of Congress, urging them to support the Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act (S. 1016 and H.R. 4467,
Sincerely,
Jim Campi
Chief Policy and Communications Officer
American Battlefield Trust