History Hunting in Port Gibson, Miss.: A Gallery of Selected Sites

By Roscoe Barnes III
Copyright 2019

#RoscoeAndMichellesExcellentAdventures
#HistoryHunting
#MichelleChildres

On a sunny (and sometimes cloudy) Sunday afternoon, Michelle Childres and I toured the small town of Port Gibson, Miss., as one of our #HistoryHunting adventures. The town, which is located about 30 miles south of Vicksburg, Miss., is steeped in history.

Because of the fun, facts, and excitement we find on trips like this, Michelle, a history buff from Louisiana, began calling our escapades, #RoscoeAndMichellesExcellentAdventures. I think it’s cool. So we will use the hashtag with all of our future trips and explorations.

The images below were all taken on Sunday, July 7, 2019. The selection begins with a view of the Claiborne County Courthouse in downtown Port Gibson. That image is followed by images of the town sign, mural, and Bernheimer house. Michelle is featured in most of the photos. Other images will be shared in separate posts. 

The Town of Port Gibson

"After a Union victory in 1863, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant said Port Gibson (pop. 1,840) was ‘too beautiful to burn’ and left it alone. Grant’s triumph at the Battle of Port Gibson began his successful campaign to capture Vicksburg." – AmericanProfile.com

Claiborne County Courthouse in Port Gibson, Miss. 
Michelle Childres is in the lower right corner.

“Port Gibson, Mississippi, the county seat of Claiborne County, is located sixty miles southwest of Jackson and forty miles northeast of Natchez along the Natchez Trace Parkway.

“Chartered as a town on March 12, 1803, Port Gibson is Mississippi's third oldest settlement, being occupied in 1729. Port Gibson was the site of several clashes during the American Civil War and was important during Ulysses S. Grant's Vicksburg Campaign. The Battle of Port Gibson occurred on May 1, 1863.

“Many of Port Gibson's historic buildings survived the Civil War because Grant believed the city was "too beautiful to burn".” -- NatchezTraceTravel.com

Michelle Childres, "history hunter" from Louisiana.

Capturing the moment.

The Port Gibson Boycott Mural

The “Boycott” photos show the mural commemorating the 1966 economic boycott, led by the local chapter of the NAACP, of majority white businesses in Port Gibson and Claiborne County. The Mural artist: Robert Dafford. – The Library of Congress

Mural of the Port Gibson Boycott.

Michelle Childres reading about the Port Gibson Boycott.

Relishing the view.

A moment of contemplation.

Standing with them.

The Bernheimer House

This house in Port Gibson, Mississippi, part of the "Bernheimer Complex" of antebellum buildings of various architectural styles. It is now the Bernheimer House bed-and-breakfast inn. – Library of Congress

The Bernheimer House
Photo by Michelle Childres

Historical marker

Strolling through history.

Taking it all in.

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.