Small Beginnings

Small Beginnings. . , Davis-Mitchell House (1872) , Dr. Charles Mitchell built the house in 1872 for his wife Lucy Bradford who was Jefferson Davis's niece. In 1884 this small house became the first office for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg. Captain Eric Bergland, a Union officer during the Siege of Vicksburg, established the office and was the Vicksburg District's first commander. , The engineering community continued to grow and Vicksburg is now home to the Mississippi River Commission, the Vicksburg District Corps of Engineers, and the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). , John Lane House (1833) , John Lane, the son-in-law of Vicksburg's founder Newit Vick, built the home in 1833. Lane was the executor of the Vick's will and donated the "Public Square" where the Old Court House is located. Lane, like his father-in-law, was a Methodist minister and died of yellow fever in the epidemic of 1855. , Confederate General Stephen D. Lee lived in this home after.the Civil War. During the Siege of Vicksburg Lee had been General Pemberton's Chief of Artillery. Lee was instrumental in establishing the Vicksburg National Military Park. He became the first chairman of the Vicksburg Park Commission after President William McKinley signed the legislation establishing the park. , John Upton Young House (1873) , Captain Upton Young was wounded at three different battles during the Civil War. Union forces captured him near Vicksburg before the siege began. Later he was paroled and after the war returned to Vicksburg, married and built his home in 1873. He was a well known attorney and later served as a judge., Bloom Fountain (1929) , Louis Bloom set aside $6,500.00 in his will to purchase a fountain for the City of Vicksburg. Bloom was a notable Jewish businessman who had lived in Vicksburg most of his life. After his passing in 1926 the executors of his will reached an agreement with the City and the fountain was placed here in 1929. The Greek Goddess Hebe tops the fountain. She is the goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus, and lived on Mount Olympus with her husband Hercules. , Photo captions , Across the street from these three homes was one of Vicksburg's early hospitals. The hospital started as a house in the 1830s and additions and remodeling continued into the 1900s. , Louis Bloom had several patents granted. One of them was for a new suspender design.