Vicksburg in Warren County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Signal Corps

— Vicksburg Heritage Walking Trail —

Photographed By Mark Hilton, March 23, 2018

1. Signal Corps Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

On the Edge
Just outside Vicksburg's city limits, Judge Warren Cowan built a mansion near the Vicksburg-Meridian Railroad in 1860. Following the Civil War the home was used by the Union Army as a Signal Corps Station. Fisher Funeral Home moved from downtown to this location in the 1940s and added on to the original house.

The next three homes up the hill were built just after the Civil War.
• The Callen House built in 1875.
• Cherokee built in 1872.
• The Vick Shannon House built in 1870.

Modernizing
The nearby railroad was built in the early 1800s reaching only 20 miles east to Clinton, Mississippi. The original purpose was for transporting cotton to Vicksburg where it was loaded on steamboats.

Prior to the railroad cotton was transported using ox-drawn carts which were very inefficient and slow. Skinner's Journal of Agriculture reported: "we have seen it [cotton] coming into Vicksburg, hauled by five yoke of oxen carrying 2,500 to 3,000 pounds, and so slowly that motion was scarcely perceptible."

Photo captions:
Top: The Cowan
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house after Vicksburg surrendered. The flags of the Signal Corps can be seen on the balcony.
Bottom: In the early 1900s a new railroad depot was built across the street from the funeral home along with a "round house" and sleeping quarters for train conductors. The railroad continued to grow easterly connecting to other towns and railways.

Erected 2017 by the City of Vicksburg. (Marker Number 35.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. In addition, it is included in the Mississippi, Vicksburg Heritage Walking Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.

Location. 32° 20.651′ N, 90° 52.773′ W. Marker is in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in Warren County. Marker is on Cherry Street south of Shannon Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1830 Cherry Street, Vicksburg MS 39180, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Carr Central High School (within shouting distance of this marker); President Dwight Eisenhower (approx. 0.2 miles away); Vicksburg Garden Club (approx. 0.2 miles away); Blue Roof (approx. ¼ mile away); City of Steeples (approx. ¼ mile away); Cherry Street

The Fisher Funeral Home next to marker. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, March 23, 2018

2. The Fisher Funeral Home next to marker.

(approx. ¼ mile away); Vicksburg-Warren-County Memorial. (approx. ¼ mile away); Frank Crump, Jr. (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vicksburg.

View across from marker where railroad depot and round house was built. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, March 23, 2018

3. View across from marker where railroad depot and round house was built.

Former Carr Central High School can partially be seen on left

U. S. Signal Corps Headquarters (1850-1899) image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress

4. U. S. Signal Corps Headquarters (1850-1899)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 31, 2018. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 218 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 27, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.