Vicksburg in Warren County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
"Gold in the Hills"
Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 25, 2017
1. "Gold in the Hills" Marker
Inscription.
"Gold in the Hills". . The longest continually-running melodrama in the world began with modest roots on March 28, 1936 by Julia Arnold on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers barge that had been redesigned to resemble a riverboat and renamed the Dixie Belle. "Gold in the Hills," an 1890's-era melodrama, was written in 1930 by J. Frank Davis. The play was set in the New York Bowery and featured a classic "good" versus "evil" plot. Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have comprised a cast of singers, dancers, actors and actresses portraying Nell Stanley (heroine farm girl) and her family, John Dalton (hero farm boy), Richard Murgatroyd (villain) and Sam Slade (his accomplice). In 1948, "Gold" moved to the Sprague, the largest and most powerful sternwheel towboat ever launched, which had been purchased by the City of Vicksburg to serve as a floating theater and river-related museum. When the Sprague burned in 1974, the play was performed in a number of places until a new theater was built in 1977. No matter what obstacles arise, "Gold in the Hills" delights audiences every year who come to cheer for the hero and heroine, boo the villain (often throwing peanuts at him), and sing along with the cast.,
Sponsored by , Friends of "Gold in the Hills".
The longest continually-running melodrama in the world began with modest roots on March 28, 1936 by Julia Arnold on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers barge that had been redesigned to resemble a riverboat and renamed the Dixie Belle.
"Gold in the Hills," an 1890's-era melodrama, was written in 1930 by J. Frank Davis. The play was set in the New York Bowery and featured a classic "good" versus "evil" plot.
Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have comprised a cast of singers, dancers, actors and actresses portraying Nell Stanley (heroine farm girl) and her family, John Dalton (hero farm boy), Richard Murgatroyd (villain) and Sam Slade (his accomplice).
In 1948, "Gold" moved to the Sprague, the largest and most powerful sternwheel towboat ever launched, which had been purchased by the City of Vicksburg to serve as a floating theater and river-related museum. When the Sprague burned in 1974, the play was performed in a number of places until a new theater was built in 1977.
No matter what obstacles arise, "Gold in the Hills" delights audiences every year who come to cheer for the hero and heroine, boo the villain (often throwing peanuts at him), and sing along with the cast.
Sponsored by Friends of "Gold in the Hills"
Erected 2008 by the City
Click or scan to see this page online
of Vicksburg Riverfront Mural Committee.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is March 28, 1936.
Location. 32° 21.125′ N, 90° 53.004′ W. Marker is in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in Warren County. Marker is on Levee Street south of Grove Street, on the left when traveling south. The Vicksburg Riverfront Murals are located on the Yazoo Diversion Canal levee wall. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Levee Street, Vicksburg MS 39183, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 4, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 549 times since then and 80 times this year. Last updated on January 22, 2022, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 4, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
