Historic Markers in Downtown Jackson, MS

Tom Hughes

Sergeant Major
Joined
May 27, 2019
Location
Mississippi
Riding through downtown Jackson, MS one can find a few historic signs that mark civil war era structures and events. Unfortunately, many of these markers get overlooked because they are not in prominent areas that most tourists drive by.

Cottn Bale Battery sign.jpg

I'll let the sign speak for itself. But the Cotton Bale Battery was the 9 piece battery that saw action during the siege of Jackson. It now sits across from Baptist Hospital off North State Street.

eagle and bowman hotels sign.jpg

The Eagle Hotel was on this site first. Originally it was a tavern built in 1823.
The Eagle was torn down in 1850 and replaced by the Bowman Hotel. It was 5 stories tall and quite a hotel for its day. It burned during the civil war on June 9, 1863.
The hotel was located across the street from the current Archives and History building downtown.
 
Riding through downtown Jackson, MS one can find a few historic signs that mark civil war era structures and events. Unfortunately, many of these markers get overlooked because they are not in prominent areas that most tourists drive by.

View attachment 390437
I'll let the sign speak for itself. But the Cotton Bale Battery was the 9 piece battery that saw action during the siege of Jackson. It now sits across from Baptist Hospital off North State Street.

View attachment 390438
The Eagle Hotel was on this site first. Originally it was a tavern built in 1823.
The Eagle was torn down in 1850 and replaced by the Bowman Hotel. It was 5 stories tall and quite a hotel for its day. It burned during the civil war on June 9, 1863.
The hotel was located across the street from the current Archives and History building downtown.
I was born in that Baptist Hospital, but it was then a red brick building across North State St. from the new one. Was in the area many, many times but don’t remember the Cotton Bale Battery marker. I do remember the one for the Bowman Hotel across the street from the Archives and Old Capitol. BTW, I also remember when they took that Capitol building apart brick by brick and restored it. It was something to see inside and out when finished. So much history there, ought to be a thread on it.
 
There are a couple of markers that are way off the beaten path and in what I call the combat zone.
Sadly true. Jackson was a beautiful, well kept city. Dad used to complain that for the taxes he paid they ought to put an orchid on every mail box. It was a perfectly safe place, too, for 150,000 people. Serious, violent crime was almost unheard of. But the last time I drove through there 10 years ago the major and minor streets were full of pot holes, the whole place looked seedy and I was frankly afraid to gas up at a station on West Capitol on my way out of town even though almost out of fuel.
 
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