New interpretative center.

[Tom Hughes]

I think the bottom line is: The government wanted to acknowledge the role of black soldiers during the civil war in the Vicksburg arena. Thus, they pointed to Milliken's Bend and erected a monument in the park.

 

[Booklady]

Conceptual drawing of the new interpretative center.

View attachment 529412

Are they going to produce a new movie for the center? I do recall some complaints when the most recent one debuted 15 years ago or so.

 

[Tompre]

Are they going to produce a new movie for the center? I do recall some complaints when the most recent one debuted 15 years ago or so.

I haven't heard, but I hope they do.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I don't have confidence in the NPS giving a fair shake as far as interpretation goes. If I recall correctly they put up a statue to the black Union troops at the Siege of Vicksburg, only problem was, as Ed Bearss pointed out, there were no black Union troops at the Siege. Didn't matter to them then and it has only gotten worse since then.

NPS is more anti-Confederate than anything. The last time that I went to the Olustee Battlefield, NPS had removed the markers that had been there for many years that marked the positions of the CSA units. Only the markers for Union positions remained. It's like the NPS is erasing part of history.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

NPS is more anti-Confederate than anything. The last time that I went to the Olustee Battlefield, NPS had removed the markers

Olustee is part of the Florida Parks Service, not the National Park Service.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Olustee is part of the Florida Parks Service, not the National Park Service.

Wow! I looked it up and you are right. I am surprised that the State of Florida would take down the markers of Confederate positions. Maybe they were in the process of replacing them or something like that - it is just not like Florida to do it. We moved away from the area in 2019, and I may not get to go back to the Olustee Battlefield.
By the way, the reenactment at Olustee in February each year is well worth attending!

 

[Samwisep86]

Are they going to produce a new movie for the center? I do recall some complaints when the most recent one debuted 15 years ago or so.

What were the complaints?

 

[Booklady]

What were the complaints?

The ones I heard centered on so few reenactors tasked with trying to look like thousands of soldiers. A difficult task, to be sure.

 

[Booklady]

I have not been in Vicksburg for 10 years, now, but it concerns me to read that there is no longer a park historian in residence there. I know that the estimable Terry Winschel retired, but why was he not replaced? What happened to Chief Ranger Tim Kavanaugh? Did he also retire? And there were other knowledgeable rangers -- I remember one man (his name escapes me) who earned his PhD while working as a ranger at the park.

I expect to hear that it's due to lack of funds, but that's just unconscionable. A historian at the VNMP ought to be a priority. They gave Terry Winschel an office at the old Pemberton Headquarters across from the old convent. What happened to that place? What is being done with all the historic documents? Is there still a Chief Ranger? Who is overseeing the training of Licensed Battlefield Guides?

(I'm peeved. )

 

[Samwisep86]

I have not been in Vicksburg for 10 years, now, but it concerns me to read that there is no longer a park historian in residence there. I know that the estimable Terry Winschel retired, but why was he not replaced? What happened to Chief Ranger Tim Kavanaugh? Did he also retire? And there were other knowledgeable rangers -- I remember one man (his name escapes me) who earned his PhD while working as a ranger at the park.

I expect to hear that it's due to lack of funds, but that's just unconscionable. A historian at the VNMP ought to be a priority. They gave Terry Winschel an office at the old Pemberton Headquarters across from the old convent. What happened to that place? What is being done with all the historic documents? Is there still a Chief Ranger? Who is overseeing the training of Licensed Battlefield Guides?

(I'm peeved. )

The park's current interpretive staff is a total of 4. That is due to budget cuts.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

The park's current interpretive staff is a total of 4.

Well that's sad.

Basic Personnel Management courses at any college or university teach the total staff of any entity will not likely be working at the same time, (sick leave, personal leave, ect.).

So I would guess only one or two of the park's current interpretive staff are usually available at any given time.

Perhaps the new center will hire a few more interpretive staff ?

 

[Tompre]

I have not been in Vicksburg for 10 years, now, but it concerns me to read that there is no longer a park historian in residence there. I know that the estimable Terry Winschel retired, but why was he not replaced? What happened to Chief Ranger Tim Kavanaugh? Did he also retire? And there were other knowledgeable rangers -- I remember one man (his name escapes me) who earned his PhD while working as a ranger at the park.

I expect to hear that it's due to lack of funds, but that's just unconscionable. A historian at the VNMP ought to be a priority. They gave Terry Winschel an office at the old Pemberton Headquarters across from the old convent. What happened to that place? What is being done with all the historic documents? Is there still a Chief Ranger? Who is overseeing the training of Licensed Battlefield Guides?

(I'm peeved. )

Tim retired also.

 

[archieclement]

The park's current interpretive staff is a total of 4. That is due to budget cuts.

Parks and museums also rely on volunteer staff as well?

 

[Bovina17]

I'm sure they're interpretation would be better than mine: Somebody fought here.

The trouble with interpretation is the underlying political or social message that the interpreter tries to weave into it. I don't want to know the social aspects. I want to know how the campaign/battle developed, who the historical figures were and what happened. Military history for military history's sake.

The campaign rides must be fun. They do exactly that.

Yep. And I don't trust those folks.

 

[danny]

I think you're downplaying the performance of the USCT. A brigade of mostly untrained USCT with obsolete weapons withstood a charge by a veteran Confederate brigade and stood toe-to-toe for 30 minutes in brutal hand-to-hand combat.

It was definitely a signal that defense of the river could be entrusted to the USCT while the Army of the Tennessee redeployed to Georgia.

Over stated

 

[Bovina17]

I understand the dissatisfaction with Corinth, but Shiloh less so.



NPS.



Vicksburg visitor center is woefully inadequate for the size of the battlefield and the location just off an interstate highway.

Vburg already has a bunch of museums. The state could have funded a few research projects that employ people, grass cutting and erosion issues, and remodel the visitor center, instead of this monstrosity. But the usual suspects are involved. Visitors want to stand where the action happened during the Siege. They aren't reading walls of text, that is already fed to them on a daily basis on social media.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

remodel the visitor center

The existing visitor center is too small, without enough parking, and I don't think it has room to expand where it is.

I do agree the exhibits will need to be more than just "walls of text."

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Yep. And I don't trust those folks.

If you don't trust NPS or Mississippi Department of Archives & History then who do you trust?

 

[Tompre]

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid036piiegXt7Q7ZhNjcnHMy7296LiE66v9SpaPTr2Z5K3e5XoNyy2WGRZ3wFn3FfcUsl&id=100063557470139

 

[Bovina17]

If you don't trust NPS or Mississippi Department of Archives & History then who do you trust?

None of em. These govt agencies have an agenda.