By April Bryan, Depot Museum Curator
New displays, more open buildings, and a special exhibition will help Vicksburg Historical Society, Depot Museum, and Historic Village launch its 50th season, opening May 24 at 300 N. Richardson Street. Vicksburg’s hometown history hub will welcome visitors Thursday through Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. through December.
A special exhibition, “Then and Now: Our Changing Landscape in Photographs”, explores the ways Vicksburg and its surrounding areas have changed over time. The exhibition pairs historic photographs and real photo postcards with current snapshots to contrast the face of Vicksburg yesterday and today.
It asks questions: Where was Vicksburg’s first frame building and what’s on the site now? How does downtown look today compared with the late 19th century? What businesses operated through the years in the spaces where you shop, eat, work, and play today? These questions and more are answered in this new exhibition, which also draws on related artifacts from the museum’s collection.
“Then and Now” highlights sites including the Sun Theatre, Dancer›s, the White Front, Vicksburg Governor Works, the Fulton Hotel and Lee Paper Company. This special exhibition, displayed in the Depot Museum, is presented free of charge and may be enjoyed when the Depot is open or by special reservation.
Throughout the season, visitors can explore new displays and see recent acquisitions added to the Historic Village buildings. Get some vintage retail therapy in the General Store, relive sweet memories in the Sweet Shop, and picture yourself as a student in the one-room Strong School. Uncover snapshots of your friends and family within the yearbooks, newspapers, and photo albums lining the Depot shelves. Enjoy a picnic in the Gazebo, toss a ball with your pup, and take a romantic stroll throughout the village. Kids will have fun boarding the cherry red caboose and sounding the new interactive Ford brakes in the Village Garage.