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As U.S. Highway 61 enters Port Gibson's southern limit it becomes
Church Street, and the beginning of a journey into the historical
past. With a good pair of walking shoes and a few hours, you begin
this journey with a walking tour of over forty residences, houses
of worship and cemeteries, many dating back to the early 1800's.
Along the way, you'll see the Engelson House, site of the oldest
formal gardens in Mississippi. First Presbyterian Church, with a
gilded sculpted hand atop its steeple is a very familiar site along
Church Street, with a special quality indicative of other houses
of worship nearby. And, in historic Wintergreen Cemetery, one of
three in Port Gibson, you'll see the final resting-places of Port
Gibson's late citizens, including Civil War general Earl Van Dorn.
Downtown, with its historic commercial and government structures,
offers further opportunities for discovery. No Easy Journey, a permanent
exhibit in the William "Matt" Ross Administration Building,
chronicles the Civil Rights Movement in Claiborne County. The Allen
Collection, exhibited at City Hall, displays photographic images
of Port Gibson from 1906 to 1915. You'll also get a chance to visit
Country Crossroads and their famed quilts, home to a community group
dedicated to helping Claiborne County's youth.
After a busy day in town, you can continue the Port Gibson experience
with a stay at one of a number of bed and breakfast inns, like the
Bernheimer House or Canemount Plantation on the outskirts of town.
After a good night's rest, you'll be ready for more discoveries
at Port Gibson's Civil War sites.
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