THE RUINS OF WINDSOR - NEAR PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI The amazing RUINS OF WINDSOR loom up at 10.3 m. (L). Twenty-two gigantic stone Corinthian columns remain as testimony to what was perhaps the supreme gesture of the grand manner of ante-bellum Greek Revival architecture. These columns, joined by Italian wrought-iron railings which were once at the upper gallery level, form a perfect outline of the house, which was rectangular in shape with a narrow ell, the service wing, at the rear. Windsor was built by S. C. Daniel, a wealthy planter who had holdings in the vicinity and across the river in Louisiana. When completed in 1861, it was considered the handsomest home in Mississippi. It had five stories topped by an observatory. The furnishings were imported and the library housed rare old books. Rich tapestries and velvet draperies adorned it. During the War between the States for a short period the Confederates used its lofty tower, which commanded a view of the Mississippi River, as an observation point; then the Federals used it as a hospital. Mark Twain, when a pilot on Mississippi steamboats, used to chart his course at this point by the peak of the tower. In 1890 Windsor was destroyed by fire. Except for a few pieces of jewelry nothing was saved. — Mississippi, A Guide to the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938) Guide Note: The site was donated to the state of Mississippi in 1974. * * * David Jones is a State Guide to Mississippi, where he’s a Professor/Extension Specialist. While going to school, he lived in five of the Southern states, from Virginia to Texas. His career path has landed him in some pretty remote places, but has also allowed him to meet some amazing people and see some astonishing things. Currently he can be found traveling the highways and back roads of Mississippi, helping people out when he can and exploring the hidden treasures of the state. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.
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THE RUINS OF WINDSOR - NEAR PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI The amazing RUINS OF WINDSOR loom up at 10.3 m. (L). Twenty-two gigantic stone Corinthian columns remain as testimony to what was perhaps the supreme gesture of the grand manner of ante-bellum Greek Revival architecture. These columns, joined by Italian wrought-iron railings which were once at the upper gallery level, form a perfect outline of the house, which was rectangular in shape with a narrow ell, the service wing, at the rear. Windsor was built by S. C. Daniel, a wealthy planter who had holdings in the vicinity and across the river in Louisiana. When completed in 1861, it was considered the handsomest home in Mississippi. It had five stories topped by an observatory. The furnishings were imported and the library housed rare old books. Rich tapestries and velvet draperies adorned it. During the War between the States for a short period the Confederates used its lofty tower, which commanded a view of the Mississippi River, as an observation point; then the Federals used it as a hospital. Mark Twain, when a pilot on Mississippi steamboats, used to chart his course at this point by the peak of the tower. In 1890 Windsor was destroyed by fire. Except for a few pieces of jewelry nothing was saved. — Mississippi, A Guide to the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938) Guide Note: The site was donated to the state of Mississippi in 1974. * * * David Jones is a State Guide to Mississippi, where he’s a Professor/Extension Specialist. While going to school, he lived in five of the Southern states, from Virginia to Texas. His career path has landed him in some pretty remote places, but has also allowed him to meet some amazing people and see some astonishing things. Currently he can be found traveling the highways and back roads of Mississippi, helping people out when he can and exploring the hidden treasures of the state. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.
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THE RUINS OF WINDSOR - NEAR PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI The amazing RUINS OF WINDSOR loom up at 10.3 m. (L). Twenty-two gigantic stone Corinthian columns remain as testimony to what was perhaps the supreme gesture of the grand manner of ante-bellum Greek Revival architecture. These columns, joined by Italian wrought-iron railings which were once at the upper gallery level, form a perfect outline of the house, which was rectangular in shape with a narrow ell, the service wing, at the rear. Windsor was built by S. C. Daniel, a wealthy planter who had holdings in the vicinity and across the river in Louisiana. When completed in 1861, it was considered the handsomest home in Mississippi. It had five stories topped by an observatory. The furnishings were imported and the library housed rare old books. Rich tapestries and velvet draperies adorned it. During the War between the States for a short period the Confederates used its lofty tower, which commanded a view of the Mississippi River, as an observation point; then the Federals used it as a hospital. Mark Twain, when a pilot on Mississippi steamboats, used to chart his course at this point by the peak of the tower. In 1890 Windsor was destroyed by fire. Except for a few pieces of jewelry nothing was saved. — Mississippi, A Guide to the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938) Guide Note: The site was donated to the state of Mississippi in 1974. * * * David Jones is a State Guide to Mississippi, where he’s a Professor/Extension Specialist. While going to school, he lived in five of the Southern states, from Virginia to Texas. His career path has landed him in some pretty remote places, but has also allowed him to meet some amazing people and see some astonishing things. Currently he can be found traveling the highways and back roads of Mississippi, helping people out when he can and exploring the hidden treasures of the state. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.
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THE RUINS OF WINDSOR - NEAR PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI The amazing RUINS OF WINDSOR loom up at 10.3 m. (L). Twenty-two gigantic stone Corinthian columns remain as testimony to what was perhaps the supreme gesture of the grand manner of ante-bellum Greek Revival architecture. These columns, joined by Italian wrought-iron railings which were once at the upper gallery level, form a perfect outline of the house, which was rectangular in shape with a narrow ell, the service wing, at the rear. Windsor was built by S. C. Daniel, a wealthy planter who had holdings in the vicinity and across the river in Louisiana. When completed in 1861, it was considered the handsomest home in Mississippi. It had five stories topped by an observatory. The furnishings were imported and the library housed rare old books. Rich tapestries and velvet draperies adorned it. During the War between the States for a short period the Confederates used its lofty tower, which commanded a view of the Mississippi River, as an observation point; then the Federals used it as a hospital. Mark Twain, when a pilot on Mississippi steamboats, used to chart his course at this point by the peak of the tower. In 1890 Windsor was destroyed by fire. Except for a few pieces of jewelry nothing was saved. — Mississippi, A Guide to the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938) Guide Note: The site was donated to the state of Mississippi in 1974. * * * David Jones is a State Guide to Mississippi, where he’s a Professor/Extension Specialist. While going to school, he lived in five of the Southern states, from Virginia to Texas. His career path has landed him in some pretty remote places, but has also allowed him to meet some amazing people and see some astonishing things. Currently he can be found traveling the highways and back roads of Mississippi, helping people out when he can and exploring the hidden treasures of the state. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.
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THE RUINS OF WINDSOR - NEAR PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI The amazing RUINS OF WINDSOR loom up at 10.3 m. (L). Twenty-two gigantic stone Corinthian columns remain as testimony to what was perhaps the supreme gesture of the grand manner of ante-bellum Greek Revival architecture. These columns, joined by Italian wrought-iron railings which were once at the upper gallery level, form a perfect outline of the house, which was rectangular in shape with a narrow ell, the service wing, at the rear. Windsor was built by S. C. Daniel, a wealthy planter who had holdings in the vicinity and across the river in Louisiana. When completed in 1861, it was considered the handsomest home in Mississippi. It had five stories topped by an observatory. The furnishings were imported and the library housed rare old books. Rich tapestries and velvet draperies adorned it. During the War between the States for a short period the Confederates used its lofty tower, which commanded a view of the Mississippi River, as an observation point; then the Federals used it as a hospital. Mark Twain, when a pilot on Mississippi steamboats, used to chart his course at this point by the peak of the tower. In 1890 Windsor was destroyed by fire. Except for a few pieces of jewelry nothing was saved. — Mississippi, A Guide to the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938) Guide Note: The site was donated to the state of Mississippi in 1974. * * * David Jones is a State Guide to Mississippi, where he’s a Professor/Extension Specialist. While going to school, he lived in five of the Southern states, from Virginia to Texas. His career path has landed him in some pretty remote places, but has also allowed him to meet some amazing people and see some astonishing things. Currently he can be found traveling the highways and back roads of Mississippi, helping people out when he can and exploring the hidden treasures of the state. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.
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THE RUINS OF WINDSOR - NEAR PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI The amazing RUINS OF WINDSOR loom up at 10.3 m. (L). Twenty-two gigantic stone Corinthian columns remain as testimony to what was perhaps the supreme gesture of the grand manner of ante-bellum Greek Revival architecture. These columns, joined by Italian wrought-iron railings which were once at the upper gallery level, form a perfect outline of the house, which was rectangular in shape with a narrow ell, the service wing, at the rear. Windsor was built by S. C. Daniel, a wealthy planter who had holdings in the vicinity and across the river in Louisiana. When completed in 1861, it was considered the handsomest home in Mississippi. It had five stories topped by an observatory. The furnishings were imported and the library housed rare old books. Rich tapestries and velvet draperies adorned it. During the War between the States for a short period the Confederates used its lofty tower, which commanded a view of the Mississippi River, as an observation point; then the Federals used it as a hospital. Mark Twain, when a pilot on Mississippi steamboats, used to chart his course at this point by the peak of the tower. In 1890 Windsor was destroyed by fire. Except for a few pieces of jewelry nothing was saved. — Mississippi, A Guide to the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938) Guide Note: The site was donated to the state of Mississippi in 1974. * * * David Jones is a State Guide to Mississippi, where he’s a Professor/Extension Specialist. While going to school, he lived in five of the Southern states, from Virginia to Texas. His career path has landed him in some pretty remote places, but has also allowed him to meet some amazing people and see some astonishing things. Currently he can be found traveling the highways and back roads of Mississippi, helping people out when he can and exploring the hidden treasures of the state. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.
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THE RUINS OF WINDSOR - NEAR PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI

The amazing RUINS OF WINDSOR loom up at 10.3 m. (L). Twenty-two gigantic stone Corinthian columns remain as testimony to what was perhaps the supreme gesture of the grand manner of ante-bellum Greek Revival architecture. These columns, joined by Italian wrought-iron railings which were once at the upper gallery level, form a perfect outline of the house, which was rectangular in shape with a narrow ell, the service wing, at the rear. Windsor was built by S. C. Daniel, a wealthy planter who had holdings in the vicinity and across the river in Louisiana. When completed in 1861, it was considered the handsomest home in Mississippi. It had five stories topped by an observatory. The furnishings were imported and the library housed rare old books. Rich tapestries and velvet draperies adorned it. During the War between the States for a short period the Confederates used its lofty tower, which commanded a view of the Mississippi River, as an observation point; then the Federals used it as a hospital. Mark Twain, when a pilot on Mississippi steamboats, used to chart his course at this point by the peak of the tower. In 1890 Windsor was destroyed by fire. Except for a few pieces of jewelry nothing was saved.

— Mississippi, A Guide to the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938)

Guide Note: The site was donated to the state of Mississippi in 1974.

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David Jones is a State Guide to Mississippi, where he’s a Professor/Extension Specialist. While going to school, he lived in five of the Southern states, from Virginia to Texas. His career path has landed him in some pretty remote places, but has also allowed him to meet some amazing people and see some astonishing things. Currently he can be found traveling the highways and back roads of Mississippi, helping people out when he can and exploring the hidden treasures of the state. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.

VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI The bluffs over which Vicksburg is spread are formed in part of a peculiar loess formation, a brown dust, or more accurately, a rock flour, blown eons ago from the Mississippi basin. The loess, caked 20 to 40 feet thick on all elevations and covered with jungle-like vegetation, often rises in sheer precipices. This makes a wild, rugged contour that has the appearance of distant castles, and gives to Vicksburg the air of a city in perpetual siege. This is not inappropriate, however, for by a siege Vicksburg is best known… — Mississippi, A Guide To the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938) Vicksburg, Mississippi is a river town. It was built around the river and has long been an important point of commerce.  As such, it was a critical area to control during the U.S. Civil War, and the impetus for the Siege of Vicksburg — what may be considered the turning point in favor of the North.  The forested hills of the city, along with the grounds of Vicksburg National Military Park still conceal the trenches, bunkers, and berms used both to defend and eventually capture the city.  The river, while vital to the economy, can also have devastating effects. In the Great Flood of 1927 — one of the most destructive river floods in U.S. history — refugees from the Mississippi Delta region fled to the hills of Vicksburg.  Today, an improved levee system, including floodwalls, protects the city from rising waters, and marks the height of water from the past, showing both where Vicksburg has been and where it is going. * * * David Jones lives in the great state of Mississippi. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com. This dispatch arrived care of THE AMERICAN GUIDE submission page. Be a guide yourself and send a post from your state: theamericanguide.org/submit.
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VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI

The bluffs over which Vicksburg is spread are formed in part of a peculiar loess formation, a brown dust, or more accurately, a rock flour, blown eons ago from the Mississippi basin. The loess, caked 20 to 40 feet thick on all elevations and covered with jungle-like vegetation, often rises in sheer precipices. This makes a wild, rugged contour that has the appearance of distant castles, and gives to Vicksburg the air of a city in perpetual siege. This is not inappropriate, however, for by a siege Vicksburg is best known…

— Mississippi, A Guide To the Magnolia State (WPA, 1938)

Vicksburg, Mississippi is a river town. It was built around the river and has long been an important point of commerce.  As such, it was a critical area to control during the U.S. Civil War, and the impetus for the Siege of Vicksburg — what may be considered the turning point in favor of the North.  The forested hills of the city, along with the grounds of Vicksburg National Military Park still conceal the trenches, bunkers, and berms used both to defend and eventually capture the city. 

The river, while vital to the economy, can also have devastating effects. In the Great Flood of 1927 — one of the most destructive river floods in U.S. history — refugees from the Mississippi Delta region fled to the hills of Vicksburg.  Today, an improved levee system, including floodwalls, protects the city from rising waters, and marks the height of water from the past, showing both where Vicksburg has been and where it is going.

* * *

David Jones lives in the great state of Mississippi. You can find him on tumblr at woodprof.tumblr.com.

This dispatch arrived care of THE AMERICAN GUIDE submission page. Be a guide yourself and send a post from your state: theamericanguide.org/submit.