Mississippi Monument in Vicksburg National Military Park/NPS.

Restoration of the Mississippi Monument within Vicksburg National Military Park will begin later this month, made possible in part to the monetary support from the State of Mississippi through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

The partnership was championed and supported by the Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, who worked with State of Mississippi officials to ensure availability of the funding. Work on the monument will be done by the specially-trained National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center, based out of Frederick, Maryland. Vicksburg National Military Park’s own Eddie Dorsey, who is a participant in the selective two-year Preservation Skills Training Program, will work alongside the preservationist for one week to augment his studies and newly-developed masonry skills.

The team will perform essential preservation treatments for this monument including a thorough cleaning, inspection of all mortar joints and replacing failed mortar, repair and testing of the lightning protection system, and selective repairs to the concrete deck. Though the deck of the Mississippi Monument will be closed during this preservation treatment, the monument will still be visible from the tour road.

The Mississippi State Monument is located on Confederate Avenue at milepost 12.3 of the park tour road. Erected in 1909 to honor the Mississippi soldiers who fought during the Civil War campaign for Vicksburg, the monument was constructed of Mount Airy, NC granite and is 76-feet tall. The bronze elements were fabricated in Rome, Italy and installed on the monument in 1912.