Vicksburg was founded in 1811 and incorporated in 1825. It became a major cotton shipping port sending cargoes South to New Orleans and as far North as Cincinnati. A series a serious steamboat accidents led to the completion of a railroad from Jackson which was connected to the Atlantic coast. Subsequently the first rail line west from the river was established in 1846 establishing Vicksburg as a major economic, and later strategic, city. When the Civil War began both the Union and the Confederacy realized that Vicksburg would be the pivotal objective on the Mississippi River. The eventual battles leading to the siege of Vicksburg and its fall to the Union began the long slide to the defeat of the Confederacy. Vicksburg today remains a major transportation hub and manufacturing center while retaining its distinctive historic character. Historic sites, the Vicksburg Battlefield, and four river based gaming establishments combine to make Vicksburg a popular tourist attraction.
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