Getting Down With Coca Cola and History in Vicksburg

Most of us enjoy having an ice cold Coca Cola, whether it is Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Coke, or regular Coke. And yes, Cherry and Vanilla are popular flavors. There’s just something about it that is wonderful. Because of the incredible history of Coca Cola, the memorabilia is in high demand. Some individuals even do their kitchen décor in Coca Cola and this love for the beverage may result in a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi to the site where the drink was first bottled.

It is rather funny that Coke was intended to be a medicine when John Pemberton (not General John Pemberton who surrendered the city to the Union Army in the Civil War) invented it in the late 1800s. The history begins in 1886 in which it went through a number of developments that eventually led to it being bottled by the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1891 (some sources say 1894).

The Biedenharn Candy Company building may not look like much, but it is now a museum that reproduces the bottling works of the time and also has a 1900s soda fountain that works. I do wonder what the soda tastes like coming out of that old fountain.

After a visit to the museum, it is good to see what else Vicksburg has to offer. It has a very interesting history with a number of markers throughout that highlight events that occurred during the Civil War. For instance, the Seige of Vicksburg was a very significant event because the Union Army obtained control of the entire Mississippi River in which the city is located. This seige was the result of surrender by General John Pemberton. Because of this siege, Vicksburg refrained from celebrating the 4^th of July until 1945.

And despite a tornado that swept through the city in 1953 that destroyed almost 1,000 buildings and took 38 lives, there is plenty of history to be seen and experienced. As for places to stay, I recommend a good Bed and Breakfast. If that’s not your cup of tea, then there are hotels and motels to fit any budget.

Whichever you choose, it does pay to stay in town so that you can walk amongst the many historical areas and read the markers. The markers tell what occurred in a specific location. For those interested in the racial unrest that occurred in the area, there were such events as the Vicksburg Massacre in 1874 in which 50 black residents were killed by white men. There have, however, been a number of different accounts as to how many actually perished.

There was a lot of racial unrest that is a part of the history, but also serves as a reminder that the city has come a long way. Those wishing to study this history can find a lot of information in Vicksburg.

So not only do you get to visit the home of where your favorite soft drink was originally bottled, but a historical Civil War city, and a place that is the epitome of racial evolution. As a matter of fact, over 60% of the population is black.