VICKSBURG LIVING READERS SHARE FAVORITE SUMMERTIME PHOTOS
Administration
Catherine Boone Hadaway
Blake Bell
Vicksburg Living Editor
Terri Cowart Frazier
Marketing
Justin Clarkston
Mallory Hoffman
Jillian Norris
Contributors
Ernest Bowker
Sally Phillips
Ben Martin
Audience & Accounting Services
Shandale Goodman
Contact Information
Vicksburg Living 1106 Washington Street Vicksburg, MS 39183 601-636-4545
As a kid, summer was all about swimming, hanging out all day with friends and not having to go to school. When my children came along, not much changed. I still liked swimming, hanging out with friends and not having to drive carpool. However, I also grew fond of insect repellent and aloe. Of course, my mother had these summer staples on hand when I was a girl, but I learned to value them even more since bites and burns keep children from sleeping.
Bites and burns also make grown-ups cranky, so I still keep aloe and OFF! in my cabinets. I’ve also added a repellent for bull gnats. Those insects are ferocious. One little nibble keeps me scratching for a week.
Air conditioning is another summer musthave. As I have aged, it has become invaluable during the season. Sure, I appreciated
a cool breeze back in the day, but now I am beyond cantankerous when the temperature in the house goes above 70 degrees. Thankfully, I have my HVAC guy’s number on speed dial so when things go awry I can give him a ring.
I wonder if he regrets giving me his mobile number. So far, I have already called him twice about malfunctions and the dog days of summer aren’t even here yet.
From activities to seasonal must-haves, summer is a fun time. Be it hanging out at the beach or gardening at grandma’s, summer is a season where memories are made. In this issue of the Vicksburg Living magazine, readers submitted some of their favorite summertime moments.
What are yours?
Vicksburg Living is published six times each year by Vicksburg Newsmedia, LLC, 1106 Washington Street, Vicksburg, MS 39183. Vicksburg Living is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Vicksburg Newsmedia, LLC [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher.
Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests for reprint materials) to Editor, Vicksburg Living, 1106 Washington Street, Vicksburg, MS 39183.
Vicksburg Living is offered by subscription, and a limited number of free copies are available at local locations. For information on receiving Vicksburg Living at your home, call (601) 636-4545.
Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertising@vicksburgpost.com or by calling (601) 636-4545.
Proudly Produced in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Copyright 2025 by Vicksburg Newsmedia, LLC
CHECK IT OUT Library
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup butter
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
Salt
2 cups arborio
Meat from 1 cooked lobster, chopped 2 tablespoons minced chives
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
About 6 cups lobster stock
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium pot, heat the stock and keep warm. In a large, wide saucepan, melt the butter in the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add a large pinch of salt, then add the rice and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth and simmer, stirring until the broth is almost absorbed. Add more broth, a cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Stir often. Cook until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the lobster meat until heated through, then add the chives and ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with remaining Parmesan.
ABOUT OUR CHEF
INGREDIENTS
Ice
3 ounces Prosecco
2 ounces Limoncello
1 ounce club soda
Lemon slices and fresh basil leaves for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine ingredients in a large wine glass. Gently stir and garnish with lemon slice and basil.
INGREDIENTS
4 fresh Buratta (2 containers)
2 cups ripe tomatoes, finely diced
½ cup homemade or storebought Italian vinaigrette (I use Olive Garden Italian)
Pickled red onions
Fresh basil
Salt
INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 pounds ground pork
1 24-ounce jar Rao’s
Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce
Fresh Basil to garnish
Pepper
Balsamic reduction or balsamic glaze for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinate diced tomatoes in dressing. On a plate, place ½ cup marinated tomatoes, top with one buratta. Add pickled onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with balsamic reduction and fresh basil. Sliced mozzarella can be substituted for buratta.
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, salt, pepper, eggs, breadcrumbs and pork. Use your hands to gently mix. Shape the meat into 8 equally sized balls. Arrange on a greased, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and cooked through, for about 30 minutes, flipping regularly for even browning. Heat tomato sauce in a skillet with high sides over medium heat. Add the cooked meatballs and let simmer for an hour while turning them regularly. Serve over pasta or grilled toast, fresh basil and more cheese.
HARLEM
BY VICTORIA CHRISTOPHER MURRAY
In 1919, Jessie Redmon Fauset arrives in Harlem excited to realize her lifelong dream. She has been named the literary editor of “The Crisis.” The first Black woman to hold this position at a preeminent Negro magazine, Jessie is poised to achieve literary greatness. But she holds a secret that jeopardizes it all: W. E. B. Du Bois, the founder of “The Crisis,” is not only Jessie’s boss, he’s her lover. Amidst rumors of their tumultuous affair, Jessie is determined to prove herself. She attacks the challenge of discovering young writers with fervor, finding 16-year-old Countee Cullen, 17-year-old Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen, who becomes one of her best friends. Under her leadership, “The Crisis” thrives…every African American writer in the country wants their work published there. When Jessie’s first novel is released to great acclaim, it’s clear that she is at the heart of a renaissance in Black music, theater, and the arts. She has shaped a generation of literary legends, but as she strives to preserve her legacy, she’ll discover the high cost of her unparalleled success.
Anderson’s Alice is no Victorian doll as she is in the famous illustrations by Sir John Tenniel, Arthur Rackham, and elsewhere. Instead, Walter Anderson represents Alice as an adventurer, capturing her spirit and her energy in bold lines. Ninety-two pen-and-ink drawings accompany the complete text of Lewis Carroll’s original narrative. Anderson (1903–1965) drew them alone late at night as he recovered from an illness, and he considered them to be translations of words into visual images rather than illustrations. The story of Alice brought him comfort and inspiration, and he placed her wonderland close to his own homeland by localizing Alice’s environment with backgrounds featuring the kinds of wildflowers and crabs that are native to the Gulf Coast. These show his strangely beautiful style and a rich and unchecked imagination. With these artistic gifts, Anderson infuses new life into Lewis Carroll’s well-loved characters, who have delighted generations of children and adults.
“Deep Inside the Blues” collects thirty-four of Margo Cooper’s interviews with blues artists and is illustrated with over 160 of her photographs, many published here for the first time. For 30 years, Cooper has been documenting the lives of blues musicians, their families and homes, neighborhoods, festivals, and gigs. Her photographic work combines iconic late-career images of many legendary figures including Bo Diddley, Honeyboy Edwards, B. B. King, Pinetop Perkins, and Hubert Sumlin with youthful shots of Cedric Burnside, Shemekia Copeland, and Sharde Thomas, themselves now in their 30s and 40s. During this time, the Burnside and Turner families and other Mississippi artists such as T-Model Ford, James “Super Chikan” Johnson, and L. C. Ulmer entered the national and international spotlight, ensuring the powerful connection between authentic Delta, Hill Country, and Piney Woods blues musicians and their audience continues.
A GRAPHIC NOVEL BY RAINA TELGEMEIER AND SCOTT MCCLOUD
Makayla is bursting with ideas but doesn’t know how to make them into a story. Howard loves to draw, but he struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time. Lynda constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes, and Art simply loves being creative and is excited to try something new. They come together to form The Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures.
THE INTERIOR DESIGN HANDBOOK BY
FRIDA RAMSTEDT
Frida Ramstedt believes in thinking about how we decorate, rather than focusing on what we decorate with. We know more today than ever before about design trends, furniture, and knickknacks, and now Frida familiarizes readers with the basic principles behind interior and styling — what looks good and, most of all, why it looks good. Ramstedt teaches you general rules of thumb — like what the golden ratio and the golden spiral are, the proper size for a coffee table in relation to your sofa, the optimal height to hang lighting fixtures — complete with helpful illustrations. Use “The Interior Design Handbook” to achieve a balanced, beautiful home no matter where you live or what your style is.
BY DIANE ALBER
This story starts off with a little stone who thought he would become something amazing but then realizes that he had become a dull paperweight. He’s on a mission to become something greater, and in the process meets Scribble and Splatter. Together, they come up with a creative way to bring joy to thousands of people. If you loved “I’m Not just a Scribble” ... then you’ll love “Scribble Stones.” And you’ll even be inspired to make some scribble stones of your own!
These days when couples become engaged, they use social media to announce their exciting news. Engagement parties can also serve as a means for the future bride and groom to let others know they will soon be marrying.
“Engagement celebrations involve mingling, food, drinks and a chance to pop champagne and reflect on the exciting journey ahead,” said Mary Kaylin Gray,
with MK Designs.
Typically hosted by family and friends of the couple, Gray said, the atmosphere, theme and styles of engagement parties can range from cozy backyard gatherings to a very elegant and traditional setting — whichever is most reflective of the couple’s personalities.
When hosting an engagement party, personal touches can add to the setting. Photographs high-
lighting the couple’s relationship or a personalized guestbook are excellent items to share.
“You can have a very traditional guestbook or something that fits the couple’s personality for their guest to sign,” Gray said.
Also adding a “finishing touch to any party or gathering” are floral arrangements.
“Flowers can be used at major focal points like at the food table and guest tables,” Gray said.
At their small family farm in Bovina, Jennie and Jarell Smith have birthed and raised dozens of kids.
And lots of chickens, pigs, dogs and a cow as well.
The couple’s primary interest is goats, whose babies are called kids. The Smiths have bred, raised and sold them for eight years, and also sell products made from their milk.
Besides being a small side business, it’s a passion and their own unique furry family.
“Neither one of us had children when we married and I was 44. I wasn’t fixing to. We’ll say we’re great aunts and uncles. But these are our kids,” Jennie Smith said.
Farming and animals have always been an interest for Jennie and Jarell. Jarell’s family raised hogs in South Carolina when he was growing up. Jennie was a city girl, but her father often took care of whatever animals happened to come around the backyard.
“I’ve always loved animals. My dad loved animals. We lived in a neighborhood and at one point in our lives we were raising seven mallard ducks in the backyard. We had golden retrievers and raised them.
Anything he could get away with that my mother wouldn’t throw a fit too bad with,”
Jennie said. “Once my father passed away, if Jarell was out of town my mother would come sit and I’d do chores. She’d sit over there and tell the goats, ‘She’ll be right back, y’all keep eating.’”
Jennie and Jarell were married in 2013 and soon after bought their 11-acre property in Bovina. They named it At Last Farm, after the Etta James song that they danced to at their wedding. Not long after that they started raising feeder
hogs like the ones Jarell was familiar with from his youth.
That all changed when they met Ronald and Sandra Collins.
The Collinses raised goats and immediately hit it off with the Smiths. The Collinses became the Smiths’ mentors in the arts of goat farming, teaching them everything from how to feed to how to breed, raise and harvest the animals.
“I was probably the one that motivated her. I didn’t have any experience with dairy animals, but I had raised feeder hogs. We did that here for a
while until her goat fancy took over the big pasture. It’s kind of in my blood. I love it out here,” Jarell Smith said. “After she went out and spent time with the Collins she fell in love with it, then later we both did.”
The Smiths bought their first goat, Betty Jo, in 2017 and were off and running from there. They gave up pig farming and now have around 20 goats on the farm at any given time, along with a flock of 50 chickens, three dogs and a cow named Annabelle.
“How many people say they’ve got pet dogs? Well I’ve
“I’ve always loved animals. My dad loved animals. We lived in a neighborhood and at one point in our lives we were raising seven mallard ducks in the backyard. We had golden retrievers and raised them. Anything he could get away with that my mother wouldn’t throw a fit too bad with. Once my father passed away, if Jarell was out of town my mother would come sit and I’d do chores. She’d sit over there and tell the goats, ‘She’ll be right back, y’all keep eating.’”
— Jennie Smith
www.ms-premier.com
the business is selling their milk and other products.
Jennie has several varieties of goat milk cheese that she sells through the At Last Farm Facebook page. Chicken eggs, pickled eggs and okra, and vegetables from the farm’s garden are also available for sale. All of the milk products are available either pasteurized or raw.
Jennie’s also experimenting with goat milk soap, but said she hasn’t quite gotten the formula right yet.
“Goat milk is supposed to be easier to digest. Sometimes you have a doctor who tells a mother their baby won’t do breast milk or formula, so they have to do goat’s milk instead,” Jennie said. “If I can’t use it for human consumption, the chickens get goat’s milk, the dogs get goat’s milk. Annabelle, when she first moved here, got goat’s milk. We use it around the farm for us as well. I treat it like we’re going to use it for human consumption.”
Jennie said most of the profits from the farm cover the cost of feed and other supplies. Raising goats and chickens is more about having a fun hobby that both of the Smiths enjoy.
Jarell still works at ERDC, but Jennie retired several years ago after a 25-year career in the casino industry. Jennie’s new full-time job is caring for and enjoying their animals.
“You hear when people retire, they don’t have anything to do? We have plenty to do — and it’s fun,” she said. “I used to wear a suit every day and now I wear overalls. This is my uniform.”
“Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” Plato
Vicksburg was abuzz when the public heard the Vicksburg Library Association’s request to Andrew Carnegie had been accepted. In 1910, the association reached out to Carnegie with hopes that the steel magnate and philanthropist who donated money to build public libraries would help provide a library to the city. In 1914, Carnegie responded with a gift of $25,000.
But before the library could be built, the city first had to prove to the Carnegie Foundation it was serious about the commitment to having a public library. This commitment entailed providing the land where the structure would be built. This initially caused a debate with residents, and discussions over the location were printed in The Vicksburg Post’s editorial section. One such editorial, dated Aug. 11, 1914, intimated there were some citizens who wanted the library to be a “show place or located in a place for showing it off to visitors.”
“It was a really, really warm place. I don’t ever remember walking in there and feeling like I wasn’t welcome. You would go in the front doors, and down some steps to the children’s department and there was a big checkout desk. The upstairs was for the adults.”
— Marie Cunningham
“Again, we repeat that it is a library, a ‘l-i-b-r-a-r-y’ that is to be built, and not a museum or a side show,” the editorial stated.
Ultimately, after several offers of property donations were made by local citizens, it was agreed that Vicksburg’s Carnegie Library would be built at the corner of Monroe and South Streets.
Along with finding property, the Carnegie Foundation required that the local government show a plan for ongoing funding to maintain the building, buy books and pay staff before a library would be built.
The city was able to meet these requirements and on April 5, 1915, a contract to build the new library was awarded to H. H. Havis. New York architect Edward L. Tilton was hired to design the facility. In a subsequent article that appeared in The Vicksburg Post, it was stated, “The effect will be very pleasing indeed and the building will suit the needs of Vicksburg completely.”
Vicksburg’s Carnegie Library opened on March 7, 1916, with a concert featuring soloists, an orchestra performance and a speech by mayor J. J. Hayes.
Mrs. Celestine Foster was named the first librarian.
Built in the Spanish Renaissance architectural style, the Vicksburg Carnegie Library was 45 feet wide by 80 feet long and two stories high.
An article in the Vicksburg Evening Post further described the library as having its main entrance facing Monroe Street and being “three steps above the street level.”
The first floor of the library was described as “being occupied entirely by reading rooms except the librarian’s office and lobby.” The building also had 23
windows that were 5 1/2 feet wide, with each being spaced 11 feet apart which provided “excellent ventilation.” The upper interior allowed for 20 tables and 16 book stacks in this room.
Descending five steps down from the entrance was the lecture hall. It was “thirty feet wide by seventy-seven feet, four inches long.” A platform was at the north end of the room. The lower level housed a coal room, toilet rooms, a staff room and boiler room.
“SHOW
OF
AND I WILL SHOW YOU PEOPLE WHO MOVE THE WORLD.”
The first program sponsored by the library was a “Baby Program.” It featured sessions throughout the week, giving instruction on items of interest for new mothers including the care of a newborn baby, dressing, feeding, and attending to a sick child.
The library went on to be a community centerpiece, hosting many speakers, concerts and club meetings. Within a few months of opening, the library hired an assistant librarian, Zadie Neild, and extended its operating hours. The community continued to support the library with donations of books and fundraising efforts.
The library continued to grow, and in 1934 the downstairs area was opened as a children’s department. Many adults living today can remember going down the steps into the world of books below.
Randy Sherard, who currently serves on the library’s board of trustees as their attorney, said he remembers his cousin, Mary Sherard, and Boots Pettway running the children’s department under the supervision of Mrs. Juliette Porter.
“Mary, now, she could give you the ‘ol ‘stink-eye,’” he said.
Sherard said he also remembered having the freedom to roam in the children’s area and the creaking of the old wood floors as he moved across them.
One summer when the library sponsored a reading program, Randy recalled how each student was given the outline of a caterpillar on a poster board. As the children finished reading a book, they were given a sticker to place on the caterpillar until it was full.
Marie Cunningham, who currently serves as the children’s librarian at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library, said she remembers the old Carnegie library and its distinct smell of wood, lemon polish and paper.
“It was a really, really warm place. I don’t ever remember walking in there and feeling like I wasn’t welcome. You would go in the front doors, and down some steps to the children’s department and there was a big checkout desk. The upstairs was for the adults,” she said.
“NOTHING IS PLEASANTER THAN EXPLORING A LIBRARY.”
Deb Mitchell joined the library as the children’s librarian in 1977. By that time, the library was bursting at the seams and plans were in place to build a new one.
“There were children in and out all the time,” Mitchell said. With all the hustle and bustle, she said it was nice to take a break and sit in the rose garden on Monroe Street and breathe in the fresh air.
Mitchell said she moved upstairs, where the adult books and newspapers were housed, when she became the assistant branch manager.
“We had some gentlemen that we could set our clock by, almost every day they came in to look at the newspaper. We got the Clarion-Ledger, a few regional newspapers and the New York Times Sunday edition,” Mitchell recalled. “It was a good library.”
“READING, EVEN BROWSING, AN OLD BOOK, CAN YIELD SUSTENANCE TO THE MIND DENIED BY A DATABASE SEARCH.”— JAMES GLEICK
In 1968, to the delight of children around the city and county, the Bookmobile was added. The Bookmobile was an RV-type vehicle with shelves of books inside, a “library on wheels.”
The bookmobile would stop at neighborhoods, store parking lots and churches, and children and adults could go inside and select books to check out. A schedule of stops was published each month in the newspaper.
That year, the library’s name was changed to Vicksburg-Warren County Public Library to indicate services available to county citizens and the financial support county taxes added to the library.
Also that year, a group called Citizens for Library Improvement began to press for a new library, citing the inadequacies of the current building. The building was unable to house the growing book collection and parking was a problem. A parcel of land was identified as a potential place for building a bigger, more modern library.
By 1979, the old library was abandoned for a new, spacious structure on Veto Street. The new library combined the facilities of both the old Carnegie library and the Etta O’Neill African American library, which had been housed separately.
“When we moved from the Carnegie Library, which was about 6,000 square feet, into the new building, which was about 36,000
square feet, those of us who worked in the reference department decided we might need roller skates because it was so big!” Mitchell said.
The library on Veto Street, now officially the “Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library,” continues to serve the community today.
“A BOOK IS A DREAM YOU HOLD IN YOUR HANDS.”
—
While working at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library, Cunningham said she has come across items from the
Carnegie Library.
“We have found things from the old library ... that are still here, in the current library,” Cunningham said. “We have a book here, right now, that I checked out when I was in the sixth grade, and we found the card that was in the book with my little signature.”
“A LIBRARY OUTRANKS ANY OTHER ONE THING A COMMUNITY CAN DO TO BENEFIT ITS PEOPLE.”
Carnegie’s family immigrated from Scotland to the U.S. in 1848. At age 13 he began
working six days a week to help support his family, earning $1.20 per week. Driven to succeed, Carnegie continued to advance and landed a job with the Pennsylvania Railroad where he was promoted to superintendent at age 24. Carnegie was an avid reader and benefited from the philanthropy of Col. James Anderson, who opened his personal library of 400 volumes to boys on Saturday nights.
“In this way, the windows were opened in the walls of my dungeon through which the light of knowledge streamed in,” Carnegie said in his autobiography.
By age 30, Carnegie had amassed business interests in iron works, steamers on
the Great Lakes, railroads and oil wells. He was subsequently involved in steel production, and built the Carnegie Steel Corporation into the largest steel manufacturing company in the world. After selling his steel company in 1901, Carnegie became the richest man of his time and devoted the remainder of his life to philanthropies, including libraries.
Carnegie built more than 2,500 public libraries, of which more than 1,600 were built in the U.S. Less than one-third of them bore his name. Carnegie saw a library as a vital community resource, especially for immigrants like himself.
Mississippi was the beneficiary of 11 Carnegie libraries that were built between 1904 and 1916. Seven of the buildings still exist, and those in Clarksdale and Houston remain in use as public libraries. Others, like the one in Vicksburg, have been repurposed for other community uses over the years.
“While there I assisted in executing presidential and prestigious dignitary events, which included the Luncheon of the Heart with First Lady Laura Bush, Neiman Marcus and Escada; Michelle Obama’s visit and reception; First Lady of Korea’s visit and reception; and President Barack Obama’s inaugural events and ball.”
Lee and Virginia Thames love their home. It is located on one of the most beautiful and historic streets in Vicksburg. The interior has beautiful architectural detailing, and the yard is filled with flowering azaleas and camellias. But for the couple, the most treasured feature is its history. For nearly a century, the house has been owned by members of the Thames family.
Lee’s grandparents, Judge J.D. Thames and his wife Susan, bought the home in the early 1940s and raised their son Lee Davis there. At the time, Lee said, the existing vacant lots on either side of the house were also for sale, and his grandmother also wanted to buy them. But Judge Thames did not.
“He didn’t want to spend the money,” Virginia said, “So Susan bought the two lots with her own money from her plantation Altorf — Women’s Liberation.”
After James and Susan died, Lee Davis sold the house to his daughter Mary Louise (Weesie) Thames, and she raised her three
children, Everett, Elliott, and Camille there. In 2007, Wessie sold the house to Lee.
The house, located at 1642 Chambers St., is also where Lee raised his daughter, Frances, and it is where he and Virginia met.
“It was love at first sight,” Virginia said.
The couple met on Dec. 23, 2015, after being introduced by Wessie’s son, Everett. During the evening, the spark grew, she said, as “a little bit of music was being played on Lee’s 1970’s turntable from the Fleetwood Mac ‘Rumours’ album.”
Songs from the “Rumours” albums continued to play for the next year and a half, and on June 17, 2017, the couple married in Oxford.
Lee graduated from Sewanee, The University of the South, in 1993 with a degree in philosophy. While there he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and was the DJ at WUTS, the campus radio station, where he hosted a Blues show and was known as Big Dog from the Delta.
Lee received his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1996 and afterward began practicing with the Varner, Parker and Sessums law firm. Since leaving his private practice, Lee has focused his attention on government. In doing so, he has worked as the City Attorney for Vicksburg, with the Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney, and with Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.
“Afterward, he headed the civil litigation for the City of Jackson a number of years and has now returned as the City Attorney for the City of Vicksburg,” Virginia said.
Virginia graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and a minor in English. While at Ole Miss she was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority. After graduation, Virginia pursued her love of art and history and started working at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.
“While there I assisted in executing presidential and prestigious dignitary events,
which included the Luncheon of the Heart with First Lady Laura Bush, Neiman Marcus and Escada; Michelle Obama’s visit and reception; First Lady of Korea’s visit and reception; and President Barack Obama’s inaugural events and ball,” she said.
After leaving D.C., Virginia moved to Atlanta to manage the special events at the Botanical Garden.
In 2015, after spending more than 10 years away from home, Virginia moved back to Mississippi and is currently the art teacher at Dana Road Elementary.
Both Lee and Virginia have always “cherished the appreciation of history, architecture and the preservation of old homes,” Virginia said — most likely because both were raised in historic homes. Lee, who was born and raised in Vicksburg, grew up at The Galleries, which was constructed in about 1869 and located on the corner of Speed and Marshall streets. Virginia grew up in Clairmont, built in 1818 and located in Port Gibson.
While those homes outdate their current house, 1642 Chambers St. has its own unique past as was researched by historian Nancy Bell.
Prior to it being constructed, Chambers Street ended at the bayou, but William Grayson Dyer, along with his two business partners who had formed the Extension Improvement Company in 1925, wanted to extend Chambers Street and develop a neighborhood similar to that which had already been established on Chambers and Baum streets. To accomplish their goal the work was extensive — costing between $50,000 and $75,000. But when it was completed, it was touted as an “exclusive” neighborhood with all the modern conveniences.
In lieu of selling the lots, Dyer and his partners decided to auction the lots off. In fact, in the Feb. 10, 1926, edition of The Vicksburg Post, an ad publicizing the auction stated, “Never before has the public had an opportunity of
buying at their own price building lots in the most exclusive residential sections of Vicksburg. Lots that will have all modern improvements, hard surfaced street, curving, sidewalks, water, sewage, electric lights and telephones at no cost to the purchaser.”
Apparently, Dyer and his wife, Jennie Lane Dyer, who was the great granddaughter of Newit Vick and granddaughter of the Rev. John Lane, wanted to live in the newly constructed development. She took what was then one of the last lots on the street and built their Craftsman Style home in 1927.
After the Dyers moved out of the house in about 1931, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Schwartz from Canton moved in. Other homeowners were Mrs. G. B. Bebout (1934), Mrs. Seybold (1937), Mrs. Charles Willis Wilkerson (1941) and then Judge and Susan Thames Jr. Susan continued to live in the house after her husband died in 1987.
Though it appears to be a single-story home, Lee and Virginia’s home is actually three stories.
“The first floor is the main floor,” Virginia said, and encompasses most of the living areas including the living room, kitchen, dining room, master bedroom and bath, sunroom, and guest bedroom and bathroom. There is also a large hallway bathroom that, before it was remodeled, served as Judge Thames’ study.
“Upstairs is Frances’ (Lee’s daughter) bedroom and a bath and a half,” Virginia said.
The house also has a basement. Lee said when his father lived in the house, the basement was used as his darkroom.
“One of his favorite hobbies was photography. We had a darkroom in the basement and some of his artifacts are still intact,” he said.
The home also has an inviting screened-in front porch.
“Lee often holds court on the porch with music and much laughter,” Virginia said.
As for architectural features, Vir-
ginia said she loves the repeating archways throughout the house, the original windows, and the original Art Deco porcelain floor in the guest bathroom. She also loves the original Art Deco crystal chandeliers in the home.
In 2018, Lee and Virginia did a remodel of the kitchen, but left the built-in china cabinet and the windows. Inspired by the Thames family plantation, Altorf, in Brunswick — present day Eagle Lake — Virginia chose a European country theme. Two of the original cotton stencils from Altorf Plantation are displayed in the kitchen.
Virginia said she used interior designer Susan Noble Jones of Noble Design out of Washington, D.C. The general contractor was Rachael Walker, owner of Proper Construction, LLC. Thad Pratt, owner of Vicksburg Woodworks, provided the cabinetry and flooring.
Both Lee and Virginia collect art, and in
doing so have either acquired or inherited some beautiful pieces.
“We have two oil (Elizabeth) Pajerski paintings, which is rare because she (Pajerski) is known for her watercolor,” Lee said.
One of these oil paintings — a water floral landscape — is above the mantle in the living room. This oftentimes serves as the backdrop for party and pictures, Lee said.
The other Pajerski hangs over the sofa and is titled “Sleeping Beauty.” Virginia said she liked it because it brings “color and happiness” to the room.
Lee said Elizabeth Pajerski lived three homes down from their home on Chambers Street and was known for using her garage as an art studio.
Another Pajerski painting, a watercolor, hangs in a hallway.
The couple also has in their collection an oil painting by Dutch artist Jan Verbeek (1500s) and a large portrait of a distin-
guished judge. They don’t know who the judge is, but he’s become an honorary part of the family.
“Virginia nicknamed him Great Uncle Lee mainly because of his iconic sideburns,” Lee said.
Hanging in the kitchen are two original Amsterdam lithographs that Virginia’s mother gave her while at Ole Miss since she has always admired Vincent Van Gogh.
Their extensive collection also includes various landscape scenes, inherited from Lee’s family; paintings by Vicksburg artists Kennith Humphrey and Tony Davenport; and art created by family members. A floral painting by Virginia’s grandmother and Lee’s brother, Amzi, made several silk screen pieces depicting Lee as a youth.
One piece of art that holds a special meaning to the couple is “Care Free Days,” an oil on canvas by American artist William Collins (1836). Virginia said they bought it on an anniversary trip to New Orleans.
From Imari china to vintage iron tables from the Tuminello’s Restaurant, Lee and Virginia have a home full of antique furniture and collectibles.
In the downstairs guest bedroom, the couple have a bed from the Altorf Plantation that survived the 1927 flood.
A vintage secretary — a large desk with a cabinet on top — gifted to Virginia upon graduation from college is situated in the kitchen. A second secretary that had originally belonged to Lee’s grandparents, Temple and Girly Broabus, who lived in Richmond, Va., is located in the living room. And inside the leaded glass doors, one can spy a collection of Charles Dickens’ books. Lee said they were published in the 1800s and originally came from Altorf Plantation. Lee also inherited his father’s First Edition William Faulkner Book Collection as well as a framed Vicksburg Daily Citizen Paper.
“The last edition was printed on wallpaper,” Lee said, “Because they ran out of paper.”
When hosting a dinner party, the couple and their guests gather around the dining room table that had once belonged to Judge and Susan Thames. Adding to the charm of the vintage piece of furniture, Virginia had it set with Susan’s wedding china — Corinthe by Deshoulieres.
“I also used my great grandparents’ Gorham silver — English Gadroon, Waterford crystal glasses and antique crystal Faberge stemware,” she said.
Some of Virginia’s Rose Medallion collection and silver bowls belonging to Susan were also on display on two vintage sideboards in the dining room.
Lee said one of his most valued collections is his 1974 belt-driven turntable and extensive vintage vinyl record collection. It consists of more than 100 albums that include classics like Fleetwood Mac, Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughn,
In keeping with the era of their home, Lee recently threw Virginia a themed 40th birthday party.
“Most everyone arrived dressed in 1920s attire to celebrate the occasion, which is very fitting since the house was built in the 20s and has all the original Art Deco light fixtures,” Virginia said. Music from the 20s was also played during the party. And as a nod to the era, Virginia said a twotiered Art Deco inspired birthday cake was served.
“It is truly an evening I will never forget,” Virginia said, “with all the décor and floral arrangements.”
And, of course, as with all gatherings at the Thames house, Virginia said, Lee held court on the screened-in porch — no doubt chewing on political fodder in the current 20s decade.
“If I use geodetic north and I go try to run a property line that was done in 1900 with a magnetic compass, I'm going to miss it. It could be 2 or 3 degrees either side of true north.”
— Kimble Slaton
Before computers and GPS were commonplace, surveyors in Vicksburg (and everywhere else) faced a unique problem: how to tell which way is north.
North, as a cardinal direction, seems like a simple concept. But for a surveyor, finding north is more than just a matter of looking at a compass.
Magnetic north is constantly on the move due to iron and other metals in the Earth’s outer core shifting about. Since 1831, it has changed position by about 680
miles toward Siberia. Today, it moves at a rate of about 22 miles per year.
True north, also known as geographic north or geodetic north, refers to the direction toward the rotational axis of the Earth at the north pole. Crucially, its position is fixed. It is therefore a more reliable reference point for the task of determining exact locations.
Vicksburg local Kimble Slaton is a surveyor by trade. He explained that since magnetic north is constantly moving, readings from a compass will be imprecise
if that movement is not accounted for.
“If I use geodetic north and I go try to run a property line that was done in 1900 with a magnetic compass, I’m going to miss it,” he said. “It could be 2 or 3 degrees either side of true north.”
The difference between magnetic north and geographic north measured at an angle is known as the declination. The declination will increase as the observer moves farther north on the globe.
“We use declination more these days to get tied back into the older surveys because (now) we are all using geodetic north based on the satellite constellations,” Slaton said.
To find true north, surveyors needed to have access to locations with precisely known coordinates. That’s where survey markers came in.
Tim McCarley is another local surveyor.
“Triangulation (markers) would date back a long way when you were trying to set up an instrument that was non-electronic,” he said.
The purpose of the markers was to have known, fixed positions that were in high-visibility areas for surveyors to use.
Since the early days of the nation, the government, in some form or another, has been placing, designating, and recording survey markers across its territories.
After the War of 1812, the United States was faced with a large amount of debt. Congress created the General Land Office in part to survey federal land that could be sold to help pay off that debt.
Later, the United States Geological Survey began setting up survey markers in earnest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They did so to create a standardized geodetic control network, the purpose of which was to accurately map the United States.
The benefits of such a network are widespread. It allows land boundaries to be precisely established, infrastructure to be more accurately planned, and allows for geographic records that can be referenced
by future surveyors.
This network is comprised of more than 1.2 million markers spread across the country. More than a handful can be found in Warren County.
A commonality among all markers is that they are relatively permanent. They typically take the form of a stamped metal disc embedded in concrete which is flush with the ground.
However they can also simply be permanent, high-visibility landmarks. For instance, the Illinois Monument in the Vicksburg National Military Park (VNMP) is counted as one, specifically the top center of its dome.
One disc marker is located just northeast of Redwood. Another sits near the base of the Louisiana monument in the VNMP. Another is located at the Vicksburg Municipal Airport.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) has mostly replaced the need for these markers, although Slaton said they are still occasion-
ally used to calibrate equipment.
Today, many of these markers can be visited, although some are on private property. The National Geodetic Survey web map application on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website is a great resource for those interested in digging up a bit of history.
Using it, one has the opportunity to pursue a wealth of data that has been collected over the years from these sites.
It’s no wonder, then, that survey mark hunting is a thriving hobby in some circles.
Surveyors relied heavily on these markers during Vicksburg’s 200 years. And no doubt Vicksburg relied heavily on surveyors.
The construction of the Yazoo Diversion Canal, completed in 1903, required the combined efforts of a great many individuals making precise measurements and doing the corresponding calculations.
The two massive bridges that run perfectly parallel across the Mississippi are another example of the hard work of surveyors paying off.
To learn more about how you can find survey markers in your own proverbial backyard, you can visit oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/dyw-survey-hunting.html.
Vicksburg Living readers share summertime photos
“ “Take me where the summer never ends.”
Unknown
—
