Vicksburg

Several promising lodes were discovered in 1880 in Clear Creek Canyon and by October, about forty miners were busy working the various claims. A post office was petitioned for and granted on May 3, 1881. George T. Rayne was appointed the first Postmaster. Because the ore deposits in the area petered out, by July 30, 1885, the post office was discontinued and the mail was sent to Granite.

Vicksburg was named after Vick Keller, who, with Mr. Peck, operated a store that sold groceries, liquor, and mining supplies. In 1882, Vicksburg had forty buildings which included two saloons, two hotels, a store, a boarding house, assay office, livery stable, blacksmith shop, two billiard halls and a two story school house. The stage line charged $1.50 per passenger from Granite to Vicksburg.

Early miners packed in the Balm of Gilead trees on the backs of burros and planted them to line the street of Vicksburg. The trees still stand today and are watered by ditches leading from Vicksburg Creek into the town. Early settlers and miners dug the ditches on both sides of the street to provide a water system for the town. Wooden boxes were built in the ditches to keep food cold and the water was available to fight fires.

William Huffman, age 1 month old, died in 1884 and is the only known person buried in the Vicksburg Cemetery located alongside the Missouri Gulch Trail.

Preservation minded individuals and the Clear Creek Canyon Historical Society have restored the seven remaining original buildings of the town and all of the cabins are privately owned. A small cabin, once owned by Louis Shepherd, the last postmaster of Vicksburg, has been turned into a museum that depicts mining artifacts and what a mining home looked like in the 1880"s. Seven of the original buildings remain.

The main road jogs around the outskirts of Vicksburg to protect the trees and the town site. Parking and a picnic area is available for visitors while they take the short walk up a shady path to the museum and Vicksburg's only street. Turn west on county road 390 off of Highway 24 to visit Vicksburg. Clear Creek Reservoir offers boating and easy access fishing spots.