[Keith Norrington]

The Vicksburg Post reports that, eleven years after its acquisition, the city of Vicksburg has officially transferred the towboat MISSISSIPPI IV back to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The inspection vessel/towboat, built in 1961 and which replaced the steamer MISSISSIPPI III (now BECKY THATCHER restaurant boat at Marietta - and for sale!) is to become the prime attraction of a new project on the Vicksburg waterfront which will be known as THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM AND INTERPRETIVE SITE. Construction of the 12 million dollar center is slated to begin in 2008. At a special meeting the Mayor and Board of Aldermen unanimously approved the transfer of the MISSISSIPPI back to the Corps, which had given the boat to the city for a museum which never materialized. The towboat has been idle and moored in a fleet on the Yazoo since that time.

In other Vicksburg news, The Levee Street Depot (formerly the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad Station) is being renovated to house a museum with exhibits on rail, river and air transportation, with targeted opening date of January, 2008. City workers are currently repairing the roof of the building, which was damaged by the winds of last summer's hurricanes. Lamar Roberts (president of the Yazoo River Chapter of The Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen) is the executive director of the nonprofit corporation establishing the new museum, which will also include six to ten full size rail cars.