The memorial itself closed for restoration starting on September 16, 2025. Starting on March 2, 2026, access to Tour Stops 2 and 3 will be temporarily closed. The closure point will be at the Shirley House. Visitors will still be able to continue north along Union Avenue and access the remainder of the Tour Road. This section will remain closed for the duration of the Illinois Memorial Restoration. The project is expected to be completed by September 2026.
The first floor exhibit hall of the William Johnson House is now open to the public daily from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Due to construction, the second floor family living quarters remain closed at this time.
Reservations for guided tours of the mansion must be made on Recreation.gov. The tour is $11.00 and are at 10, 11, 2, 3, and 4; masks are optional. The estate is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The grounds and outbuildings are free.
The Rocky Springs section is closed from the Rocky Springs campground at milepost 55 to the northern terminus at milepost 59 until further notice. Visitors should observe posted closures. The trail is unsafe due to trail erosion and deteriorated bridges.
The Natchez Visitor Center is closed for the renovation of the public lobby area. For those seeking visitor information, we direct you to VisitNatchez at the Depot on Boundary Street. Or their website, VisitNatchez.org. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Due to weather related incidents, Vicksburg National Cemetery is closed to vehicular traffic, however it is open to pedestrians. Visitor can park in the adjacent USS Cairo parking lot and walk into the cemetery.
As Covid-related numbers have dipped below the CDC determined High Rate of Transmission in Adams County, Mississippi, face masks are no longer required in all NPS buildings at Natchez National Historical Park. Wearing of face masks is optional.
The Yockanookany section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is closed to equestrian use effective immediately, due to safety concerns with trail bridges and boardwalks. The trail will remain open to pedestrians.
Shiloh National Military Park is offering a special bus tour for visitors to learn about the Battle of Shiloh through the eyes of those who experienced it firsthand.
The National Park Service today announced a final rule that expands recreational opportunities for personal watercraft (jet-ski) users at Gulf Islands National Seashore by reducing flat-wake zones in Mississippi and Florida.
Vicksburg National Military Park has restored public access to Grant Circle and a section of Union Avenue after completing an extensive, multi-year rehabilitation project to repair catastrophic damage caused by heavy rainfall in early 2020. With the project’s completion, the northern section of the park is once again accessible to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
The National Park Service will reopen a 15-mile section of the Natchez Trace Parkway on August 3 and begin the next phase of a major road rehabilitation project, requiring a detour around a 24-mile section between state Highway 16 (milepost 135) and state Highway 19 (milepost 159.5).
As a part of the Speeding Catches Up With You campaign, Natchez Trace Parkway Rangers and Mississippi Highway Patrol Troopers will be present along the Natchez Trace to protect the public from aggressive speeding violations.
In honor of the Independence Day holiday and America’s 250th birthday, Shiloh National Military Park will present Civil War cannon firing demonstrations on July 4 and 5.
Beginning June 22, the Natchez Trace Parkway will detour motorists around a 15-mile section of parkway between state Route 12 (milepost 165) and state Route 413 (milepost 180) in Attala and Choctaw counties as construction begins on a major road rehabilitation project.
From May 23 to 25, Shiloh National Military Park will host a weekend of special events and commemorative activities to honor the memory of American military service members who gave their lives in service to the nation. Visitors can experience live demonstrations, historic reenactments, and a solemn Memorial Day ceremony during a three‑day commemoration at Shiloh National Military Park.
The National Park Service today announced the selection of Treacy Stone as the new superintendent of Vicksburg National Military Park. Stone will begin his new role in June.
On April 15, Natchez Trace Parkway will close Double Arch Bridge near Nashville and begin construction to install a permanent pedestrian safety barrier. The bridge will be closed to motor vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists until spring 2027.
Join a National Park Service ranger on a one-hour Ship Island Excursions ferry ride to Ship Island where you can have access to ranger-led programs in Fort Massachusetts and a private swim beach. The swim beach is a quarter of a mile walk on a boardwalk from the fishing pier. There is very little shade on the island and no transportation. Food and umbrellas are for purchase at an additional cost on the swim beach. No pets are allowed on the ferry. Fishing is only permitted on the sound side beach.
Join a park ranger on a National Park Service ferry ride trip from Pensacola to Gulf Islands National Seashore's Fort Pickens Area then to Pensacola Beach. Once you arrive at Fort Pickens if you choose to get off, you will have a either 2.5 hours or 5 hours to recreate and enjoy the historic fortifications, private beaches, bike paths, fishing pier and visitor center. Ferry departure times from Fort Pickens to Pensacola Beachthree times a day.
Join a ranger for a guided beach walk and presentation on Ship Island in Mississippi and learn about what marine life reside in your favorite seashells and help solve the murder mystery of how the empty shells you collect came to be unoccupied. This is a walk up style event on Ship Island swim beach.
Join a park a park ranger on hike and interpretation of the local area. Topics include bayou, alligator, or medicinal plants. Meet at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center in Mississippi.
The northern Gulf Coast is rich with stories about the American Revolution! To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, join a guide for a 30 minute talk to learn about the forgotten people, places, and events that shaped the founding of the United States of America. Note: Talks are accessible to people with special needs. Programs are subject to change and/or cancelation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances .
Fort Pickens has stood on the Gulf Coast for over 190 years. Join a guide for a 30 minute talk to learn about this famed brick-and-mortar fortification and the people who lived and served within its storied walls. Note: Talks are accessible to people with special needs. Programs are subject to change and/or cancelation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances . Programs are not offered at times when the Blue Angels are scheduled to practice.
Join a park ranger at Davis Bayou to learn about the medicinal plants of the Gulf Coast. Meet at the Wiliam M. Colmer visitor center in the Davis Bayou Area in Mississippi.
Join a guide for a free 1 hour kayak tour on Davis Bayou. Meet behind the visitor center. Program will take place on Sundays. Lifevest provided and shoes required. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration required call 228-230-4100.
Walk with a guide on a 45-minute tour of Battery Pensacola and discover how a young nation defended itself in a changing world. Meet inside historic Fort Pickens in Florida. Note: This tour involves walking on uneven surfaces, through dark walkways, and climbing stairs. Programs are subject to change and/or cancelation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances .
Come out and learn what life was like for a soldier during the Civil War. See the things they carried, the food they ate, and the weapons they used. A rifled musket firing demonstration may be included as part of the program.
Gulf Islands National Seashore in partnership with Ship Island Excursions will host a special program, Darkest Before the Light: Fort Massachusetts Candlelight Tours Friday, Oct. 9. Join us for a special evening program where you and your group will be guided by candlelight through the arches of historic Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island. The ferry will depart promptly at 5 p.m. and return at 10 p.m. You will receive instructions prior to arrival via email.
Join us for a 30-minute talk to learn about the history and legacy of Fort Pickens, as well as the natural and cultural heritage of Santa Rosa Island. Note: Ranger Talk at Fort Pickens programs are accessible to people with special needs. Programs are subject to change and/or cancellation due to weather and staff capacity .
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through three states. It roughly follows the "Old Natchez Trace," a historic travel corridor used by American Indians, "Kaintucks," European settlers, slave traders, soldiers, and future presidents. Today, people can enjoy a scenic drive as well as hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping along the Parkway.
The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is five sections of hiking trail running roughly parallel to the 444-mile long Natchez Trace Parkway scenic motor road. The foot trails total more than 60 miles and offer opportunities to explore wetlands, swamps, hardwood forest, and the history of the area.
Millions of visitors are drawn to the Gulf of America for Gulf Islands National Seashore's emerald coast waters, magnificent white beaches, fertile marshes and historical landscapes. Come explore with us today!
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till traveled to Money, Mississippi, to visit relatives. He was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered after reportedly whistling at a white woman. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted on an open-casket funeral near their hometown of Chicago. Her brave decision let the world see the racist violence inflicted upon her son and set the Civil Rights Movement into motion.
To Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Vicksburg was the "nailhead that holds the South's two halves together." President Abraham Lincoln remarked "Vicksburg is the key" to victory, and could be the north's lifeline into the south. As the federals closed in on the Fortress City, they were met by a ring of forts with over 170 cannon. The resulting battle would determine the war's outcome.
The Confederate victory at Brices Cross Roads was a significant victory for Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest, but its long-term effect on the war proved costly for the Confederates.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, and it became a catalyst for passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Myrlie Evers continues to promote issues of racial equality and social justice.
Discover the history of all the peoples of Natchez, Mississippi, from European settlement, African enslavement, the American cotton economy, to the Civil Rights struggle on the lower Mississippi River.
Visit the sites of the most epic struggle in the Western Theater of the Civil War. Nearly 110,000 American troops clashed in a bloody contest that resulted in 23,746 casualties; more casualties than in all of America's previous wars combined. Explore both the Shiloh and Corinth battlefields to discover the impact of this struggle on the soldiers and on the nation.
In July, 1864, federal forces, including men from the United States Colored Troops, marched into Tupelo, Mississippi. Disorganized Confederate soldiers fought fiercely but could not overpower the federal troops. Neither side could claim a clear victory, but Union troops had succeeded in their main goal: keeping the Confederates away from Union railroads in Tennessee.
