Vicksburg is possibly one of the only cities in the United States that does not look forward to the Fourth of July and that refused to celebrate it for a hundred years because it was in this port city on July 4, 1863 that the Confederate forces surrendered to General Grant after the famous Battle of Vicksburg. Characterized by its southern charm, it has been referred to as the "Red Carpet City of the South" and receives thousands of tourists to its historical landmarks, casinos, floating casinos, restaurants, and unique shops. Visitors enjoy the antebellum mansions of the Natchez Trace Parkway, located forty miles away, the Vicksburg Military Park and National Cemetery, The Old Court House Museum Eva W. Davis Memorial, the USS Cairo Museum, and can even visit the birthplace of Coca Cola at the Biedenharn Candy Company and Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia.
