Grand Gulf, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grand Gulf, Mississippi
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Ghost town
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1840 map of Mississippi River showing Grand Gulf, Bruinsburg, and Rodney
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 Grand Gulf, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Grand Gulf, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Claiborne |
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 670578 |
Grand Gulf is a ghost town in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and it's no longer a busy community. Grand Gulf was once a very important port on the Mississippi River, especially for shipping cotton. It played a key role in trade and was also a significant site during the American Civil War.
Contents
The Story of Grand Gulf
Grand Gulf got its name from a large whirlpool, or "gulf," that formed where the Mississippi River flowed against a big rocky cliff. Early explorers like La Salle even wrote about how dangerous these swirling waters were.
Early Settlements and Growth
Both the British and Spanish set up small communities in the Grand Gulf area. The town continued to grow after this land became part of the United States. Grand Gulf officially became a town in 1833.
The town quickly became a major shipping hub for cotton. Cotton from nearby Copiah, Hinds, and Claiborne counties was sent down the Mississippi River from Grand Gulf. It was also the main shipping point for the town of Port Gibson, which was located further inland.
By 1835, Grand Gulf was handling more cotton than almost any other city in Mississippi. Only Natchez and Vicksburg shipped more. To make things easier, a railroad was built to connect Grand Gulf directly to Port Gibson.
Life in the 1850s
By 1854, Grand Gulf was a thriving town with almost 1,000 residents. It had two churches, a town hall, a hospital, and even a theater. There was also a cotton press to prepare cotton for shipping, a saw mill for wood, and a grist mill for grinding grain.
However, Grand Gulf faced serious challenges. It was hit hard by several yellow fever epidemics. This sickness spread easily among people traveling on riverboats. These outbreaks happened many times throughout the 1800s.
The town even had its own newspaper, called The Grand Gulf Advertiser. A post office served the community for over 100 years, from 1829 until 1932.
Grand Gulf During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, Grand Gulf was the scene of several important events. In 1862, Admiral David Farragut of the Union tried to sail his fleet of gunboats past Grand Gulf to attack Vicksburg. However, he was bothered by guerilla fighters shooting from Grand Gulf. This led General Thomas Williams to consider burning the town. Local people convinced him that citizens were not involved in the shooting, and the town was saved for a short time. But just a few weeks later, Union forces did burn the town.
Later, during Ulysses S. Grant's important Vicksburg Campaign, Confederate soldiers successfully stopped his invasion fleet. This happened during the Battle of Grand Gulf. The Confederates prevented Grant's forces from moving north on the Mississippi River. Because of this, Grant had to take his troops south to Bruinsburg. From there, they fought the Battle of Port Gibson and marched overland to eventually capture Vicksburg.
Why Grand Gulf Became a Ghost Town
After the Civil War, Grand Gulf's population continued to shrink. Another big reason for its decline was that the Mississippi River slowly changed its course, moving westward. This left the town "landlocked," meaning it was no longer directly on the river. Without easy river access, Grand Gulf lost its importance as a port. By 1900, only about 150 people lived there.
Grand Gulf Today
Even though it's a ghost town, Grand Gulf still has important sites.
Grand Gulf Military State Park
The Grand Gulf Military State Park is a great place to learn about the town's history. It has a museum with items from the Civil War battle. You can also see the old earthworks, which are defensive walls made of dirt, from Forts Wade and Cobun.
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station
Grand Gulf is also home to the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. After an upgrade in 2012, this is the largest single-unit nuclear power plant in the United States. It's also the fifth largest in the world!
Grand Gulf Mound
Near Grand Gulf, you can find the Grand Gulf Mound. This is an ancient archaeological site from the Early Marksville culture, showing that people lived in this area a very long time ago.
