Confederate General John Pemberton set up his headquarters in downtown Vicksburg at the Wills-Cowan house near the corner of Crawford and Adams Streets. It is in this house that the decision to surrender Vicksburg to the Union was made. The house was not originally part of the Vicksburg National Military Park, which was created in 1889. It was only in 1990 that the National Park Service purchased the house.

Unfortunately, the house is open to the public only on special occasions. If you are coming to Vicksburg specifically to get inside the house, you need to check the park’s Schedule of Events web page or call the park at 601-636-0583 to see when the house will be open. Otherwise, it’s just hit or miss as to whether or not you will be able to get a tour.

The house was built in 1835 by William Bobbs. By the time the war rolled around, it was owned by John Willis. In 1890 the house was purchased by Mary Cowan and has since been known as the Willis-Cowan House. Cowen sold the property to the Sisters of Mercy convent in 1919 and it was used as part of its school. In 1973 the building was again sold, this time to a private owner. The National Park Service purchased the house when it went up for sale in 1990.

1018 Crawford Street