When U.S. Capt. William Benyaurd opened the first Corps of Engineers office in Vicksburg, his mission was to restore and repair navigation arteries after the Civil War.

Wednesday, 150 years after that first office was opened at the corner of Washington and Clay streets, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District observed its sesquicentennial with a special program at its headquarters on Clay Street featuring videos of the District’s history and the recollections of retirees.

“Today, we open our doors to you; we open our doors to our stakeholders, partners and our community so we can thank you for your role in our story,” District commander Col. Christopher Klein told the assembly of residents, employees, retirees and state, local and federal officials.

Addressing the District’s dual mission of flood protection and improving navigation on the area’s rivers, Klein discussed the District’s role in the Mississippi River and Tributaries project, which protects the area during floods and its work in keeping navigation on the river, touching on the construction of the Yazoo River Diversion Canal in 1876, to provide Vicksburg with a port after the Mississippi changed its course.

“We’re not going anywhere, we’re just getting warmed up,” Klein said. “We’re in for another 150 years.”

READ MORE: The Vicksburg District Celebrates 150 Years

Commenting on the Corps’ presence in Vicksburg, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said the country and the region face challenges in the coming years “but the best news about that is … we have our best man on it.

“These men and women at the Corps are the best in the world at what they do,” Hosemann said. “And we are honored to have them in Mississippi and we are looking forward to having them stay in Mississippi and continue to contribute at the level they have been contributing. And we’re really proud to have y’all here.”

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said the Corps has enjoyed a good reputation across the country, adding, “I’ve never gone anywhere in this United States where the (Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District) has not been respected.”

He commended the District employees for their work and service in the community and their ability to meet challenges.

“I say this — and I have the opportunity to brag — that we believe we are the engineering city and we believe because of that, we have employed in this city the best and brightest engineers,” Flaggs said.

Turning to Klein, he said, “I want to thank you for being a part of Vicksburg. I can’t imagine building a Vicksburg without the United States Corps District Office. So again, I want to thank you and want you to continue to grow and prosper and live in Vicksburg.”

After the meeting, Klein, who took command of the Division on June 15, 2022, said living up to the Division’s legacy “certainly is a tremendous weight, and I certainly recognize that I, when you walk past that, that long line of commanders. You are just about one face in a long legacy of folks who have helped build these communities, this nation, this waterway.

“I think my responsibility at this point is just not to break it and continue looking for those ways that you can keep making a positive impact on the community; even those small dollar investments that we do through environmental infrastructure in a small Mississippi town or through a ditch, clean out or through,” Klein said. “A small dollar investment into a small community has a large impact. We have to understand that every investment that we make is a high impact on somebody.”