This is the first in a series featuring Vicksburg ‘s Holiday Tour of historic homes. The history of the homes is provided by executive director of the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation Nancy Bell.

While Vicksburg has many beautiful antebellum homes, within the River City there were also houses built after the Civil War that also hold historic significance. During the holiday season, 12 of these homes will be on display for the public during O’ Christmas Tree, an inaugural event, sponsored by Vicksburg Main Street and the Vicksburg Heritage Guild.

The event is a fundraiser for the Vicksburg Main Street Façade Program. Homes will be open from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 9 and 10. Tickets are $20 or $25 with a Vicksburg Trolley pass and are available at the Vicksburg Main Street office, Walnut Hills Restaurant, 1214 Adams St., or online at tickettailor.com/events/ochristmastree.

Cowan Place (Saturday Dec. 2)

In 1909, brothers John and Percy Cowan built two homes on a block-long street at the junction of Halls Ferry Road and Cherry and Harris streets, an area known as the new “suburban” neighborhood where many of Vicksburg’s most prominent and wealthiest were building. Only one Cowan Place home remains today, that which originally belonged to John and wife Sadie who paid $13,000 for the “English style” house designed by the New Orleans architectural firm of Keenan and Weiss. By 1935, the home had been sold; today, it has been restored to its original beauty.

2312 Cherry Street (Saturday Dec. 2)

This house was most likely built about 1906 in the Colonial Revival style, perhaps by F.I. and Anna Markham. Originally the house was clapboard and had a one-story wrap-

around porch.  By 1912, Edward (a planter) and Augusta Klaus lived in the house; A.M. and Kathleen Mallory were in the home; by 1959, Crawford Mims and his family had

moved into the Cherry Street house.