By Rob Sigler

Vicksburg has always been a special place to me, and to become the editor of the newspaper in this fascinating community is both exciting and daunting.

I did not grow up in Vicksburg, but came here as a young boy to make regular visits with my family to spend time with my aunt, who owned shoe stores in downtown and in Monroe.

My family, whose roots run deep in the Mississippi Delta, visited Vicksburg while on vacation from northern California and each trip I looked forward to touring the national military park, the Old Courthouse Museum and Cedar Grove, where that cannon ball in the front parlor always caught my imagination. I could view actual history almost like it had just happened.

History, and in particular the history of the Civil War, has always captured my imagination. The first time my brother and I went to the military park, our then 5- and 6-year-old legs stormed up to the General Lloyd Tilghman monument to see up close the dramatic metal man with sword in hand and holding the reins of a wild-eyed horse. From then on, I was hooked with knowing as much as I could about the Civil War and why Vicksburg played such a critical role in the war.

History has played a big part in Vicksburg, but I know much more to this community exists, and I look forward to helping bring its stories to life as editor of The Post. I hope we get to know one another as I become part of the community.

Allow me to tell you a bit more about myself.

Mississippi is my home and has been since I was 14. My family finally quit taking vacation trips from California and moved to the Gulf Coast in 1978, where I grew up in Gulfport, attended and graduated from Harrison Central High School. After college at Delta State University, I took my first newspaper job as a sports writer in Alabama and a year later found myself as the sports editor of the Picayune Item in Picayune, Mississippi. I spent 15 great years in Picayune before heading to Laurel and working as the managing editor of the Laurel Leader-Call for nearly 10 years.

For the last couple of years, I’ve been the managing editor of the Oxford Eagle in Oxford and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. But the opportunity to come to Vicksburg was something I could not pass up.

I’m blessed that both my parents are still alive and in fairly good health, but they are also getting up there in years and the chance to be a couple hours closer to them was also attractive. Family is a big thing with me, as is the community in which I live.

I welcome your input and comments on topics you would like to see explored and discussed in your community newspaper, so please feel free to drop me a line, give me a call or stop in at the office. I’d love to get to know you and allow you to get to know me.
Rob Sigler begins work today as editor of The Vicksburg Post. Email him at rob.sigler@vicksburgpost.com.