The Sultana: The Greatest Maritime Disaster in US History. Yes,... even worse than The Titanic…read more This disaster received little public attention, as it took place at the end of the Civil War, after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and the day after John Wilkes Booth was killed. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. Under the terms of the surrender agreement, POWs were to be freed and sent home as soon as possible. Union prisoners from Andersonville, GA and Cahaba, AL were sent to Vicksburg, MS to ship home up the MS River. The government offered to pay boat owners $5 per enlisted man and $10 per officer transported. The Sultana left Vicksburg on April 24th with more than 2,300 prisoners of war (plus an additional number of crew and passengers and a large shipment of sugar bound for Memphis). It's legal carrying capacity was only 376 passengers. The Sultana had pulled into Vicksburg at about the same time as two other boats (the Pauline Caroll and the Lady Gay); however, those 2 boats left with 0 soldiers. To make matters worse, a boiler had to be patched while in port at Vicksburg. The mechanic warned it would need to be properly fixed once up north. At about 2am on April 27th 1865, the steamboat's boilers exploded. Over 1,800 of the Sultana's +2,300 passengers were killed just north of Marion, Arkansas. The 1,800 people were burned to death, drowned or died of hypothermia. After the disaster, people wanted to determine the cause of the Sultana explosion as well as why it was so overcrowded. Many concluded that Mason, the captain and part owner of the Sultana, bribed Union officers into letting him transport as many freed prisoners as possible so that he would make lots of money; however, Mason was killed in the accident. Captain Frederick Speed, a Union army officer, was found guilty of overcrowding the Sultana. But his verdict was overturned by the army. So in the end, the U.S. Army never punished anyone for the disaster.

This is a terrific museum dedicated to a disaster that has largely been forgotten, lost in the…read moreaftermath of the Civil War. There is a great introductory film, and then several rooms of artifacts and interpretive material about this event, the largest maritime loss of life in American history. The passionate and deeply knowledgeable guide made our visit very special. Highly recommended.

The Delta Blues Museum is a must see destination while traveling in Mississippi. Located close to…read morethe Crossroads monument in Clarksdale you travel back in time to the birth place of blues music. The true Americana music of our nation and played by some of the finest musicians who inspired what's called rock n roll today. You'll journey from the roots of blue's in the cottons fields of the south to current players. On display you'll see artifacts from clothing , stage used guitars from players and artwork along with someone's car. The photographical journey on the wall is amazing and reflects a long range of history dating many decades. What's better is most of its through the eyes of s single photographer. Before you leave check out the gift shop. Many items including music available for purchasing . I'm sure the museum will grow and look forward to seeing it again.

First off, my only complaint - No Photography Allowed. There are so many cool things that I wanted…read moreto snap pics of and share with friends that I actually contemplated my chances of being caught and what would be the repercussions! I remembered I was in the Delta as a guest and kept the gentleman's agreement. The museum has a re-creation of Muddy Waters share croppers cabin and an area devoted just to him. It also boasts scores of small exhibit of blues artists with bios, photos, clothing and instruments. it also covers the history and the non famous, such as a local Clarksdale resident that rode his bike around town for many years and performed every chance he could. (If I could have taken photos I would remember his name) A must see for anyone coming thru Clarksdale.

This is definitely worth a stop if you have any interest in the culture of the lower Mississippi…read moreRiver delta. The facility is located within a former train depot, and is well kept. The staff members are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. The restrooms are also a bit nicer than the ones at the state visitors' center (Arkansas Welcome Center), located down the road by the Mississippi River highway bridge.

This place is the go-to location for learning about the Arkansas Delta, the Civil War and Blues…read moreMusic! Amazing!

My spouse and I came here while we were in Memphis. For anyone who is interested in American…read morehistory, especially in the south. This is one spot you will want to check out as this was a house that was used during the underground railroad that runway slaves would come as a safe spot to hide before running off to the northern states. If you are in the area I would highly recommend visited it. [Review #722] (20th Review of 2024)

0 stars as this place is NOT open, IS abandoned and IS scary…read more The surrounding neighborhood is a little uncomfortable for two white women walking through. Seems to be a low income area. Yelp said this museum was open but clearly has not been for quite some time:

What a little diamond in the rough..we visited from California and my son was absolutely in love…read morewith this museum..he's a train enthusiast and was so excited to see all of the trains and history all on display..the volunteers were so wonderful to explain everything and were very accommodating of our stay..we highly recommend this location to anyone looking to learn more about trains!

This is such a nice museum; a hidden gem of sorts! There are…read moreall types of train cars to peek in and explore. Plus, there is a model railroad and small gift shop. Admission is free, but don't forget to ring the bell upon entering so the friendly volunteer can give you all of the fun facts and interesting details about the trains on site. It's great for aspiring train conductors of all ages!

If you love local history, this place is an absolute gem. We stopped by the Old Independence…read moreRegional Museum and were genuinely impressed by both the quality of the exhibits and the passion of the staff. The museum does an excellent job telling the story of Independence County and the surrounding region, with artifacts ranging from Native American history to pioneer life, military history, and everyday life in the Ozarks. One of my favorite parts was that the museum is housed in a historic 1936 National Guard Armory building, which adds another layer of history before you even walk through the exhibits.

A must visit! Also make sure to call the museum or check their Facebook page for special events.read more

We were able to tour this great spot just before they move. Can't wait to check out their new digs…read moreon a subsequent trip! So much creative beauty and the gift shop is to die for! I fell in love with so many pieces.

When it comes to museums, this is a unique find. The exhibits change pretty frequently and are…read moreunlike anything I've seen at other museums. I also love the gorgeous outdoor grounds! You can plan to spend 2 hours or less walking around and watching live demonstrations. I believe they also offer scheduled classes, so check the website. The museum is small, but for $8 per adult, I think it's worth it for a unique day out.

Before Cordova was became an eastern extension of Memphis, it was its own place; a cute little town…read morecentered around a tiny train station, way out in the county. And while much of old Cordova is gone, there's one place where you can get your small-town fix. The small museum fills up one room (and a small annex) in the Cordova Community Center. Since the building housed the Cordova School from the early 1900s until the mid-1970s, much of the museum's limited space is given to a model classroom. After the school was closed, the county stored all of the old school fixtures in the building, which means that much of what you can see in the Cordova Museum is authentic to the school. There are musty books, old sports jerseys, photos of the first graduating class (three people), sheet music from the glee club, school picture day proofs and a binder full of graded writing assignments (mostly nature poetry) from the 1950s. The most impressive thing about the Cordova Museum, though, is its collection of photographs and archives from the town's history dating back to roughly 1860. And unlike many museums, the Cordova Museum's staff of one, Cordova native Darlene Hooker Sawyer, can tell you the names (and often the backstories) of every single person in the photographs. If you grew up in Cordova and ever participated in any Fourth of July parades, crafts fairs or halloween events at the Community Center, there's a high liklihood that your picture is in one of the binders in the Museum. Since my mom insisted that we participate in just about every single Cordova event, I was able to find a photo of my childhood best friend and I dressed up in ridiculous homemade red white and blue bunting dresses from an early 90s Independence Day parade. The Cordva Museum is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Admission is free, and they've also got free access to ancestrty.com from the museum computers.

My favorite area of Memphis has to be Cordova. A wonderful slice of history that is all free!!…read moreDarlene Sawyer is an amazing woman who went to the schoolhouse as a child and is so full of knowledge. If you like history and seeing how buildings and life was like in the 1800s and 1900s, this place is for you.