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34-580: The inn was established by Ernest Percy Johnson in 1923, although the Grand Lodge of Iowa 's bulletin of 1918 mentions a meeting was held at the Westcustogo Inn, albeit listed as being in Portland , on September 9 that year. Its last owners were Ralph and Betsey Clemons in 2006. The property consisted of a fine-dining restaurant and a bar and lounge. It had several uses between the mid-1960s and

68-662: A 319-acre tract acquired for $ 1.28 million and announced in May 2017. The Coker House stands adjacent to a south portion of the Champion Hill Battlefield. It was used as a hospital by Union forces and upon departing, the Yankees extensively looted both the house and the plantation stores. Bullet holes in the front door and jamb and cannonball holes on the west side of the Coker House remained as evidence of

102-693: A Union column reportedly moving on the crossroads. Lee soon spotted the Union troops and they in turn saw him. If the enemy force was not stopped, it would cut the Confederates off from their Vicksburg base. Pemberton was warned of the Union movement and sent troops to defend his left flank. Union forces at the Champion House moved into action and their artillery began firing. When Grant arrived at Champion Hill at about 10:00 a.m., he ordered an attack to begin. John A. McClernand 's corps attacked on

136-617: A crest of a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. Grant wrote in his Personal Memoirs , "... where Pemberton had chosen his position to receive us, whether taken by accident or design, was well selected. It is one of the highest points in that section, and commanded all the ground in the range." Pemberton was unaware that one of the three Union columns was moving along the Jackson Road against his unprotected left flank on Champion Hill. Pemberton posted Brigadier General Stephen D. Lee 's Alabama brigade on Champion Hill where they could watch for

170-459: A crossroads one-third mile south of the crest of Champion Hill. When he obediently ordered a countermarch, his rear, including his supply wagons, had become the vanguard of his attack. At around 7:00 am on May 16, Union forces engaged the Confederates and the Battle of Champion Hill began. Pemberton's force formed into a three-mile (5 km)-long defensive line that ran southwest to northeast along

204-587: A vital member of General Pemberton's staff. Following the Union occupation of Jackson, Mississippi , on May 14, both Confederate and Union forces made plans for future operations. General Joseph E. Johnston , commanding all Confederate forces in Mississippi , retreated with most of his army up the Canton Road. However, he ordered Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, commanding three divisions totaling about 23,000 men, to leave Edwards Station and attack

238-523: Is also known as Baker's Creek . Sidney S. Champion, born in Guilford County, North Carolina , in 1824, came to Mississippi and settled on a large tract of land located between Bolton and Edwards . Captain Champion was a seasoned Confederate soldier long before the outbreak of the Battle of Champion Hill. The night of May 15 found Captain Champion within range of the battle site and serving as

272-580: Is now "at least one of the top five [Masonic libraries in the world], with over 100,000 volumes. Both Masonic and general books are included in the collections and the library is open to anyone, whether Masons or not." The library was the location in 2008 of the Masonic Library and Museum Association (MLMA) annual meeting, 80 years after a similar meeting in Cedar Rapids at the original Masonic Library. According to Professor David Hackett of

306-571: The Livingston Library at the Grand Lodge of New York have a similar volume of Prince Hall Masonic material. The Library includes three museum collections and is open to the public. The museum collections are extensive and include a Masonic collection on the first floor and a Non-Masonic collection on the 2nd floor, consisting of thousands of items. Also, there is the Charles H. Swab Memorial collection, donated by deed in 1958. One of

340-694: The Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War (1861–1865). Union Army commander Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate States Army under Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton and defeated it twenty miles to the east of Vicksburg, Mississippi , leading inevitably to the Siege of Vicksburg and surrender. The battle

374-567: The Bakers Creek Bridge, and by midnight they had occupied Edwards. The Confederates fell back to a defensive position at the Big Black River in front of Vicksburg. The Battle of Big Black River Bridge the next day would be the final chance for Pemberton to escape. Champion Hill was a bloody and decisive Union victory. In his Personal Memoirs , Grant observed, "While a battle is raging, one can see his enemy mowed down by

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408-597: The Grand Secretary to purchase books on the topic of Freemasonry. In its earliest years the Library was located at the residence of Theodore S. Parvin , the first Grand Librarian, who started it with 100 books purchased for $ 5. It moved with him from Muscatine to Iowa City, to Davenport, then back to Iowa City where it was maintained until its final transfer to a more permanent home in Cedar Rapids in 1884. It has remained in Cedar Rapids ever since. The Masonic Library

442-719: The Iowa Masonic Library and Museum, which has a significant collection of Masonic and non-Masonic artifacts. It is also noteworthy that the first four lodges operated under the Grand Lodge of Missouri before this Grand Lodge was able to be formed. The lineage for how all was founded is as follows as an excerpt from chapter III Genealogy of Iowa Masonry of the History of the Grand Lodge of Iowa (Page 49): We read our pedigree in this way: The Grand Lodge of Scotland, formed of 'time immemorial' lodges in 1730, chartered

476-481: The Provincial Grand Lodge of North Carolina in 1761, and that became independent in 1787. Tennessee was formed out of North Carolina Lodges in 1813, Missouri out of· Tennessee lodges in 1821, Iowa out of Missouri lodges in 1844, and Dakota out of Iowa lodges in 1875. Battle of Champion Hill The Battle of Champion Hill (aka Champion's Hill ) of May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in

510-729: The Royal River Cabins, further north along Route 88 , because the Eastland Park Hotel in Portland banished her dog, Fala. She chose to dine at the Westcustogo, while the owner's daughter entertained Fala on the porch. Other notable guests at the inn include Fred Allen , Portland Hoffa , Joe Louis , Gene Tunney , Clark Gable , Charlie Chaplin , Greta Garbo , Margaret Chase Smith (on November 4, 1965), Jean Harlow , Mary Pickford , Myrna Loy , Douglas Fairbanks , Bette Davis and Gary Merrill . However,

544-487: The Union troops at Clinton . Pemberton and his generals felt that Johnston's plan was likely to result in disaster and decided instead to attack the Union supply trains moving from Grand Gulf to Raymond . On May 16, however, Pemberton received another message from Johnston repeating his former orders. Pemberton had already started after the supply trains and was on the Raymond-Edwards Road, with his rear at

578-640: The Union troops back beyond the Champion Hill crest before their surge was halted. However, they were too few to hold the position. Pemberton directed William W. Loring to send forces from the southern area of the line, where they were only lightly engaged with McClernand's ineffective attack, to reinforce the hill. However, Loring refused to budge, citing a strong Union presence to his front. Grant now counterattacked, committing his forces that had just arrived from Clinton by way of Bolton. Pemberton's men could not resist this assault, and he ordered them to use

612-646: The University of Florida "a fairly large...public collection of Prince Hall materials can be found" at the library. Likewise, Stephen Kantrowitz of the University of Wisconsin-Madison notes that "substantial collections of published black Masonic proceedings" appearing in large numbers from the 1870s on can be found at the library. According to Kantrowitz, only the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library in Lexington, Massachusetts and

646-527: The authenticity of the signatures in Ernest Johnson's 1923–1941 guestbook have been found difficult to verify. After the inn closed, it was vacant for a while, before being renovated by Cunningham Security, who are still the occupants. Grand Lodge of Iowa The Iowa Masonic Library and Museum , located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa , United States, is one of the largest Masonic libraries in

680-557: The battle. In 1985, the historic property was donated to the Jackson Civil War Roundtable, which later deeded it to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. As of 2005 the house was in ruins, but it has since been rebuilt using the original materials as much as possible, as it had deteriorated too far to be restored. Historical markers at the house detail the battle and the history of

714-500: The battlefield remain well preserved, including original roads, as evidenced by a view of the field from approximately the site of the Davis sketch. The map reference refers to the small stone historical marker at the corner of Billy Fields Road and DJ Johnson road, very central in the field. As of October 2012, residential development had encroached on limited parts of the field, near the center, along DJ Johnson Road. Thousands of acres of

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748-420: The battlefield through conservation easements and land purchases from 2003 through mid-2023. In October 2007, Sid Champion, together with three family members who co-own the land, worked with the trust to craft a unique easement to protect 147 acres (0.59 km ) of the family farm comprising a key part of the field. The 795 acres preserved by the trust and its partners at Champion Hill through mid-2018 includes

782-753: The core battlefield are privately owned, listed as II.1. Class A (opportunity for comprehensive preservation, good integrity, low threat) by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission. Discontinuous portions of the battlefield, totaling over 800 acres (3.2 km ), are owned by the State of Mississippi. These properties are being held for possible future inclusion in Vicksburg National Military Park . The American Battlefield Trust and its partners have been able to protect more than 1,222 acres (4.95 km ) of

816-416: The early 1970s, before reopening for public dining in 1973. It was damaged by a fire in 1961. Trolley cars of the Portland and Yarmouth Electric Railway Company used to run, every fifteen minutes, from Portland to Yarmouth between 1898 and 1933. There was a stop immediately opposite the inn, at the southern end of Pleasant Street . Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her entourage once stayed at

850-615: The governing body of Freemasonry within the state of Iowa , has its offices at the museum. Founded in 1844, the Grand Lodge was actually in the Territory of Iowa at the time as Iowa did not gain statehood until two years later. Before the Grand Lodge of Iowa could be started, those that were interested within the Territory petitioned the Grand Lodge of Missouri for subordinate lodges. Scholars that are interested in Masonic history typically know of this Grand Lodge in particular because of

884-561: The left and James B. McPherson 's on the right. William T. Sherman 's corps was well behind the others, departing from Jackson. By 11:30 a.m., the Union forces had reached the Confederate's main line. At 1:00 p.m., they took the crest, the troops from Carter L. Stevenson 's division retiring in disorder. McPherson's corps swept forward, capturing the crossroads and closing the Jackson Road escape route. The division of John S. Bowen counterattacked in support of Stevenson, pushing

918-705: The library wing at the west end is 113 feet deep." The front facade includes an inscription from the Bible (Amos 7:7): "Behold the Lord upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand." The history of the fundraising and planning for the building is extensive. It is a contributing building in the Grant Wood Cultural District , certified in 2010 by the Iowa State Historical Society. The Grand Lodge of Iowa,

952-633: The more interesting artifacts is a Civil War flag, which served as standard for the Iowa regiment in the Battle of Champion Hill , where 97 Iowans were casualties. In 2008, the Masonic Library became the temporary location of the African American Museum of Iowa, whose building at 55 12th Ave., SE, was flooded in the Iowa flood of 2008 . In 1884 the Library became the first Masonic library in

986-471: The one escape route still open, the Raymond Road crossing of Bakers Creek. By now, Loring had decided to obey Pemberton's order and was marching toward the fighting by a circuitous route that kept them out of action. Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman 's brigade formed the rearguard and held at all costs, including the death of Tilghman, killed by artillery fire. Late in the afternoon, Grant's troops seized

1020-648: The right constituted the bulk of the Union losses, about 2,500. The Confederates suffered about 3,800 casualties. According to diarist William Eddington, so many Confederate horses had been killed, Union soldiers could not easily approach the abandoned batteries; after the Battle of Big Black River Bridge, Union horses were sent back to recover them. The Confederates' effective loss included most of Loring's division, which had marched off on its own to join Joseph E. Johnston in Jackson. An area of 4,000 acres (1,600 ha)

1054-434: The thousand, or the ten thousand, with great composure; but after the battle these scenes are distressing, and one is naturally disposed to alleviate the sufferings of an enemy as a friend." Grant criticized the lack of fighting spirit of McClernand, a rival for Union Army leadership, because he had not killed or captured Pemberton's entire force. McClernand's casualties were low on the Union left flank (south); McPherson's on

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1088-425: The world and incorporates at least three museum collections. The library was the first, worldwide, to have its own building, which was constructed in 1884. Its current building, constructed in 1955, also houses the administrative offices for the Grand Lodge of Iowa, one of the governing bodies for Freemasonry in Iowa . The Library had its genesis in the 1840s, with a resolution by the Grand Lodge allocating funds to

1122-414: The world to have its own building. The current building was built in 1955. It cost over a million dollars: "The new building cost a little over $ 1,000,000. it is constructed of Vermont Marble, with grey marble from Carthage, Missouri , lining the interior halls. The metalwork in the windows, doors and stair rails is of bronze. The main portion of the building is over 245 feet long and 50 feet wide, while

1156-555: Was listed as the Champion Hill Battlefield on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The listing covered 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) including three contributing buildings , one contributing site , and one contributing object . It was further designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1977. It is located about 3 miles southwest of Bolton, Mississippi . Large sections of

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