Vicksburg through the eyes of J. Mack Moore

Have you ever wondered what Vicksburg was truly like a hundred years ago or more?

Looking through the quiet town with streets devoid of traffic on a slow Saturday morning, your curiosity is piqued as you try to envision the busy commotion of the long-passed flourishing river town that was historic Vicksburg. It’s a concept that has been captured well within texts over the years, but leaves much to the imagination; the beauty of our city is too unimaginable to be captured by words alone. Here enters a man into history; no, an artist who perfected his craft of storytelling, not with words, but pictures, and gave the people of Vicksburg a visual time capsule of their city during a period when the Mississippi River was the focal point of commerce, luxury, romanticized southern themes, and artistic engineering. John Mack Moore, often referenced as looking more like Mark Twain than Mark Twain himself, was a local photographer from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s who captured Vicksburg using glass plates with what many of the time believed to be antiquated equipment.

J. Mack Moore was born in the 1870s and developed an affection for photography throughout his teens when he began working at local studios in town. Vicksburg, on the rise as an industrious river port, facilitated one of Moore’s other passions: steamboats. They were an infatuating combination for Moore’s craft as he sought to capture moments that perfectly conveyed his love of the river city. He resisted the evolution of photographic technology, often expressing disdain for the lack of talent needed to operate the “newfangled gadgets” and instead opted to use a camera that captured negatives on 8” X 10” glass plates over a long exposure. For sixty years, his darkroom remained unchanged in his home where he practiced the use of wet plates applied to homemade printing papers. His methods required extreme patience, but the result was high quality. Even the smallest details appear in razor-sharp focus and clarity that can’t be matched by most modern equipment today.

Prints of Moore’s earliest work became highly coveted throughout Vicksburg. A collection of over 1,100 negatives became his bestsellers and the main source of income throughout the later stages of his life. Images depicting crowded riverboat landings, bustling city life, architecturally impressive structures, and panoramic views are among the moments stolen from time and immortalized for future generations.

View of Vicksburg From Louisana (JMM)

Upon J. Mack Moore’s death, his wife offered her husband’s collection to his dear friend, Charlie Faulk. It was apparent to Faulk that the collection held not just artistic importance but immense historical value. After a discussion with Mrs. Eva W. Davis, Director of the Old Court House Museum at the time, Moore’s collection of glass negatives was purchased by the Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society. The Museum has preserved these images for almost 70 years, in which they have been used all over the world for research, publications, documentaries, and much more. Digital preservation of the collection is complete, prints of the images are on display at the Old Court House Museum, and the full collection can be accessed in the Museum’s research library by appointment. So, if you have ever wondered what Vicksburg was truly like a hundred years ago or more, come by the Museum and see for yourself.

Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society

If you enjoyed this story about J. Mack Moore and want to learn more, please consider visiting the Old Court House Museum here in Vicksburg, MS. We’ve been a museum for 74 years now, and all items on display were donated by families from here. We also have a vast archive in our McCardle Research Library that is accessible by appointment. Members of the Historical Society have free admission to the museum, so please also consider becoming a member. All proceeds raised through membership go directly to the preservation of the museum and its contents. For more information visit our website at www.oldcourthouse.org or give us a call at 601-636-0741. You never know what you’ll find at the Old Court House!