Vicksburg Park Boundary Shift: Bill Transfers ~10 Acres to Mississippi for Visitor Centers

This bill, titled the "Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act," directs the federal government to hand over about 10 acres of land within the Vicksburg National Military Park to the State of Mississippi. Specifically, it involves two parcels (roughly 3.66 and 6.48 acres) currently managed by the National Park Service. The key detail? This transfer comes at no cost to Mississippi.

So, what's the plan for this land? According to the bill, Mississippi is expected to use these parcels for public purposes directly related to the park experience. Think a new welcome center on one piece and potentially an interpretive center or museum on the other. Once the land changes hands, the Secretary of the Interior is required to officially redraw the park's boundary lines to reflect that these acres are no longer part of the national park itself. Essentially, it's a land swap aimed at letting the state develop visitor facilities adjacent to the park, likely to enhance the overall visitor experience, while slightly reducing the park's total acreage.