Mile 703.0 - Buck Island (No. 53)

703 Buck Island (No. 53)

Not to be confused with the other Buck Island (Prairie Point Towhead) located at mile 660 above Helena, Arkansas. This Buck Island has migrated from right bank to left bank, and although it is firmly planted amidst all of the Tunica County casinos, it is considered Arkansas. Marion Bragg reported in Historic Names and Places: “John James Audubon wandered over Buck Island in December, 1820, marveling over the large number of ducks, geese, and seagulls he saw in the area. During the Civil War, Buck Island was the scene of a clever little smuggling operation. Although Union gunboats were constantly patrolling the area, the rebels somehow managed to quietly ferry across 12 wagonloads of arms and ammunition at Buck Island in 1864. By the time Union forces became aware of what was going on, rebels and supplies had all vanished. In June, 1866 the steamer City of Memphis exploded and burned opposite Buck Island. On her last trip up the river, the big boat had run aground just above Vicksburg, but a high wind and heavy rains had dislodged her from the sandbar and she had hurried on upstream to her doom. Newspapers reported that about 60 people lost their lives in the explosion and fire. The City of Memphis was an old boat at the time of her demise. She had been well-known and extremely popular in her day. In 1858, she had carried so many passengers that a daily newspaper published on board proved to be a successful and lucrative venture.”