Wow, that picture sure does suggest a story, doesn't it? And it makes me wonder: How long did it take to do? How many worked on it? How long did it last? Is there any trace of it left? How many people saw it? Did it make the news at the time?

Who was that 19th century English poet whose tombstone reads: "Here lies one whose name was writ on water"? That this memorial was carved in CLAY says something powerful, too, even if the profundity of mixing the message with that particular medium was wholly unintended by the author(s)/artist(s).

I've wondered too. He must have traced it out first, as the letters are all exactly the same size. Then it looks like he used a jackhammer to carve them.

I can't imagine the DOT let it stay up too long.

Being from Vicksburg, I am familiar with photo in question. I was born in 1978, but I can remember still seeing it when I was young, so I can tell you that DOT did let the carving stay up. By the mid-eighties, it was gone. It was popular back then to carve your name, your girlfriend's name, et cetera in to the embankments along interstate 20. It has kind of fallen out of favor now. I don't know if the Highway Patrol is cracking down or what. Anyway, that is the end of the story; you guys are interested in the beginning. It has been a while since I heard it, but I will do my best.

Four men were involved. There was also present the usual contingent of girlfriends/spouses to stand around and watch. I don't know how long it took. I do know that disaster was averted when someone realized that they were leaving out the second "M" in "remember." Therefore, when talking about the carving to people who know the story, you may hear it referred to as "Remeber Duane Allman."

A lot of people must have seen it. My father, who had no connection to Vicksburg at the time, but was attending Louisiana Tech University 100 miles due west on interstate 20, recalls seeing framed pictures of the carving being sold around campus. I know the story because I went to school with the children of one of the perpetrators, David R. I have a better picture in which you can see the "signature" on the carving. He likes to tell of how people over the years have tried to tell him that they were responsible for it. I will try to get the original or one of his descendants to make a post.

Wow, this is so unbelievable! My husband and three of his friends did this carving on Feb. 3, 1973 (I had yet to meet my future husband, with whom I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary on May 17). They had planned it out carefully, and then ran everytime they saw the highway patrol come by, and thank goodness, they went across the street and saw that they had left out that "m". "Remeber Duane Allman" just didn't have the right ring to it! So, they fixed it and there it stood, for about 10 years! Other people would claim to have done it, some even bragging about it to David, but he had the pictures and the proof! All of them, David, Dennis, Don (who ended up marrying my sister!), and Len are all still living in Vicksburg. The hill is pretty much gone now, but the memory still lives on, apparently!! A picture of it even made it into Rolling Stone!!! That was exciting, to say the least.
So, if you have any questions, you can email us. And thanks Mark, for sending the link to Erica! It has made my day!!!!!!!!!!!!