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The Gulf Coast encompasses a 1,795-square-mile area,
more than 40 miles of beaches, about 360,000 people, 11
incorporated cities, a few hundred years of history and
dozens of communities, each with its own distinct
character.
HANCOCK COUNTY
At 478 square miles, Hancock County is the smallest
and most western county of the three. The closest to New
Orleans, it maintains a decidedly Crescent City flavor
in its food, architecture, music and festivals.
Bay St. Louis
Bay St. Louis is known for its heritage, good music
and thriving antique community. As early as 1851, Bay
St. Louis based its economy on tourism. The wealthy
settlers of New Orleans and Natchez built great mansions
and spawned the need for first-class hotels on the
beach. Dubbed the Riviera of America, this coastal area
provided a virtual fun-land paradise for their family
and friends to enjoy. This charming little community
still thrives on tourism.
Waveland
Waveland was originally considered a suburb of New
Orleans due to successful New Orleans merchants who
lived there year round or built palatial summer homes.
Today, the town now boasts shopping centers, movie
theatres and plent of family entertainment. Buccaneer
State Park, with its big wave pool, is located near
Waveland.
HARRISON COUNTY
Harrison County is the central of the three coast
counties, and within its 581 square miles are five
incorporated cities and the largest population of the
three coastal counties. With numerous golf courses, a
26-mile beach, family attractions, charter boats, 11
casinos and many hotels, Harrison County has a little
bit of everything.
Biloxi
Biloxi celebrated its 300th birthday in 1999. On the
sandy shores of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, Biloxi
stands as one of the oldest cities in the United States.
It boasts a fascinating history, having first been
settled by the French looking for the mouth of the
Mississippi River. About 54,000 people live in the city,
which features an Air Force base, sport and commercial
fishing fleets, casinos and resort attractions, and a
picturesque lighthouse. The social calendar is filled
with plenty of festivals, parades and fishing rodeos.
D’Iberville
The city of D’Iberville was incorporated in 1988, but
its community roots date back to the landing of
D’Iberville in 1699. It ‘s a quiet, growing community
with a long history of boat building and commercial
fishing.
Gulfport
From its simple, humble beginnings as a lumber and
port city, Gulfport has evolved into a diversified
community. With about 6.7 miles of man-made white sandy
beaches along the Gulf of Mexico, Gulfport is one of the
fastest growing areas in the state, due in part to
recent gaming activities. Home of the annual “World’s
Largest Fishing Rodeo,” Gulfport is a residential
community that is blessed with a strong business center.
The downtown area provides a strong mercantile center.
In December, 1993 the City annexed 33 square miles north
of Gulfport, making it the second largest city in
Mississippi with a land area of 62.37 square miles and a
population in excess of 70,000.
Long Beach
Long Beach was named for its long white sand beach in
1882. It is a popular residential community. Its
highlights include the 500-year old Friendship Oak on
the U.S.M. Gulf Park campus.
Orange Grove/Lyman
The first legally noted settlers, when the United
States opened the Coast to citizens, were James M. Dale
and his wife, Agnes. They purchased land in April, 1820,
which has been known for over eighty years as Wilson
Farm Nurseries. Other land owners in the area were
Captain Gayne Hibbey, a ship Captain who was supposed to
have buried treasure near his home, and Sue and John G.
Land who purchased land in the Landon area in 1873.
Joseph T. Jones, a New York financier, built the Gulf
and Ship Island Railroad, completing it to Jackson in
1882. In 1917, a school was built on land donated by
William Thompson and was named Orange Grove, for the
orange groves in the neighborhood. Orange Grove has
continued to grow and thrive, and has become an area
rich, not only in economic potential, but in community
spirit and pride.
North of Orange Grove is the community of Lyman.
Named for Lyman Reeves, who moved his family there in
1885, Mr. Lyman built a sawmill, a small store and a
Methodist Church, which remains today.
Pass Christian
This town is one of the original six “sister cities”
founded by the French. It is a residential community
with pristine beaches, a harbor and friendly downtown
area. The “Pass”, as the city is referred to locally, is
situated on U.S. Highway 90 and encompasses an area six
miles in an east to west direction. The dominant
influence on the early history of Pass Christian was
French. In fact, the name is still pronounced with a
French flair, as Pass Christianne. Many of the earliest
residents in what later became The Pass were some of the
early Bay St. Louis settlers or heirs. Because the
French had settled in this area, many families from
south Louisiana moved in and became permanent residents.
During the early 1800s, the area had no formal
government administering to the people. It wasn’t until
1838 that the first city government for Pass Christian
was chartered and officially recognized by the State
Legislature. The fishing industry, primarily shrimping
and oystering, has been and still is one of the most
significant and colorful elements of Pass Christian’s
economic life.
JACKSON COUNTY
At 736 square miles, Jackson County is also the
eastern-most coastal county. Jackson County has four
incorporated cities, a port, and is one of the state’s
most industrialized counties. There are plenty of
rivers, bayous and wetlands, and no casinos. For over
128,000 people, this scenic county on the beautiful Gulf
of Mexico has a rich and storied past, a proud present
and a promising future. Jackson County was discovered in
April of 1699 by French explorer Pierre LeMoyne
D’Iberville. Named for President Andrew Jackson, the
County began to grow and prosper with each town and
village that developed.
Gautier
Just a few miles west of Pascagoula is Gautier, one
of Mississippi’s newest cities and oldest communities.
The city, incorporated in 1986, offers amenities for a
full and productive life with nearly 18,000 residents
populating a recently increased area. Gautier, a rapidly
growing community, boasts the county’s only shopping
mall, The Singing River Mall. This modern 600,000
square-foot facility features 4 department stores, 9
movie screens and over 50 specialty shops and
restaurants.
Moss Point
Once called Mossy Point because of the many Spanish
moss-draped oaks, this city of about 17,900 is situated
where the Escatawpa River bends to join the East
Pascagoula. The Moss Point name became official when the
booming lumber industry caused a post office to open up
in 1867. In the early days, Moss Point was the biggest
lumber exporter on the Coast, with a dozen sawmills and
sailing ships of all sorts. It was incorporated in 1901.
Ocean Springs
Ocean Springs was the first French capital in 1699,
although it was short-lived. The French picked this spot
because it is the Coast’s highest point, and they named
it Biloxi after the tribe of Indians who greeted them.
The French later moved their capital to the Mobile area
for political and geographic reasons. The community
later took on the Ocean Springs name because of the
mineral springs found there and used by Indians and
early settlers. Be sure to visit the Walter Anderson
Museum of Art, dedicated to the famous painter who
called Ocean Springs home.
Pascagoula
This historical waterfront community is home to the
state’s largest employers Northrop Grumman and Chevron.
A harmonious blend of industry and nature exist side by
side with manufacturing and processing plants operating
in a panorama of marshes and Spanish moss-draped trees.
The city is the county seat and was named for a tribe of
Indians, translated as “Bread People.” |
CLIMATE Mississippi’s moderate climate
encourages outdoor activities year-round. As for the
Coast, it has an average of 219 clear or partly clear
sunny days, compared to the U.S. average of 213. But
when it rains, it pours — an average of 59 inches of
rain falls on the Coast each year, contributing to the
area’s lush, semi-tropical vegetation. The average low
temperature in January is 50 degrees; the summer’s high
temperatures reach into the 90s.
HEALTH CARE
The Mississippi Coast is fortunate to offer residents
a wide range of quality health care facilities. The
following is a brief list of the major hospitals in the
area.
Biloxi Regional Medical Center, Biloxi, 153-bed acute
care hospital, 24-hour emergency department, (228)
432-1571.
Memorial Hospital, Gulfport, 335-bed acute care
hospital, 24-hour emergency department, (228) 867-4000.
SCHOOLS
Public schools in South Mississippi consistently rank
in the top 15 school districts in the State and compare
favorably with nationwide averages. Each community has
its own school district and the counties operate schools
outside the incorporated areas. There are also plenty of
private schools located in the area. Call (601) 359-5615
or visit www.mde.k12.ms.us for a copy of The Mississippi
Report Card.
Documents needed for school registration: certified
copy of birth certificate with raised state seal,
student transcript and report cards, social security
number, immunization record and two proofs of residency.
Children must be 5 years old before Sept. 1 to enter
kindergarten and 6 years old before Sept. 1 to enter
first grade.
Public School Districts
Hancock County
Bay St. Louis/Waveland, 201 Carroll Ave., Bay St.
Louis, (228) 467-6621
Hancock County, 17304 Hwy. 603, Kiln, (228) 255-0376
Harrison County
Biloxi, 160 St. Peter Ave., Biloxi, (228) 374-1810
Gulfport, 2010 15th St., Gulfport, (228) 865-4600
Harrison County, 11072 Hwy. 49, Gulfport, (228)
539-6500
Long Beach, 111 Quarles St., Long Beach, (228)
864-1146
Pass Christian, 701 West North Street, Pass
Christian, (228) 452-7271
Jackson County
Jackson County, 12210 Colonel Vickery, Vancleave,
(228) 826-1757
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Hancock Country Library System
(228) 467-5282
Harrison County Library System
(228) 868-1383
Jackson County Library System
(228) 769-3059
EMPLOYMENT
The Mississippi Gulf Coast enjoys the
presence of several of the state’s top employers
representing industries from tourism to manufacturing.
On the Gulf Coast, these employers are industry leaders
such as Northrop Grumman, Chevron, Dupont, Triton
Systems, G.E. Plastics, The Southern Company, Halter
Marine, Friede Goldman, Oreck, the Coast’s casinos, and
many more.
Since 1941, a strong military
presence on the Mississippi Gulf Coast has contributed
significantly to the economy. More recently, legalized
dockside gaming has fueled growth, not only in the
tourism industry, but all segments of the economy. Since
the first legal casino opened on the coast in 1992,
average annual incomes have risen from $16,215 to about
$21,000.
Call or visit the chamber of commerce
nearest you for more employment information or go online
and get the latest from the official site of the
Mississippi Development Authority at
www.decd.state.ms.us.
COASTAL CHAMBERS
Due to our buildings being destroyed
by Hurricane Katrina the Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach,
Pass Christian, & Coast Chambers of Commerce are located
at 12284 Intraplex Parkway, Gulfport, MS 39503. (228)
604-0014.
Biloxi Bay, (228) 435-6149
Orange Grove, (228) 832-3028
D’Iberville, (228) 392-2293
Hancock County Chamber, 302 Hwy 90,
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520, (228) 467-9048
Jackson County Chamber,
(228) 762-3391
Ocean Springs Chamber,
(228) 875-4424
Chamber Update
The Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce has a dedicated group of business men and women
that strive to make their Chamber all that it can be.
This group is strictly a volunteer group that considers
pushing the businesses in Jackson County forward and
helping them be successful enough to continue doing what
they do. The Ambassadors play a very important role in
the operation of the Chamber. They act as a Public
Relations arm that the Chamber uses to promote its many
events and to improve the retention rate of membership.
If any one has any interest in becoming an Ambassador,
please contact Sherrell Harris at the Jackson County
Chamber of Commerce at 228-762-3391 or via email at
harriss@jcchamber.com or Jack Culpepper at
228-369-8200 or at
jculpepper@cableone.net .
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