This Mississippi marker is located in the Jones Park area, near the replica of the Ship Island…read morelighthouse. It reads, "12 miles south of the mainlind lies emerald waters and sugar white sand. Site of economic and military conquest by the Spanish in the 1500s, the French in 1699, the British in the 1700s and the Union Army in 1861. Site of Civil War Fort Massachusetts and quarantine station (1881-1916). British headquarters for the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. A brick lighthouse was built in 1853 and destroyed in 1886. The wooden lighthouse was built in 1886, survived Hurricane Camille in 1969, burned by a campfire in 1972, and reconstructed in 1999. Southern terminus for the Gulfport shipping channel. Became part of Gulf Island National Seashore in 1971. Sponsored by Hancock Bank and Friends of the Gulf Island National Seashore." Online, there is more information. It is one of the Mississippi-Alabama barrier islands and was split into separate islands (West Ship Island and East Ship Island) by Hurricane Camille in 1969. In 2019, the US Army Corp of Engineers completed a project to rejoin the two islands. Ship Island has the only deep-water harbor between Mobile Bay and the Mississippi River. During the Civil War, the island was a prison for Confederate prisoners of war and a base for the US Second Regiment, a unit of African-American soldiers. Fort Massachusetts, named in honor of the Union warship that seized the outpost in 1862, is generally open for tours though the organized ferry is closed due to the pandemic. [Review 14598 overall, 97 of 2021, number 91 in Mississippi.]

What a cute museum! In the original train depot built in the early 1900s, the original flooring,…read morewalls and ceiling through most of the building. The gentleman working was well informed of the history of the area. This is on the small side, but packed with information, displays and exhibits. There are items for sale. I am sure that if I had more time, I would have gotten plenty of information on other things to do in the area as the guy working was very knowledgeable about the area.

Had been a few years since we last visited the memorial. Noticed several of the trees were gone now…read more, and the display with all the washed up items from katrina was gona as well. Seems to be more missing, but cant recall. So sad , and cant believe its been 20 years. If your traveling through biloxi , i highly recommend stopping by the monument and paying respects the souls loat and said their are still 3 ppl listed as missing even after 20 years.RIP.....

I think most people have no idea how destructive this storm really was. Causing over 1800 deaths…read moreand $125 billion in damage, it was at the time the costliest tropical cyclone on record. The storm was the twelfth tropical cyclone, the fifth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States. Battered by wind, rain and storm surge, some beachfront neighborhoods were completely leveled. Preliminary estimates by Mississippi officials calculated that 90% of the structures within half a mile of the coastline were completely destroyed. The pictures of the coastal casinos - block long buildings! - were picked up and basically launched at the coastline, destroying many 18th century homes and ancient trees. The Bay St. Louis-Pass Christian and the Biloxi-Ocean Springs bridge were entirely destroyed. Katrina's surge was the most extensive, as well as the highest, in the documented history of the United States. That is documented here with a post showing the maximum height of the surge. The Memorial stands 12 feet tall, about the height of the water during Hurricane Katrina's storm surge at the Town Green. It lists the names of the 170 victims that perished during the storm. [Review 14185 overall, 1507 of 2020, number 75 in Mississippi.]

The Civil Rights Wade-In historical sign is an important part of the history of Biloxi, Mississippi…read moreand honestly, was not that long ago in realistic terms. The sign also discusses the importance of the wade-ins in the birth of the Biloxi, Mississippi and the birth of the local NAACP.

Located in the parking lot for the Biloxi Lighthouse Pier, this marker recalls an important battle…read morein the fight for Civil Rights. The marker is accessible and in good condition. It reads, "Civil Rights Wade-Ins. On May 14, 1959, April 24, 1960, and June 23, 1963, the Biloxi beach front was the site of planned civil rights wade-ins demanding equal access to the public beach. On April 24, 1960, several citizens, both black and white, were injured and arrested, including the leader of the wade-ins, physician Dr. Gilbert R. Mason Sr. This series of protests gave birth to the Biloxi branch of the NAACP, major voter registration drives in 1960, and a 1968 falderal court ruling opening the beach to all citizens." Before the beaches were desegregated, adjacent homeowners claimed the beaches as private property. However, Mason and his supporters noted that the beaches had been built in a major project completed in 1953 by the Army Corps of Engineers using taxpayer funds, and so thought they should be public and available to all. The new beaches had increased tourist traffic to the Biloxi area, strengthening the local economy. The effort by local authorities to maintain segregation was supported by actions of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, a state agency founded in 1956. It used its extensive investigative powers to spy on citizens and plan economic retaliation against those who were civil rights activists or suspected of being so. On the date mentioned on the plaque, the police stood by and watched as white mobs attacked black beachgoers. It is referred to as "The Bloody Wade-In" and was described by the New York Times as "The worst racial riot in Mississippi history." The marker was placed here in April 2010, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the protests. [Review 14121 overall, 1443 of 2020, number 28 in Mississippi.]

Nice sleepy town on the Gulf of Mexico in Mississippi. It has its charms. I happened to visit on…read morethe second Saturday in August where they were having a city-wide celebration with live music, specials in certain stores, people driving around on their golf carts. It is very quaint with a lot of antique stores, knick knack shop and locally made goods. I did not meet one unpleasant person while I was here, which was nice. Everyone was just so friendly. Everything was clean, and the roads were freaking amazing. I highly recommend this city for a quiet weekend.

It seems like people try and review something special every 100 reviews. I like that idea, so for…read moremy 400th, I am choosing to review one of my favorite places. The Bay St. Louis beach is one of the best kept secrets within an hour or so drive of New Orleans. Because the beach is located on the bay (as opposed to the gulf), the water is usually calmer and clearer than in the Gulfport/Biloxi area. On my most recent trip, the water was not very clear, but it was windy, and a storm was moving in. The beach is also significantly less crowded than the beach further up the road, which makes for a nice family friendly spot to enjoy the beach. I have been coming the the coast of Mississippi since I was a kid. While it is significantly different from my childhood, I will always love this area. First the casinos came to town and changed the area, then Katrina. Seeing the empty lots where homes and camps used to stand still hurts my heart. Where modest family camps used to stand there are only vacant lots or giant mansions. I don't mind the mansions, but those empty lots are a haunting reminder of the hurricane. Even though the area has yet to fully recover, the beach is great. I encourage everyone who needs to feel the sand between their toes to hop in a car and make the drive.

Located in Jones Park, this historical marker points out an important part of Civil War history…read more It reads, "The Louisiana Native Guards, composed largely of former slaves and free men of color from Louisiana, were organized by Union Major General Benjamin Butler in 1862. On April 9, 1863, 180 men from companies B and G of the 2nd regiment, landed at Pascagoula and held the city for several hours against more than 300 Confederate troops. At 2 p.m., the Federals withdrew, returning to Ship Island, This raid is the first involving African American troops in the Gulf Region." After New Orleans fell to Admiral David Farragut in April 1862, Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler headquartered his 12,000-man Army of the Gulf in New Orleans. On September 27, 1862, Butler organized the Union Army's 1st Louisiana Native Guard regiment, some of whose members had served in the previous Confederate Native Guard regiment. Free men of color had served with the militia since the French colonial period. But the regiment's initial strength was 1,000 men, and it was composed mostly of African-American former slaves who had escaped to freedom. [Review 14193 overall, 1515 of 2020, number 83 in Mississippi.]

This library has some sofas and desks, but there is really no privacy for studying. It doesn't feel…read morelike a quiet place to focus. I also noticed someone listening to an audiobook out loud and no one said anything, which was distracting. The furniture also looks outdated and could use an update. If they improved the setup, it could be a much better study space.

I think that people forget about the libraries sometime and they offer a wealth of information and…read moreresources so I recommend checking them out

This historical marker is located under a shade tree in the parking area of the westbound I-10 rest…read morearea. It is green and points out some of the earliest settlement history of the area. The marker reads, "Graveline. In 1718 this area was settled by Jean-Baptist Baudreau dit Graveline, born 1671 in Montreal. Arrived with D'Iberville at Fort Maurepas aboard the Renommée, January 8, 1700. Prominent colonist - adventurer - merchant." Online, there is more information. Gravelone was at Fort Saint Louis in Old Mobile, north of where the present city is located. He became one of the wealthiest men in the colonyby trading in furs, ships and later cattle and agricultural goods. A couple of times, he would buy a ship and load it with goods that were sent to Vera Cruz, the West Indes or even to France for trading. Graveline also traded frequently with the American Indian tribes in the area. From his children, many of the families of the Gulf Coast are descended. [Review 17349 overall - 93 in Mississippi - 867 of 2022.]