Biloxi, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi
, in the United States
. The 2010 census
recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport
, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County
.
The city is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area
and the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. Pre-Katrina
, Biloxi was the third largest city in Mississippi; but with its population losses following that storm, Hattiesburg
now has that distinction.
The beachfront of Biloxi lies directly on the Mississippi Sound
, with barrier island
s scattered off the coast and into the Gulf of Mexico
.
Keesler Air Force Base
lies within the city and is home to the 81st Training Wing
and the 403d Wing
of the U.S. Air Force
Reserve.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 46.5 square miles (120.5 km² ). 38.0 square miles (98.5 km²) of it is land and 8.5 square miles (22.0 km²) of it is water. The total area is 18.27% water.
Biloxi has a subtropical climate that is heavily influenced by the Gulf of Mexico. Winter days are mild and wet. Snow is extremely rare in Biloxi. Summers are hot and humid, bearing the brunt of tropical storms during the late summer to fall. Biloxi's record low of 10°F (-12.2°C) was recorded on January 24, 1963, and the record high of 104°F (40°C) was recorded on August 29, 2000.
The first permanent settlement in French Louisiana
was founded at Fort Maurepas
, now in Ocean Springs, Mississippi
and referred to as Old Biloxi, in 1699 under the direction of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
, with Louisiana separated from Spanish Florida
at the Perdido River
near Pensacola
(founded 1559 and again in 1698).
The name of Biloxi in French was "Bilocci" (with "fort Maurepas"), and the name was sometimes translated into English as "Fort Bilocci" on maps updated circa year 1710/1725.
In 1720, the administrative capital of French Louisiana
was moved to Biloxi (or Bilocci) from Mobile
(or Mobille). French Louisiana (part of New France) was known in French as La Louisiane in colonial times, but in modern times is called "La Louisiane française" to distinguish from the modern state of Louisiana
(also "Louisiane" in French).
Due to fears of tides and hurricanes in the 18th century, the capital of French Louisiana was later moved by colonial governor Bienville, in 1723, from Biloxi to a new inland harbor town named La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans), built for the purpose in 1718-1720.
In 1763, following Great Britain's victory in the Seven Years War, France
had to cede French Louisiana east of the Mississippi River
, except for New Orleans, to Great Britain
, as part of the Treaty of Paris
. At that same time, Louisiana west of the Mississippi, including New Orleans, was ceded to Spain
as part of the Treaty of Fontainebleau
.
. Mississippi, and Biloxi with it, were then admitted to the union in 1817.
Now that ownership was settled, Biloxi began to grow. It became a summer resort, with the advantages of close proximity to New Orleans and ease of access via water. Summer homes were built by well-to-do farmers and commercial figures. Hotels and rental cottages came into existence to serve those who could not afford their own homes.
One of Biloxi's most known features has been the Biloxi Lighthouse, which was built in Baltimore
and then shipped south and completed in May 1848. (It and another are the only surviving lighthouses of twelve that once dotted the Mississippi Gulf Coast
.)
In the early stages of the Civil War
, Ship Island
was captured by Union forces
, which led to the effective Union capture of Biloxi as well. No major battles were fought in the area, and Biloxi did not suffer direct damage from the war. Some local Union sentiment could be discerned following the war's conclusion.
In the postbellum period, Biloxi again emerged as a vacation spot. Its popularity as a destination increased with railroad access. In 1881, the first cannery was built in the town, leading to others soon joining the location. Biloxi grew again, and as different ethnic group
s came to work in the seafood factories, Biloxi gained a more heterogeneous population.
During World War II
, the United States Army Air Forces
built Keesler Field, now Keesler Air Force Base
, which became a major basic training
site and site for aircraft maintenance. The Biloxi economy boomed as a result, again bringing more diverse groups to the area. By 1958, the first Jewish synagogue
had been built in the town.
Biloxi's casino
history dates back to a period in the 1940s, when open, if technically illegal, gambling took place in a casino within the Broadwater Beach Resort. Open gambling ended during the 1950s. The Mississippi Gulf Coast
became known as the "Poor Man's Riviera", and was frequented by Southern
families interested in fishing expeditions during the summer. Commercially, Biloxi was dominated by shrimp boats and oyster luggers.
In the early 1960s, the Gulf Coast again emerged as a prime alternative to Florida
as a southern vacation destination among Northerners
, with Biloxi a center of the focus. Biloxi hotels upgraded their amenities and hired chefs from France and Switzerland in an effort to provide some of the best seafood cuisine in the country.
With the introduction of legal gambling in Mississippi in the 1990s, Biloxi was again transformed. It became an important center for casinos, and the hotels and complexes brought millions of dollars in tourism revenue to the city. The more famous casino complexes were the Beau Rivage casino resort, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Biloxi), Casino Magic
, Grand Casino
, Isle of Capri Casino Resort Biloxi
, Boomtown Casino
, President Casino Broadwater Resort
, and Imperial Palace
. Like Tunica County
in the northern part of the state, Biloxi and the surrounding Gulf Coast region was considered a leading gambling center in the Southern United States
.
To celebrate the area's Tricentennial in 1998/99, the city's tourism promotion agency invited the nationally-syndicated Travel World Radio Show to broadcast live from Biloxi, with co-host Willem Bagchus in attendance.
By the early 21st century, Biloxi's economy rested on the three prongs of seafood, tourism and gaming.
house, occurred in 1855, 1906, 1909, 1947, 1969 (Hurricane Camille
), and 2005 (Hurricane Katrina
)
hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast
with high winds, heavy rains and a 27 feet (8.2 m) storm surge, causing massive damage to the area.
Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 6:56AM, +2.3 feet more.
Commenting on the power of the storm and the damage, Mayor A.J. Holloway said, "This is our tsunami
." Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour
was quoted as saying the destruction of the Mississippi coastline by Hurricane Katrina
looked like an American Hiroshima
.
On the morning of August 31, 2005, in an interview on MSNBC
, Governor Barbour stated that 90% of the buildings along the coast in Biloxi and neighboring Gulfport
had been destroyed by the hurricane. Several of the "floating" casinos were torn off their supports and thrown inland, contributing to the damage.
Many churches were destroyed or severely damaged, including St. Michael's Catholic Church (see photo at right), which was gutted by the storm surge, breaking the entry doors and stained-glass windows along the first floor; however, the interior was later removed, and the structure was still solid enough to allow repairing the church.
Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40 Mississippi libraries, flooding several feet in the Biloxi Public Library and breaking windows, beyond repair, requiring a total rebuild.
Hurricane-force winds persisted for 17 hours and tore the branches off many coastal oak trees, but the tree trunks survived the 30 feet (9.1 m) flood and many have since regrown smaller branches. Some reconstructed homes still have the antebellum
appearance, and miles inland, with less flooding, shopping centers have re-opened.
Harrison County Coroner
Gary T. Hargrove told the mayor and City Council that Hurricane Katrina had claimed 53 victims in Biloxi, as of January 30, 2006. Of the 53 confirmed fatalities in Biloxi, a figure that includes one unidentified male, Hargrove said the average age was 58, with the youngest being 22 and the oldest 90; 14 were female and 39 were male.
Biloxi is also the site of a well-known memorial to the Katrina victims, built by the crew and volunteers of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
.
Many casinos were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Of the casinos that were located in Biloxi, eight have reopened since Katrina. They are: the Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel Spa(formerly known as Grand Casino Biloxi), the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the Isle of Capri Casino and Resort, the Palace Casino Resort, the IP Casino Resort Spa (formerly known as Imperial Palace), Treasure Bay Casino, Boomtown Casino, and the Beau Rivage, which reopened on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Multiple plans have been laid out to rebuild the waterfront areas of Biloxi, and the federal government has recently announced that it is considering giving up to 17,000 Mississippi coast homeowners the option to sell their properties so that a vast hurricane-protection zone can be implemented. Meanwhile, the city of Biloxi is rapidly implementing plans to allow the redevelopment of commercial properties south of highway 90.
-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulport-Biloxi-Pascagoula Combined Statistical Area
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 50,644 people, 19,588 households, and 12,379 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,331.8 per square mile (514.2/km²). There were 22,115 housing units at an average density of 581.6 per square mile (224.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.43% White, 19.04% African American, 0.49% Native American, 5.11% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. 3.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 19,588 households, out of which 31.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% are non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size is 3.02.
In the city the population dispersal was 24.2% under the age of 18, 14.3% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,106, and the median income for a family was $40,685. Males had a median income of $28,046 versus $21,267 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,809. 14.6% of the population and 11.2% of families lived below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
In 2005, as a result of Hurricane Katrina
, many Vietnamese American
s left Biloxi. In 2009 members of the Vietnamese community in Biloxi said that Vietnamese are coming back to Biloxi due to a poor economic scenario in other parts of the United States.
and the Harrison County School District
.
The Gulf Coast has a large Catholic school system, with which Biloxi hosts 15 of their schools.
and the South Regional Office of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Biloxi Post Office and other area post offices.
, said that Biloxi, "like most mid-sized Southern cities," "was essentially a small town, and its ethnic urban neighborhoods were even smaller and more tightly knit."
resort hotel
s, with 24-hour gambling
, concert
entertainment shows, and several restaurant
s. Some of the casino resorts include the following (dates reflect business status after Hurricane Katrina):
in Gulfport, Mississippi
.
Biloxi's main highway is U.S. Highway 90 (Beach Boulevard), which runs along the beach and by the casinos. It connects the city to Gulfport and points westward and to Ocean Springs
and Pascagoula
to the east. The Biloxi Bay Bridge, connecting Biloxi and Ocean Springs, was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, and was fully reopened in April 2008.
Interstate 10
passes through the northern sections of the city, connecting the city to New Orleans, Houston, Mobile
and Jacksonville
. Interstate 110
splits off from I-10 at D'Iberville
and heads south across the Back Bay of Biloxi to U.S. 90 near Beau Rivage, providing the city with an important hurricane evacuation route.
Other highways serving the area include:
, red drum
, Spanish
and king mackerel
, flounder
, snapper
, grouper
, shark
s, and more are all available to anglers during the fishing season. It is not known how Hurricane Katrina affected this ecosystem
.
The city is home to the Mississippi Surge
, a minor league hockey team playing in the Southern Professional Hockey League
. Home games are played at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum
.
Harrison County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:* De Soto National Forest * Gulf Islands National Seashore - Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 189,601 people, 71,538 households, and 48,574 families residing in the county. The population density was 326 people per square mile . There were 79,636 housing...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The 2010 census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County
Harrison County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:* De Soto National Forest * Gulf Islands National Seashore - Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 189,601 people, 71,538 households, and 48,574 families residing in the county. The population density was 326 people per square mile . There were 79,636 housing...
.
The city is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area
Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area
The Gulfport-Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region that covers three counties - Hancock, Harrison, and Stone. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 246,190. The area was significantly impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A...
and the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. Pre-Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Biloxi was the third largest city in Mississippi; but with its population losses following that storm, Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
now has that distinction.
The beachfront of Biloxi lies directly on the Mississippi Sound
Mississippi Sound
The Mississippi Sound is a sound along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It runs east-west along the southern coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, from Waveland, Mississippi, to the Dauphin Island Bridge, a distance of about 145 kilometers...
, with barrier island
Barrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
s scattered off the coast and into the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
Keesler Air Force Base
Keesler Air Force Base
Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. The base is named in honor of aviator 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler, Jr., a Mississippi native killed in France in First World War.-Units:The base is home of...
lies within the city and is home to the 81st Training Wing
81st Training Wing
The 81st Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The 81st Training Wing has the Air Force’s largest Technical Training Group and trains more than 40,000 students annually...
and the 403d Wing
403d Wing
403d Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command. It is located at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, and employs a military manning authorization of more than 1,400 reservists, including some 250 full-time air reserve technicians.403d Wing performs...
of the U.S. Air Force
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Reserve.
Geography and climate
Biloxi is located at 30°24′43"N 88°55′40"W (30.412029, -88.927829) and has an elevation of 20 feet (6.1 m).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 46.5 square miles (120.5 km² ). 38.0 square miles (98.5 km²) of it is land and 8.5 square miles (22.0 km²) of it is water. The total area is 18.27% water.
Colonial era
The history of Biloxi, Mississippi, spans more than 300 years.The first permanent settlement in French Louisiana
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
was founded at Fort Maurepas
Fort Maurepas
Not to be confused with the Fort Maurepas built in 1699 by Bienville and Iberville in present-day Ocean Springs, Mississippi.Fort Maurepas was one of the first forts built by Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye and his men. In 1733, they traveled from Fort St. Charles, which was...
, now in Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Ocean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, about east of Biloxi. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 census...
and referred to as Old Biloxi, in 1699 under the direction of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] (16 July 1661 – 9 July 1702 (probable)was a soldier, ship captain, explorer, colonial administrator, knight of...
, with Louisiana separated from Spanish Florida
Spanish Florida
Spanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...
at the Perdido River
Perdido River
The Perdido River is a river in the U.S. states of Alabama and Florida. The river forms part of the boundary between the two states along nearly its entire length and drains into the Gulf of Mexico...
near Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
(founded 1559 and again in 1698).
The name of Biloxi in French was "Bilocci" (with "fort Maurepas"), and the name was sometimes translated into English as "Fort Bilocci" on maps updated circa year 1710/1725.
In 1720, the administrative capital of French Louisiana
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
was moved to Biloxi (or Bilocci) from Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
(or Mobille). French Louisiana (part of New France) was known in French as La Louisiane in colonial times, but in modern times is called "La Louisiane française" to distinguish from the modern state of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
(also "Louisiane" in French).
Due to fears of tides and hurricanes in the 18th century, the capital of French Louisiana was later moved by colonial governor Bienville, in 1723, from Biloxi to a new inland harbor town named La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans), built for the purpose in 1718-1720.
In 1763, following Great Britain's victory in the Seven Years War, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
had to cede French Louisiana east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, except for New Orleans, to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, as part of the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
. At that same time, Louisiana west of the Mississippi, including New Orleans, was ceded to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as part of the Treaty of Fontainebleau
Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762)
The Treaty of Fontainebleau was a secret agreement in which France ceded Louisiana to Spain. The treaty followed the last battle in the French and Indian War, the Battle of Signal Hill in September 1762, which confirmed British control of Canada. However, the associated Seven Years War continued...
.
Subsequent history
British rule persisted from 1763 to 1779, and then Spanish rule from 1779 to 1798. Despite this, the character of Biloxi remained mostly French. In 1811, Biloxi came under United States of America control as part of the Mississippi TerritoryMississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Mississippi....
. Mississippi, and Biloxi with it, were then admitted to the union in 1817.
Now that ownership was settled, Biloxi began to grow. It became a summer resort, with the advantages of close proximity to New Orleans and ease of access via water. Summer homes were built by well-to-do farmers and commercial figures. Hotels and rental cottages came into existence to serve those who could not afford their own homes.
One of Biloxi's most known features has been the Biloxi Lighthouse, which was built in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and then shipped south and completed in May 1848. (It and another are the only surviving lighthouses of twelve that once dotted the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Mississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.The region was severely damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and again by Hurricane Katrina in 2005....
.)
In the early stages of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Ship Island
Ship Island (Mississippi)
Ship Island is the collective name for two barrier islands off the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, part of Gulf Islands National Seashore: East Ship Island and West Ship Island. Hurricane Camille split the once single island into 2 separate islands in 1969...
was captured by Union forces
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, which led to the effective Union capture of Biloxi as well. No major battles were fought in the area, and Biloxi did not suffer direct damage from the war. Some local Union sentiment could be discerned following the war's conclusion.
In the postbellum period, Biloxi again emerged as a vacation spot. Its popularity as a destination increased with railroad access. In 1881, the first cannery was built in the town, leading to others soon joining the location. Biloxi grew again, and as different ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
s came to work in the seafood factories, Biloxi gained a more heterogeneous population.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
built Keesler Field, now Keesler Air Force Base
Keesler Air Force Base
Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. The base is named in honor of aviator 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler, Jr., a Mississippi native killed in France in First World War.-Units:The base is home of...
, which became a major basic training
Basic Training
Basic Training may refer to:* Basic Training, a 1971 American documentary directed by Frederick Wiseman* Basic Training , an American sex comedy* Recruit training...
site and site for aircraft maintenance. The Biloxi economy boomed as a result, again bringing more diverse groups to the area. By 1958, the first Jewish synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
had been built in the town.
Biloxi's casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
history dates back to a period in the 1940s, when open, if technically illegal, gambling took place in a casino within the Broadwater Beach Resort. Open gambling ended during the 1950s. The Mississippi Gulf Coast
Mississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.The region was severely damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and again by Hurricane Katrina in 2005....
became known as the "Poor Man's Riviera", and was frequented by Southern
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
families interested in fishing expeditions during the summer. Commercially, Biloxi was dominated by shrimp boats and oyster luggers.
In the early 1960s, the Gulf Coast again emerged as a prime alternative to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
as a southern vacation destination among Northerners
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
, with Biloxi a center of the focus. Biloxi hotels upgraded their amenities and hired chefs from France and Switzerland in an effort to provide some of the best seafood cuisine in the country.
With the introduction of legal gambling in Mississippi in the 1990s, Biloxi was again transformed. It became an important center for casinos, and the hotels and complexes brought millions of dollars in tourism revenue to the city. The more famous casino complexes were the Beau Rivage casino resort, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Biloxi), Casino Magic
Casino Magic Biloxi Casino & Hotel
Casino Magic Biloxi Casino & Hotel was a permanently moored casino barge located on Casino Row, along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi with an adjoining 378 room hotel located on of land. The property is now owned by Harrah's Entertainment....
, Grand Casino
Grand Casino Biloxi
Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel and Spa is the name of a gambling establishment in Biloxi, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment.This facility replaces the former Grand Casino Biloxi, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina...
, Isle of Capri Casino Resort Biloxi
Isle of Capri Casinos
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. is a gaming company headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri which operates casinos and associated entertainment and lodging facilities in the United States and abroad....
, Boomtown Casino
Penn National Gaming
Penn National Gaming, Inc. is a diversified owner and operator of casino properties, as well as horse racetracks and associated off-track betting facilities primarily in the United States...
, President Casino Broadwater Resort
President Casino Broadwater Resort
The President Casino Broadwater Resort was a combined casino and resort that was located in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was a fixture on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for over 60 years....
, and Imperial Palace
IP Hotel and Casino
The IP Casino Resort & Spa is a resort located in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was founded by Minnesota businessman Ralph Engelstad.- History :The property officially opened for business on December 22, 1997 as the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino Biloxi, the sister of the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas,...
. Like Tunica County
Tunica County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,227 people, 3,258 households, and 2,192 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 3,705 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
in the northern part of the state, Biloxi and the surrounding Gulf Coast region was considered a leading gambling center in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
To celebrate the area's Tricentennial in 1998/99, the city's tourism promotion agency invited the nationally-syndicated Travel World Radio Show to broadcast live from Biloxi, with co-host Willem Bagchus in attendance.
By the early 21st century, Biloxi's economy rested on the three prongs of seafood, tourism and gaming.
Hurricanes
Scores of hurricanes have hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but the most destructive, as measured by storm surge levels in the Biloxi LightBiloxi Light
Biloxi Light is a lighthouse in Biloxi, Mississippi, adjacent to the Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico. The lighthouse has been kept by female keepers for more years than any other lighthouse in the United States...
house, occurred in 1855, 1906, 1909, 1947, 1969 (Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season. The second of three catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century , which it did near the mouth of the Mississippi River...
), and 2005 (Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
)
Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Mississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.The region was severely damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and again by Hurricane Katrina in 2005....
with high winds, heavy rains and a 27 feet (8.2 m) storm surge, causing massive damage to the area.
Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 6:56AM, +2.3 feet more.
Commenting on the power of the storm and the damage, Mayor A.J. Holloway said, "This is our tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
." Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour
Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
was quoted as saying the destruction of the Mississippi coastline by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
looked like an American Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
.
On the morning of August 31, 2005, in an interview on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, Governor Barbour stated that 90% of the buildings along the coast in Biloxi and neighboring Gulfport
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
had been destroyed by the hurricane. Several of the "floating" casinos were torn off their supports and thrown inland, contributing to the damage.
Many churches were destroyed or severely damaged, including St. Michael's Catholic Church (see photo at right), which was gutted by the storm surge, breaking the entry doors and stained-glass windows along the first floor; however, the interior was later removed, and the structure was still solid enough to allow repairing the church.
Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40 Mississippi libraries, flooding several feet in the Biloxi Public Library and breaking windows, beyond repair, requiring a total rebuild.
Hurricane-force winds persisted for 17 hours and tore the branches off many coastal oak trees, but the tree trunks survived the 30 feet (9.1 m) flood and many have since regrown smaller branches. Some reconstructed homes still have the antebellum
Antebellum architecture
Antebellum architecture is a term used to describe the characteristic neoclassical architectural style of the Southern United States, especially the Old South, from after the birth of the United States in the American Revolution, to the start of the American Civil War...
appearance, and miles inland, with less flooding, shopping centers have re-opened.
Harrison County Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
Gary T. Hargrove told the mayor and City Council that Hurricane Katrina had claimed 53 victims in Biloxi, as of January 30, 2006. Of the 53 confirmed fatalities in Biloxi, a figure that includes one unidentified male, Hargrove said the average age was 58, with the youngest being 22 and the oldest 90; 14 were female and 39 were male.
Biloxi is also the site of a well-known memorial to the Katrina victims, built by the crew and volunteers of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
.
Many casinos were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Of the casinos that were located in Biloxi, eight have reopened since Katrina. They are: the Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel Spa(formerly known as Grand Casino Biloxi), the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the Isle of Capri Casino and Resort, the Palace Casino Resort, the IP Casino Resort Spa (formerly known as Imperial Palace), Treasure Bay Casino, Boomtown Casino, and the Beau Rivage, which reopened on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Multiple plans have been laid out to rebuild the waterfront areas of Biloxi, and the federal government has recently announced that it is considering giving up to 17,000 Mississippi coast homeowners the option to sell their properties so that a vast hurricane-protection zone can be implemented. Meanwhile, the city of Biloxi is rapidly implementing plans to allow the redevelopment of commercial properties south of highway 90.
Demographics
Biloxi is the smaller of two principal cities of the GulfportGulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulport-Biloxi-Pascagoula Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
.
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 50,644 people, 19,588 households, and 12,379 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,331.8 per square mile (514.2/km²). There were 22,115 housing units at an average density of 581.6 per square mile (224.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.43% White, 19.04% African American, 0.49% Native American, 5.11% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. 3.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 19,588 households, out of which 31.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% are non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size is 3.02.
In the city the population dispersal was 24.2% under the age of 18, 14.3% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,106, and the median income for a family was $40,685. Males had a median income of $28,046 versus $21,267 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,809. 14.6% of the population and 11.2% of families lived below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
In 2005, as a result of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, many Vietnamese American
Vietnamese American
A Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....
s left Biloxi. In 2009 members of the Vietnamese community in Biloxi said that Vietnamese are coming back to Biloxi due to a poor economic scenario in other parts of the United States.
Education
The City of Biloxi is served by the Biloxi Public School DistrictBiloxi Public School District
The Biloxi Public School District is a public school district based in Biloxi, Mississippi . Most of the district serves Biloxi.-Elementary Schools:*Grades K-5**Gorenflo Elementary School**Jeff Davis Elementary School...
and the Harrison County School District
Harrison County School District
The Harrison County School District is a public school district based in Gulfport, Mississippi .In addition to serving portions of Gulfport, the district also serves the city of D'Iberville, the communities of Lyman and Saucier, and portions of Biloxi as well as most of rural Harrison...
.
The Gulf Coast has a large Catholic school system, with which Biloxi hosts 15 of their schools.
Government and infrastructure
The Bolton State Office Building in Biloxi includes the headquarters of the Mississippi Department of Marine ResourcesMississippi Department of Marine Resources
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is a state agency of Mississippi. It has its headquarters in the Bolton Building in Biloxi.-External links:*...
and the South Regional Office of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is a state agency of Mississippi that oversees environmental quality of the air, land, and water in the state...
.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Biloxi Post Office and other area post offices.
Culture
Dean M. Shapiro, author of the article "Biloxi Confidential" on the Crime LibraryCrime Library
The Crime Library is a website documenting major crimes, criminals, and trials, forensics, and criminal profiling from books, police reports, crime television shows, and writers...
, said that Biloxi, "like most mid-sized Southern cities," "was essentially a small town, and its ethnic urban neighborhoods were even smaller and more tightly knit."
Casinos
Biloxi is home to several casinoCasino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
resort hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s, with 24-hour gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
entertainment shows, and several restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s. Some of the casino resorts include the following (dates reflect business status after Hurricane Katrina):
- IP Casino Resort Spa reopened on December 22, 2005, formerly Imperial PalaceIP Hotel and CasinoThe IP Casino Resort & Spa is a resort located in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was founded by Minnesota businessman Ralph Engelstad.- History :The property officially opened for business on December 22, 1997 as the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino Biloxi, the sister of the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas,...
. - Isle of Capri Casino ResortIsle of Capri CasinosIsle of Capri Casinos, Inc. is a gaming company headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri which operates casinos and associated entertainment and lodging facilities in the United States and abroad....
reopened in late December 2005. - Palace Casino Resort reopened in late December 2005.
- Beau Rivage Resort & Casino reopened August 29, 2006, on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
- Boomtown CasinoPenn National GamingPenn National Gaming, Inc. is a diversified owner and operator of casino properties, as well as horse racetracks and associated off-track betting facilities primarily in the United States...
reopened in 2006. - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, opened in June 2007.
- Treasure Bay Casino Resort reopened in summer 2006.
- Grand BiloxiGrand Casino BiloxiGrand Biloxi Casino Hotel and Spa is the name of a gambling establishment in Biloxi, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment.This facility replaces the former Grand Casino Biloxi, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina...
reopened in its formerly named Bayview Hotel. - Bacaran Bay Resort is to be constructed on Caillavet Street between IP Hotel and CasinoIP Hotel and CasinoThe IP Casino Resort & Spa is a resort located in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was founded by Minnesota businessman Ralph Engelstad.- History :The property officially opened for business on December 22, 1997 as the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino Biloxi, the sister of the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas,...
and Beau Rivage. - Jimmy Buffett'sJimmy Buffett's MargaritavilleJimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is the name of a United States-based casual dining American restaurant chain and a chain of stores selling Jimmy Buffett-themed merchandise...
Margaritaville Casino and ResortMargaritaville Casino and ResortFor information about the defunct Margaritaville casino/hotel project in Atlantic City, New Jersey see Golden Nugget Atlantic CityThe Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant is a planned casino and restaurant in Biloxi, Mississippi in the United States....
, announced by Harrah's to be built on the site of the old Grand Casino BiloxiGrand Casino BiloxiGrand Biloxi Casino Hotel and Spa is the name of a gambling establishment in Biloxi, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment.This facility replaces the former Grand Casino Biloxi, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina...
and Casino MagicCasino Magic Biloxi Casino & HotelCasino Magic Biloxi Casino & Hotel was a permanently moored casino barge located on Casino Row, along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi with an adjoining 378 room hotel located on of land. The property is now owned by Harrah's Entertainment....
properties. This was started, but stopped indefinitely due to the economic downturn. - Island View Casino ResortIsland View CasinoThe Island View Casino is a casino and hotel located in Gulfport, Mississippi.The Island View is the successor to the Copa Casino, which was first located on a docked cruise ship and then a barge-based building at the Mississippi State Docks, across U.S. Highway 90 from the current location...
is the only casino in GulfportGulfport, MississippiGulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
, west of Biloxi. - Hollywood CasinoHollywood Casino Bay St. LouisHollywood Casino is a hotel-casino complex located in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi owned by Penn National Gaming.The property was once occupied by Casino Magic, which was largely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Its gaming barge floated over away and ended up in a forest...
is located in Bay St. LouisBay St. Louis, MississippiBay Saint Louis is a city located in Hancock County, Mississippi. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 8,209. It is the county seat of Hancock County...
and includes an on-site golf course and movie cinema decor. - The Silver SlipperSilver Slipper Casino (Waveland)Silver Slipper Casino is located on the beach in Hancock County, Mississippi.The Silver Slipper opened its doors for the first time on November 9, 2006. The casino has over 1,000 slots, 26 table games, including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Mini-baccarat, Flop Poker and 3 Card Poker, a 9 table poker...
opened in November 2006. This beachfront resort is located west of Biloxi, in Waveland, Mississippi. - Bayview Casino Resort is scheduled for construction on the Back Bay of Biloxi.
- Vue Crescente Resort has begun its application to house a casino within twin 30–floor condo towers on the Back Bay of Biloxi.
- Tivoli Resort, The Ocean Club, and a Long Beach project are recently proposed casino additions to the metro area.
Transportation
Biloxi is served by the Gulfport-Biloxi International AirportGulfport-Biloxi International Airport
-Hurricane Katrina:The airport was closed for repairs following severe damage by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. On September 8, 2005, the airport reopened for commercial flights on Northwest Airlines to Memphis and other airlines quickly followed suit. On February 1, 2006, Gulfport-Biloxi...
in Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
.
Biloxi's main highway is U.S. Highway 90 (Beach Boulevard), which runs along the beach and by the casinos. It connects the city to Gulfport and points westward and to Ocean Springs
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Ocean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, about east of Biloxi. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 17,225 at the 2000 census...
and Pascagoula
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
to the east. The Biloxi Bay Bridge, connecting Biloxi and Ocean Springs, was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, and was fully reopened in April 2008.
Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
passes through the northern sections of the city, connecting the city to New Orleans, Houston, Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
and Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. Interstate 110
Interstate 110 (Mississippi)
Interstate 110 is a freeway spur route in Biloxi, running south from Interstate 10 to U.S. Route 90. It is one of very few places on the Interstate Highway System utilizing a drawbridge. The southbound control city is Biloxi, with a series of bridges out over the Gulf of Mexico at the southern...
splits off from I-10 at D'Iberville
D'Iberville, Mississippi
D'Iberville is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States, immediately north of Biloxi, across the back bay. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and heads south across the Back Bay of Biloxi to U.S. 90 near Beau Rivage, providing the city with an important hurricane evacuation route.
Other highways serving the area include:
- Mississippi Highway 15 (Runs concurrent with I-110 for the first few miles)
- Mississippi Highway 67Mississippi Highway 67Mississippi Highway 67 is a state highway in Mississippi. It is an expressway and generally runs northwest for from Mississippi Highway 15 in D'Iberville, near the Interstate 10-Interstate 110 cloverleaf interchange, to a trumpet interchange with U.S. Highway 49 north of Saucier...
Sports
In the center of what fisheries biologists term "The Fertile Fisheries Crescent", Biloxi offers some of the finest sportsfishing along the entire northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Spotted seatroutSpotted Seatrout
The spotted seatrout also known as speckled trout,or spotted weakfish is a common estuary fish found in the southern United States...
, red drum
Red Drum
The Red Drum , also known as Channel Bass, Redfish, Spottail Bass or simply Reds, is a game fish that is found in the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Northern Mexico. It is the only species in the genus Sciaenops...
, Spanish
Atlantic Spanish mackerel
The Atlantic Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus, is a migratory species of mackerel that swimsto the northern Gulf of Mexico in spring, returns to south Florida in the eastern gulf, and to Mexico in the western gulf in the fall.-Description:...
and king mackerel
King mackerel
The king mackerel is a migratory species of mackerel of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries.-Description:...
, flounder
Flounder
The flounder is an ocean-dwelling flatfish species that is found in coastal lagoons and estuaries of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.-Taxonomy:There are a number of geographical and taxonomical species to which flounder belong.*Western Atlantic...
, snapper
Lutjanidae
Snappers are a family of perciform fish, mainly marine but with some members inhabiting estuaries, feeding in freshwater. Some are important food fish. One of the best known is the red snapper....
, grouper
Grouper
Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes.Not all serranids are called groupers; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name grouper is usually given to fish in one of two large genera: Epinephelus...
, shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s, and more are all available to anglers during the fishing season. It is not known how Hurricane Katrina affected this ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
.
The city is home to the Mississippi Surge
Mississippi Surge
The Mississippi Surge is a professional team in the Southern Professional Hockey League that began play in the 2009-10 season. Based in Biloxi, home games are played at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum also known as "The Power Plant".-History:...
, a minor league hockey team playing in the Southern Professional Hockey League
Southern Professional Hockey League
The Southern Professional Hockey League is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with teams located in the southeastern United States.- History :...
. Home games are played at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Mississippi Coast Coliseum
The Mississippi Coast Coliseum is a 11,500 reserved seating, 15,000 festival seating, multi-purpose arena in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was built in 1977. It hosted WCW Beach Blast 1993 and the Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball tournament in 1992 and 1993...
.
Notable residents
- Jessica AlbaJessica AlbaJessica Marie Alba is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack . Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel...
, actress - Matt BarlowMatt BarlowMatthew Barlow is an American heavy metal singer and police officer. He is the former lead singer for Iced Earth. He is Jon Schaffer's brother-in-law.-History:...
, heavy metal singer - Edward Charles Edmond BarqBarq's-External links:* - Official website* - The History of Root Beer...
, entrepreneur and co-creator of Barq's Root Beer - Alan BelcherAlan BelcherJohn Alan Belcher , is an American mixed martial artist who fights in the middleweight division of the UFC. He fights out of Remix MMA in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he is also the owner. Belcher holds notable wins over Jorge Santiago, Jason MacDonald, Ed Herman, Dennis Kang, and Patrick Côté...
, MMA fighter currently fighting for UFC - Jimmy BertrandJimmy BertrandJimmy Bertrand was an American jazz and blues drummer.James Bertrand was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, and was active on the Chicago blues/jazz scene of the 1920s...
, jazz drummer - Jimmy BuffettJimmy BuffettJames William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
, singer, writer and business entrepreneur - Hector CamachoHéctor CamachoHéctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
, former world champion boxer - Gary CollinsGary Collins (actor)Gary Ennis Collins is an American film and television performer.-Early life and career:Collins was born in Venice, California, to a waitress/factory worker mother. After attending Santa Monica City College, he enlisted in the U.S...
, actor - Jefferson DavisJefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
, US Army General and West Point graduate; U.S. Secretary of War (Defense); first and only President of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S... - Ronald DupreeRonald DupreeRonald Edmund Dupree Jr. is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Dupree played at Louisiana State University under Coach John Brady. He averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game in the Tigers' 2000 Sweet Sixteen season...
, a professional basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. - Damion FletcherDamion FletcherDamion Fletcher is an American football running back at Southern Mississippi.-High school career:...
, University of Southern Mississippi Conference USA award winning running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... - Francis GrevembergFrancis GrevembergFrancis Carroll Grevemberg , was the superintendent of the Louisiana State Police from 1952 to 1955, best remembered for his fight against organized crime....
, former superintendent of LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
state policeState policeState police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national... - Fred HaiseFred HaiseFred Wallace Haise, Jr. is an engineer and former NASA astronaut. He is one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon. Having flown on Apollo 13, Haise was to be the sixth human to walk on the Moon, but the mission did not land due to a failure aboard the spacecraft.-Early life and...
, Apollo 13Apollo 13Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...
/Space Shuttle EnterpriseSpace Shuttle EnterpriseThe Space Shuttle Enterprise was the first Space Shuttle orbiter. It was built for NASA as part of the Space Shuttle program to perform test flights in the atmosphere. It was constructed without engines or a functional heat shield, and was therefore not capable of spaceflight...
astronaut - Ted HawkinsTed HawkinsTed Hawkins was an American singer-songwriter. He was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, United States.Hawkins was an enigmatic figure through most of his career; he split his time between his adopted hometown of Venice Beach, California where he was a mostly anonymous street performer, and Europe,...
, singer/songwriter - Chris LeDouxChris LeDouxChris Ledoux was an American country music singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor and rodeo champion.During his career LeDoux recorded 36 albums which have sold more than six million units in the United States as of January 2007...
, country singer - James MillhollinJames MillhollinJames A. Millhollin was an American character actor known for his portrayal of nervous, excited, and befuddled men with pop eyes and peculiar mannerisms, usually occupying such positions as hotel clerks, government bureaucrats, military officers, or other authority figures. He portrayed Major...
, character actor, died in Biloxi in 1993 - Jack NelsonJack Nelson (journalist)John Howard "Jack" Nelson was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist praised for his coverage of the Watergate scandal and described by New York Times Managing Editor Gene Roberts as "one of the most effective reporters in the civil rights era."-Youth:Born in Talladega, Alabama, Nelson's...
, Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist who began his career at the Biloxi Daily Herald - George E. OhrGeorge E. OhrGeorge Edgar Ohr was an American ceramic artist and the self-proclaimed "Mad Potter of Biloxi." In recognition of his innovative experimentation with modern clay forms from 1880–1910, some...
, artist who broke new ground in the late 1890s with his experimental modern clay forms - Eric RobertsEric RobertsEric Anthony Roberts is an American actor. His career began with King of the Gypsies , earning a Golden Globe nomination for best actor debut. He starred as the protagonist in the 1980 dramatisation of Willa Cather's 1905 short story, Paul's Case...
, actor - Robin RobertsRobin Roberts (newscaster)Robin René Roberts is an American television broadcaster. Roberts is the co-anchor of ABC's morning show Good Morning America-Early life:...
, TV/Radio/Media personality for ABC and ESPN - Wes ShiversWes ShiversWesley Davis Shivers is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights...
, Ex NFL player with the Tennessee TitansTennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
& current pro mixed martial artist - Michelle Anne Sinclair, actress
In the Arts
- 2010 saw the grand opening of the new Frank Gehry designed Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of ArtOhr-O'Keefe Museum Of ArtThe Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art is a non-profit art museum located in Biloxi, Mississippi, dedicated to the ceramics of George E. Ohr, the self-proclaimed "Mad Potter of Biloxi". The museum is named for ceramic artist George E...
. - Biloxi is the setting of Neil SimonNeil SimonNeil Simon is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has written numerous Broadway plays, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and The Odd Couple. He won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Lost In Yonkers. He has written the screenplays for several of his plays that...
's play and film Biloxi BluesBiloxi BluesBiloxi Blues is a semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon. The second chapter in what is known as his Eugene trilogy, it follows Brighton Beach Memoirs and precedes Broadway Bound....
, which starred Mathew Broderick. Biloxi Blues is the story of army recruits training at Keesler Field, the former name of the present day Keesler Air Force Base during World War II. - Biloxi is the setting of several John GrishamJohn GrishamJohn Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
novels, including The Runaway JuryThe Runaway JuryThe Runaway Jury is a legal thriller novel written by American author John Grisham. The hardcover first edition was published by Doubleday Books in 1996 . Pearson Longman released the graded reader edition in 2001 . The novel was published again in 2003 to coincide with the release of Runaway...
, The SummonsThe SummonsThe Summons is a legal thriller novel by noted American author John Grisham which was released in December 2002.-Plot summary:The main character, Ray Atlee, is a law professor with a good salary at the University of Virginia. He has a brother, Forrest, and a dying father, known to many as Judge...
, The PartnerThe PartnerThe Partner is a legal/thriller novel by noted American author John Grisham.-Plot:Patrick Lanigan, a junior partner in a law firm in Biloxi, Mississippi, gets wind of a plan masterminded by Benny Aricia to defraud the U.S. government over a shipbuilding overcharging scheme. His firm is deeply...
, and The Last JurorThe Last JurorThe Last Juror is a 2004 legal thriller novel by John Grisham, first published by Doubleday on February 3, 2004.-Plot introduction:The story is set in the fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi from 1970 to 1979. Clanton is also the venue for John Grisham's first novel A Time To Kill which was...
. - A substantial portion of Larry BrownLarry Brown (author)Larry Brown was an American novelist, non-fiction and short story writer. He was a winner of numerous awards including the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters award for fiction, the Lila Wallace-Readers Digest Award, and Mississippi's Governor's Award For Excellence in the Arts...
's novel Fay is set in Biloxi. - The G.I. JoeG.I. JoeG.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
character Marvin F. Hinton ("RoadblockRoadblock (G.I. Joe)Roadblock is a character from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toys, comics and cartoons. He is one of the most prominent African-Americans in the series. His primary function in G.I. Joe is as a heavy machine gunner and a secondary function as a cook.-Fictional character...
") was born in Biloxi. - The film Private BenjaminPrivate BenjaminPrivate Benjamin is a 1980 American comedy film starring Goldie Hawn. The film was one of the biggest box office hits of 1980, and also spawned a short-lived television series. The film is ranked 82 on the American Film Institute's "100 Funniest Movies" poll, and 59 on Bravo's "100 Funniest...
starring Goldie HawnGoldie HawnGoldie Jeanne Hawn is an American actress, film director, producer, and occasional singer. Hawn is known for her roles in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Foul Play, Overboard, Bird on a Wire, Death Becomes Her, The First Wives Club, and Cactus Flower, for which she won the 1969...
is partially set in Biloxi and at a fictitious base called Fort Biloxi. - In the show Family Matters, Steve Urkel's cousin Myrtle Urkel, who frequently chases Eddie Winslow when she visits Chicago, is from Biloxi.
- American singer/songwriter Jesse WinchesterJesse WinchesterJesse Winchester is a musician and songwriter who was born and raised in the southern United States. To avoid the Vietnam War draft he moved to Canada in 1967, which is where and when he began his career as a solo artist. His highest charting recordings were of his own tunes, "Yankee Lady" in 1970...
once wrote and recorded a song called "Biloxi", for which he was inspired by a few images he saw of the city. - On his largest-selling regular album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in AttitudesChanges in Latitudes, Changes in AttitudesChanges in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes is the breakthrough 1977 album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. The album, his eighth, remains the best-selling album of Buffett's career, and contains his biggest single, "Margaritaville"...
(1977), Jimmy BuffettJimmy BuffettJames William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
included a cover of "Biloxi" (see above); also, a compilation album of his digitally-remastered greatest hits was released in 1995 called Biloxi. - RFC 3261 SIP: Session Initiation Protocol, the authors use Biloxi in an example to explain how a call is made through two SIP proxies.
- In the television show the Venture Bros. character Brock Sampson is mentioned as having trained in Biloxi.
- The song Louisiana, by The Loved OnesThe Loved OnesThe Loved Ones were an Australian rock band formed in 1965 in Melbourne following the British Invasion. The line-up of Gavin Anderson on drums, Ian Clyne on organ and piano, Gerry Humphrys on vocals and harmonica, Rob Lovett on guitar, and Kim Lynch on bass guitar recorded their early hits...
, is about the rebuilding of the hurricane ravaged areas in the gulf area. Louisiana, Biloxi, and Alabama are specifically used by name. - The fictional character Alice Cullen from Stephenie MeyerStephenie MeyerStephenie Meyer is an American author known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained worldwide recognition and sold over 100 million copies globally, with translations into 37 different languages...
's Twilight Saga used to live in Biloxi, Mississippi, when she was a human. - American Soldier Walter Gordon fought with the Band of brothers earned him 4 Purple Hearts
- Biloxi is referenced in The Great GatsbyThe Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in1925, it is set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City from spring to autumn of 1922....
. - Biloxi is referenced in a line of the title song of the musical Guys and DollsGuys and DollsGuys and Dolls is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" and "Blood Pressure", two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also borrows characters and plot elements from other Runyon stories, most notably...
. - Style NetworkStyle NetworkThe Style Network is an American cable television network based in Los Angeles.Owned by NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of General Electric and Comcast, its sister channels include E! Entertainment Television, USA Network, Syfy, G4, Golf Channel, and Versus, among others.-Network Overview:Style's...
's RubyRubyA ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
was filmed in Biloxi during the episode "Mississippi Memories". - On 28 February 2011 American rock band The Gaslight Anthem played a new song in Sydney entitled 'Biloxi Parish'.
- American author John Kennedy TooleJohn Kennedy TooleJohn Kennedy Toole was an American novelist from New Orleans, Louisiana, best-known for his posthumously published novel A Confederacy of Dunces. He also wrote The Neon Bible. Although several people in the literary world felt his writing skills were praiseworthy, Toole's novels were rejected...
, who wrote 'A Confederacy of Dunces' committed suicide in Biloxi in 1969.
External links
- Official web page
- Photographs of Hurricane Katrina's destruction on Mississippi's Gulf Coast from davidmetraux.com
- Photographs and Video of Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath from photosfromkatrina.com
- History of Biloxi's Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
- The Sun-Herald
- Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art
- Directory for Families in Biloxi of Things-to-Do