Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi (pronounced /bəˈlʌksi/, bə-LUK-see) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2000 census recorded the population as 50,644, although the 2008 Census Estimate placed the population at 45,670. 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 islands 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 403rd Wing of the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
Geography and climate
Biloxi is located at 30°24′43″N 88°55′40″W / 30.41194°N 88.92778°W / 30.41194; -88.92778 (30.412029, -88.927829) and has an elevation of 20 feet (6.1 m).According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.5 mi²(120.5 km² ). 38.0 mi² (98.5 km²) of it is land and 8.5 mi² (22.0 km²) of it is water. The total area is 18.27% water.Biloxi enjoys mild winters while the summers are hot and humid. Rainfall is abundant year-round.
Colonial era
The history of Biloxi, Mississippi, spans more than 300 years.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.
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 Territory. 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 groups 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.
Hurricanes
Scores of hurricanes have hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but the most destructive, as measured by storm surge levels in the Biloxi Lighthouse, occurred in 1855, 1906, 1909, 1947, 1969 (Hurricane Camille), and 2005 (Hurricane Katrina)
Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast with high winds, heavy rains and a 27-foot (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. All coastal churches were destroyed or severely damaged.Many churches were 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-foot (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.
Demographics
Biloxi is the smaller of two principal cities of the Gulfport-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/sq mi (514.2/km²). There were 22,115 housing units at an average density of 581.6/sq mi (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 Americans 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 District and the Harrison County School District.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 Resources 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.
Culture
Dean M. Shapiro, author of the article 'Biloxi Confidential' on the Crime Library, 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 casino resort hotels, with 24-hour gambling, concert entertainment shows, and several restaurants. Some of the casino resorts include the following (dates reflect business status after Hurricane Katrina):IP Casino Resort Spareopened on December 22, 2005, formerlyImperial Palace.
Isle of Capri Casino Resortreopened in late December 2005.
Palace Casino Resort reopened in late December 2005.
Beau RivageResort & Casino reopened August 29, 2006, on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Boomtown Casinoreopened in 2006.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, opened in June 2007.
Treasure Bay Casino Resort reopened in summer 2006.
Grand Biloxireopened in its formerly named Bayview Hotel.
Bacaran Bay Resort is to be constructed on Caillavet Street betweenIP Hotel and CasinoandBeau Rivage.
Jimmy Buffett'sMargaritaville Casino and Resort, announced by Harrah's to be built on the site of the oldGrand Casino BiloxiandCasino Magicproperties. This was started, but stopped indefinitely due to the economic downturn.
Island View Casino Resortis the only casino inGulfport, west of Biloxi.
Hollywood Casinois located inBay St. Louisand includes an on-site golf course and movie cinema decor.
TheSilver Slipperopened 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 Airport 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-Ocean Springs Bridge across Biloxi Bay was rebuilt following 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:Mississippi Highway 15(Runs concurrent with I-110 for the first few miles)
Mississippi Highway 67
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 seatrout, red drum, Spanish and king mackerel, flounder, snapper, grouper, sharks, 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.
Notable residents
Jessica Alba, actress
Matt Barlow, heavy metal singer
Edward Charles Edmond Barq, entrepreneur and co-creator of Barq's Root Beer
Alan Belcher, Highly ranked Ulitimate Fighting Championship Middleweight
Jimmy Bertrand, jazz drummer
Jimmy Buffett, singer, writer and business entrepreneur
Hector Camacho, former world champion boxer
Jefferson Davis, US Army General and West Point graduate; U.S. Secretary of War (Defense); first and only President of theConfederate States of America
Ronald Dupree, a professionalbasketballplayer.
Damion Fletcher,University of Southern MississippiConference USA award winningrunning back
Francis Grevemberg, former superintendent ofLouisianastate police
Fred Haise,Apollo 13/Space Shuttle Enterpriseastronaut
Ted Hawkins, singer/songwriter
Chris LeDoux, country singer
Jack Nelson, Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist who began his career at the BiloxiDaily Herald
George E. Ohr, artist who broke new ground in the late 1890s with his experimental modern clay forms
Eric Roberts, actor
Robin Roberts, TV/Radio/Media personality for ABC and ESPN
Belladonna, porn actress
In the Arts
Biloxi is the setting ofNeil Simon's play and filmBiloxi Blues, which starred Mathew Broderick.Biloxi Bluesis 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 severalJohn Grishamnovels, includingThe Runaway Jury,The Summons,The Firm,The Partner, andThe Last Juror.
A substantial portion ofLarry Brown's novelFayis set in Biloxi.
TheG.I. Joecharacter Marvin F. Hinton ('Roadblock') was born in Biloxi.
The filmPrivate BenjaminstarringGoldie Hawnis partially set in Biloxi and at a fictitious base called Fort Biloxi.
In the showFamily Matters, Steve Urkel's cousinMyrtle Urkel, who frequently chases Eddie Winslow when she visits Chicago, is from Biloxi.
American singer/songwriterJesse Winchesteronce 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 Attitudes(1977),Jimmy Buffettincluded acoverof 'Biloxi' (see above); also, a compilation album of his digitally-remastered greatest hits was released in 1995 calledBiloxi.
RFC 3261SIP: 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, byThe Loved Ones, is about the rebuilding of the hurricane ravaged areas in the gulf area. Louisiana, Biloxi, and Alabama are specifically used by name.
The fictional characterAlice CullenfromStephenie Meyer'sTwilight Sagaused to live in Biloxi, Mississippi, when she was a human.
American SoldierWalter Gordonfought with the Band of brothers earned him 4 Purple Hearts
Biloxi is referenced inThe Great Gatsby.
Style Network'sRubywas filmed in Biloxi during the episode 'Mississippi Memories'.
