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Long Beach, Mississippi facts for kids

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Long Beach, Mississippi
Flag of Long Beach, Mississippi
Flag
Official logo of Long Beach, Mississippi
Logo
Nickname(s): 
The Friendly City
Location of Long Beach in Mississippi
Location of Long Beach in Mississippi
Long Beach, Mississippi is located in the United States
Long Beach, Mississippi
Long Beach, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Mississippi
County Harrison
Founded
Incorporated

August 10, 1905
Area
 • Total 13.99 sq mi (36.23 km2)
 • Land 10.24 sq mi (26.53 km2)
 • Water 3.75 sq mi (9.70 km2)
Elevation
26 ft (8 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 16,780
 • Density 1,638.19/sq mi (632.53/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code
39560
Area code(s) 228
FIPS code 28-41680
GNIS feature ID 0672794

Long Beach is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the larger Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area. In 2020, about 15,829 people lived there.

Where is Long Beach?

Long Beach is located along the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. The city covers about 13.99 square miles (36.23 square kilometers). A small part of this area, about 3.75 square miles (9.70 square kilometers), is covered by water.

Mississippi-Coast-towns-NOAA
Long Beach (map center) is east of Pass Christian and west of Gulfport, along the Gulf of Mexico

Who Lives in Long Beach?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 1,026
1920 980 −4.5%
1930 1,346 37.3%
1940 1,495 11.1%
1950 2,703 80.8%
1960 4,770 76.5%
1970 6,170 29.4%
1980 14,199 130.1%
1990 15,804 11.3%
2000 17,320 9.6%
2010 14,792 −14.6%
2020 16,780 13.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, there were 16,780 people living in Long Beach. These people lived in 6,545 households. The city is home to a diverse mix of people from different backgrounds.

Learning in Long Beach

The Long Beach School District serves the city's students. It has five schools and teaches around 2,700 students. These schools include Long Beach High School and Long Beach Middle School. There are also three elementary schools: Reeves, Quarles, and Harper McCaughan. The Harper McCaughan Elementary School was rebuilt after a big storm.

The University of Southern Mississippi has a campus in Long Beach. It is called the Gulf Coast campus. This university offers many different degrees. It is the only four-year public university on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Students can study subjects like ocean engineering and film studies here.

A Look Back: History of Long Beach

Early Days and Farming

Long Beach started as a farming town. It was especially known for growing radishes. On August 10, 1905, Long Beach officially became a city. Over time, the city changed from farming to focusing more on tourism. The beautiful beach became a popular spot for visitors.

"The Radish Capital of the World"

In the early 1900s, Long Beach was famous for its radishes. People even called it the "Radish Capital of the World." The city was well-known for a type of radish called the Long Red radish. This radish was popular in northern states. In 1921, farmers grew so many radishes that over 300 trainloads were sent north!

However, the Long Red radish became less popular over time. Other types of radishes became more common. This led to a big decrease in radish farming in Long Beach.

Hurricane Katrina's Impact

Katrina LB
The impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Long Beach shoreline

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Long Beach very hard. Many buildings near the Gulf of Mexico were badly damaged or destroyed. Many people in Long Beach lost their homes. They had to live in houses that were damaged by water or wind. Sadly, at least one person passed away during the storm.

After the hurricane, other cities helped Long Beach. The city of Long Beach, California, raised money to help. The city of Peoria, Arizona, also provided a lot of help. This created a strong bond between the communities.

Long Beach Today

Today, Long Beach is still working to recover from Hurricane Katrina. Many residents have returned. The beaches and buildings are being repaired. However, it has been a slow process for businesses to return to how they were before the storm. New building rules near the beach and economic changes have played a part in this.

Famous People from Long Beach

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Long Beach (Misisipi) para niños

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