Mississippi Gulf Coast facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mississippi Gulf Coast
Region
Clockwise from top: Ingalls Shipbuilding, the Biloxi Beach, the Dantzler House, Beauvoir, the Beau Rivage Casino, the Bay Saint Louis Bridge, the USM Gulf Park, the Hard Rock Casino Biloxi, and Saint John's Epispocal Church
Nickname(s):  The Coast
Map of Mississippi with the Gulf Coast region highlighted. The counties in red correspond to the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula MSA. Pearl River County (blue) is included in the geographical definition which includes all of Mississippi south of 31° N.
Area
• Total	2,764,358 acre (1,118,696 ha)
Dimensions
• Length	80 mi (130 km)
• Width	55 mi (89 km)
Population  (April 1, 2010)
• Total	370,702
• Estimate  (2018)	397,261
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	228

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is a special area in Mississippi. It sits along the Mississippi Sound, which is part of the huge Gulf of Mexico. People also call it the Mississippi Coast or simply The Coast.

Exploring the Mississippi Gulf Coast

This region is made up of several counties. When Mississippi first became a state, only Hancock and Jackson counties were part of this area. Over time, new counties were formed. These include Harrison, Pearl River, Stone, and George counties.

Cities of the Coast

Many cities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are right on the water. The U.S. Census Bureau groups these cities into special areas. The main area includes Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties. Two more counties, George and Stone, were added later.

Some of the cities you can find here are:

• Biloxi
• Ocean Springs
• Waveland
• Bay St. Louis
• Diamondhead
• Pass Christian
• Long Beach
• Gulfport
• D'Iberville
• Gautier
• Pascagoula
• Moss Point
• Lucedale
• Wiggins

History of the Mississippi Gulf Coast

The Mississippi Gulf Coast has a long and interesting history. Many different groups of people have lived here over hundreds of years.

Early Native American Life

The Biloxi people were living in this region a very long time ago. They were here at least as early as 1699.

Colonial Times

Pierre Lemoyne and his group arriving at Ship Island in 1699.

In 1699, a French explorer named Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville came to the area. He wanted to start a French colony near the mouth of the Mississippi River. He first landed on Ship Island. A few days later, he arrived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

D'Iberville and his group built Fort Maurepas. This fort became the first capital of French Louisiana. It was a base for exploring the surrounding lands. However, the French settlers found it hard to live there. They faced problems like crops dying and not enough fresh water. Because of these difficulties, the capital of French Louisiana moved to Mobile in 1701. The fort was left empty by 1702.

Later, the capital moved back to Biloxi for a short time. This was while the city of New Orleans was being built. But the earlier problems meant the Gulf Coast did not play a big role in French plans.

Mississippi Becomes a State

Mississippi joined the United States in 1817. At that time, most people in the state lived in the northern parts. Only a small number of people lived on the coast. The coastal areas were still like a frontier. They had cultural influences from places around the Mediterranean Sea.

According to Kenneth P'Pool, a history expert, the coast's location on the Gulf of Mexico helped it connect with the rest of the world. This was easier than for other parts of Mississippi.

The Civil War and Beyond

During the American Civil War, Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island was taken over.

In the 1900s, Keesler Air Force Base helped the region grow. But the coast also faced big challenges. Two very strong storms, Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, caused huge damage.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast was once called "America's Riviera." In the early 1900s, it became a popular place for tourists. People came for fun activities and even some gambling, which was allowed at certain resorts. It also had the longest man-made beach in the world. Golfing was another big attraction. People who lived in colder places came to play golf all year.

In the early 1990s, gambling became legal in Harrison and Hancock counties. This led to a new period of growth. Many large hotels and casinos, like those in Las Vegas, were built. Condo towers also started to appear along the coast. The area became the second largest gaming area in the U.S. based on the size of its casinos. After Hurricane Katrina, the Mississippi Gulf Coast recovered quickly, even faster than New Orleans.

Learning and Education

The Mississippi Gulf Coast has many schools for kids of all ages. As of May 2019, there were 126 schools for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. These schools are part of 16 different school districts.

There are also colleges for older students:

• Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College offers two-year degrees and job training programs.
• The University of Southern Mississippi has a campus in Long Beach. It offers bachelor's and master's degrees.
• In 2009, William Carey University opened its Tradition campus. It offers many different study programs.

Here is a list of school districts and their achievement ratings:

Famous People from the Coast

Many well-known people have come from the Mississippi Gulf Coast.