In 1697, the Comte de Pontachartrain, French Minister of Marine, gave Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville orders to locate the mouth of the Mississippi River, build a post, and block other nations from claiming the Mississippi. On September 5, 1698 Iberville's expedition left La Rochelle, France. Iberville arrived at Ship Island on February 10, 1699. On February 13, after seeing a campfire on an island, Iberville and fourteen men landed on the mainland at present day Biloxi. On shore, Iberville tracked the Indians eastward. After spending the night they continued eastward to the Bay of Biloxi. The Indians, after reaching the bay, took their canoes and crossed over to Deer Island. On Deer Island they joined other Indians and fled in several canoes to the north shore of the Biloxi Bay. Iberville pursued them and over took them at the north shore. The Indians fled into the woods leaving canoes and baggage. After several days the French became friends with these Indians known as the Biloxis. The arrival of the French ushered in a new period along the Mississippi Coast and Biloxi.

In 1719 numerous concessions lined the shores of Biloxi. Settlers cleared the land and built cabins and warehouses to shelter themselves and their supplies. They planted crops and built boats to transport them to land grants in the interior. The capital was transferred to Biloxi in 1720 and remained there until 1723 when it was moved to New Orleans. Biloxi continued as a garrisoned post until 1730. In 1763 the French ceded its territory east of the Mississippi to England. In 1770 Lieutenant Thomas Hutchins indicated that at Biloxi a few inhabitants, who were the offspring of the original settlers, raised cattle, and made pitch, and tar. He also indicated that the Indians gave them trouble. In 1774 Lieutenant Governor Elias Dunnford recorded the inhabitants were old French families who made a living making pitch and tar. In 1779 the Mississippi Coast was ceded to Spain.

In 1810 Biloxi became part of the short-lived Republic of West Florida. This was a result of a revolution against the Spaniards by Anglo-Americans. In 1811 Dr. William Flood, acting as ambassador for Governor Claiborne of Louisiana, investigated the Mississippi Coast for the United States. In his report he indicated the population of Biloxi to be 420 people, chiefly French and Creoles. He described these early Biloxians as: "a primitive people, of mixed origin, retaining the gaiety and politeness of the French, blended with the abstemiousness and indolence of the Indians." They depended on fish and game while planting rice and vegetables as a supplement.

In 1817 Mississippi became a State. Between 1817 and 1860 Biloxi began the slow development from a primitive area into a favorite summer resort place for many southerners. In 1838 Biloxi was incorporated as a township. By late 1850s Biloxi had several fine hotels or watering places as they were called. They included the Magnolia Hotel, American Hotel, Biloxi House, Green Oaks Hotel, Shady Oaks Hotel, as well as many fine boarding houses. The Shady Oaks would become the Montross and later the Riviera. New Orleans' citizens traveled to Biloxi and the Mississippi Coast in hopes of escaping the yellow fever epidemics. Many of New Orleans' wealthy built large waterfront homes and traveled by steamboat to Biloxi bringing entire households and servants. Plantation owners from Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana built summer homes. During this period most of Biloxi's Black Americans were slaves but there were some free blacks in the Biloxi area. Immigrants came from Italy, Ireland, Germany, and France as well as people of English, Scottish, or Scotch-Irish ancestry from other states. They came and worked the sawmills, turpentine industry, boat yards, stores, brickyards and hotels. In 1848 the Biloxi Lighthouse was erected and would become the symbol of Biloxi.

Biloxi Rifles were part of the 3rd Mississippi Infantry CSA which was made up of Mississippi Gulf Coast Natives. On December 31, 1861 Biloxi surrendered to Union Naval Forces who were operating from Ship Island. The period immediately following the Civil War was a difficult time for Biloxi. In 1872 the L&N Railroad established the Seashore Camp Ground in Biloxi as a flag stop. About 1894, some Biloxi businessmen organized the Iroquois Commercial Club to help promote business and social advancement of Biloxi. Lopez, Elmer and Company became the first seafood cannery in Biloxi in 1881and by the end of the decade four additional canneries were established. These included Barataria Canning Company, 1882; Lopez, Dunbar's Sons & Company, 1884; E. C. Joullain Packing Company, 1888; and William Gorenflo and Company, 1886. The first cannery was the brainchild of Lazaro Lopez, F. William Elmer, W.K.M. DuKate, William Gorenflo, and James Maycock. This venture would take Biloxi into the next century. By the turn of the century Biloxi had become the Seafood Capital of the World. By 1910 Biloxi became the largest exporter of raw oysters by shipping over 15 million cans. In the 1920s there was more than forty seafood factories occupying the two cannery districts. The cannery owners also imported laborers from places like Baltimore and Louisiana. Some of the first fishermen were Austrians from the Dalmatia Coast, French, Greeks, and Italians. In 1890 the Bohemians or Poles became the first imported laborers from Baltimore. In 1914, with the shortage of imported laborers, the first Cajun families arrived from Louisiana. One of the byproducts of the seafood industry was the schooner races. These races began in 1888 and lasted until about 1933 and became known as the races of the White Wing Queens.

In the early 1900s Cedar Lake was the site of the Dantzer Saw Mill. In 1908 the first Mardi Gras Parade took place in Biloxi with John Carraway as King and Miss Blanche Picard as Queen. The Biloxi Commercial Club on May 5, 1919 decided to change its name to the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce. In 1927, excellent business was reported by Biloxi hotels including the Edgewater Gulf Hotel, White House Hotel, Tivoli Hotel, Buena Vista Biloxi Hotel, Kennedy Hotel, Park Hotel, Avelez Hotel, and Rivera Hotel. Also, in 1927 the seawall was constructed to protect the Mississippi Gulf Coast from the eroding effects of the hurricanes. In 1929 the first Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet took place in Biloxi. Between 1934 and the end of WWII, a Coast Guard Air Station on Biloxi's Point Cadet was operated to patrol the gulf. In 1941, Biloxi was chosen as the site for an Army Air Corp technical training base known as Keesler Field. In 1947 the Air Force was created and took over operation of Keesler Air Force Base. Keesler Air Force Base is the location for many technical schools and employs many local people, which helps Biloxi's economy. In 1950, sand was dredged from the Mississippi Sound to create a man-made beach as additional protection from hurricanes. Hurricanes have devastated the Mississippi Coast for years. Some most notable were the 1722, 1893, 1915, and 1947 hurricanes. But on August 17, 1969 Hurricane Camille dealt the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Biloxi a catastrophic blow. Biloxi and other coastal cities began the difficult task of digging out of the rubble. Like in the past, after catastrophic storms, Biloxians immediately started rebuilding while at the same time building a new future that would take us into the next century.

After Hurricane Camille, the economy of Biloxi recovered, but slowly. All that changed in 1992 however, when the State of Mississippi chose to allow legalized dockside gaming. Since the law required casinos to be on water, and since Biloxi was already a popular vacation spot, the addition of gaming was a boon to the city.

Today, the city is the site of nine casinos; Isle of Capri, Casino Magic, Grand Casino, Beau Rivage, Boomtown, Imperial Palace, Treasure Bay, and President. The Imperial Palace, sister to a Las Vegas property of the same name, opened on Biloxi Bay in December, 1997 with 1088 rooms. Beau Rivage, developed by the owners of Mirage and Golden Nugget of Las Vegas, opened its 1780-room hotel/casino on Biloxi's central beach in March 1999. The addition of these two casinos marks an interesting second phase of gaming in Biloxi, as these properties catapult the city into a major factor in the gaming and tourism industries.

The success of gaming in Biloxi has had a wondrous effect on all elements of the city. City public works projects are in full swing with expansion of transportation infra structures and recreational and educational facilities all getting much attention. Historical preservation also has a place in the spending of casino tax revenues. Among the most notable differences is the improvement in public safety. A well-staffed and highly trained police and fire fighter force are working with state of the art equipment to improve the quality of life.

Many new jobs have been created because of the rapid growth Biloxi as experienced during the last few years. Positions in tourism, hospitality, gaming, gaming support, construction and related trades lead the way. A recent expansion of Edgewater Shopping Center, a large regional mall, has seen the addition of several large national retailers and the creation of dozens of new jobs.

Biloxi is now one of the fastest growing areas in the country and stands poised to become an internationally renowned destination resort. Please visit the city's official website at www.biloxi.ms.us for more information.

. . . . . . By Edmond Boudreaux, Jr.


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