Jackson County Directory 2008

History of Jackson County Scranton and Krebsville were communities that grew up around the L&N RR, and in 1901, were incorporated as the City of Pascagoula. Pascagoula’s modern history is shaped in part by its past. It was named for the Pascagoula Indians, a word meaning “Bread Eaters.” This alluded to the Indian practice of cooking corn meal on an open fire. Pascagoula was a fishing and boat building community, and in 1938, Mr. Robert Ingalls established his shipbuilding company on the east bank of the Pascagoula River. Another early influential settler was John Grant. He was instrumental in dredging the Port of Pascagoula. Senator John Stennis helped to establish Pascagoula as Mississippi’s Industrial Seaport, and the groundbreaking for Chevron in 1963 assured Pascagoula its place in history as an industrial community. “Mossy Point” was a well known pine shipping mecca in the 1800s. Ships from South America made regular calls to the mills along the Pascagoula and Escatawpa Rivers. In the early 1900s, Mossy Point was incorporated as the City of Moss Point. The thriving sawmill industry eventually became known as International Paper Company. Moss Point had numerous shipbuilding yards and today is home to VT Halter. Its trademark claim as “The River City” has brought Moss Point from the early days of ship construction and lumber harvesting to the present day wildlife, nature and ecotourism development. Gautier may be the last city to incorporate in Jackson County, but it has a historical lineage dating to the 1699 landing of D’Iberville in Ocean Springs. One of the estates, still under the original heirs, is the “La Maison Gautier House.” This property has magnificent live oak trees that have tested time and numerous hurricanes. The Pascagoula “Singing” River flows along the east side of the property on its trek to the Gulf of Mexico. The modern day CSX RR follows the bed of the original L&N RR established in 1910. In 1986, the City of Gautier was incorporated. Today Gautier has grown in population, retail and commercial development. It is home to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and has miles of historic bayous and acres of habitat for the Mississippi Sandhill Cranes. The City of Ocean Springs, well known as “The City of Discovery,” has its past shaped by two historical facts, the Landing of D’Iberville in 1699 and the discovery of the underground springs that give the city its name. D’Iberville’s discovery of Biloxi Bay opened a door to a French legacy that is prevalent today. Ocean Springs was a frequent tourist destination. The tropical weather and soothing springs soon gave the area a reputation for fine hospitality. Large historic homes sprang up along Ocean Springs’s Front Beach. The area was primarily fishing and tourism, but in the 1900s, Ocean Springs started its longtime affiliation with arts and culture. Walter and Peter Anderson, both world renowned artists, have left a legacy that brings modern day Ocean Springs to the zenith of all artist communities in the region. Jackson County Community Guide 13

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Jackson County Directory 2008

Jackson County Directory 2008 Table of Contents Welcome to Jackson County Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Jackson County Area Map History of Jackson County Important Contacts Demographics & Government Education Health Care & Wellness Churches & Non-Profit Organizations Industry Transportation & Communication Residential Life Arts & Culture Recreation & Parks Calendar of Events Business Advertiser Index

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