HISTORIC SITES
Visitors to Mississippi’s Gulf can visit historic sites that provide a window into the past. Walk in the footsteps of people long past, with endless stories and legends to explore. People from all over the country have traveled to South Mississippi to experience historic graveyards, military forts, and civil rights landmarks. When we learn something new about how our ancestors lived, we then learn something new about ourselves.
100 MEN D.B.A. HALL
Built in 1922, by the “One Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association,” the hall has acted as a center of social life and entertainment for the African-American community in southern Mississippi.
Created in 2006 by the Mississippi Blues commission, The Mississippi Blues Trail consists of 173 markers and historic sites throughout the state to commemorate the impact and history of Blues music.
BAY ST. LOUIS HISTORIC WALKING & BIKING TOUR
This Walking/Biking Tour explores some historic sites such as the Hancock County Courthouse, the Alice Moseley House, and The Masonic Temple Building.
BILOXI LIGHTHOUSE PARK
The Biloxi Lighthouse is a symbol of Mississippi’s heritage, telling the story of Gulf Coast industry, historical perseverance, and the charming area many people call their home.
BILOXI SCHOONER
The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum has regained a piece of history with their replicas of Mississippi White Wings. As far back as 1699, these boats were used as shrimping vessels along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
BILOXI SHRIMPING TRIP
The pride and heritage of Biloxi comes alive aboard this unique and interesting cruise. The Biloxi Shrimping Trip exposes our guest to the spectacular world of sea life caught on a real shrimping expedition.
BILOXI TOUR TRAIN
Rolling strong for more than half a century, this open-air train is a big part of Biloxi’s tourism history.
CAT ISLAND
Cat Island is unusual among the barrier islands in that it is covered by dense forests of oak and pine trees.
CROOKED FEATHER SCULPTURE
This giant Native American head, sculpted in 1999, is a replica of a 1975 sculpture created by artist Peter Toth.
ELVIS & JUNE - SUMMER OF '56
Take a journey to all the places where Elvis Presley left little pieces of his heart on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during the summer of 1956.
FORT MASSACHUSETTS
Built after of the War of 1812, Fort Massachusetts is situated on West Ship Island, part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Heritage Area, and is open to the public..
FORT MAUREPAS PARK
The greater Biloxi area has a very rich history, and it all started at Fort Maurepas, also known as Old Biloxi.
FRENCH COLONIAL MEMORIAL GARDEN & MORAN SITE
In the early 1700’s, “New Biloxi” served as a staging ground for thousands of European Immigrants brought over to work the inland concessions. The French Colonial Memorial Garden, also known as the Moran Site, in Biloxi is a site of remembrance to those buried there.
FRIENDSHIP OAK TREE
Friendship Oak Tree has one of the sweetest southern legacies of any historical landmark. It is said that anyone who visits the tree will remain friends throughout their lifetimes.
GAUTIER HISTORIC SCHOOLHOUSE
This important piece of history served children and adults of all ages in various forms of community and cultural assets.
HISTORIC GRASS LAWN
Historic Grass Lawn, known also as the Milner House, was built circa 1836 by Dr. H. A. G. Roberts of Port Gibson, Mississippi.
HISTORIC KREBS CEMETERY
Krebs Cemetery, also known as the Old Spanish Fort Cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Mississippi. It is located next to Krebs Lake and is the perfect place to enjoy some much-needed peace and quiet.
HISTORIC LOGTOWN
Logtown is named after the logs that were once harvested here. Located at the mouth of the Pearl River, Logtown was once the site of several sawmills.
HONEY ISLAND SWAMP MONSTER
The Honey Island Swamp Monster is an evasive creature that lives along the Pearl River.
LAPOINTE-KREBS HOUSE
The LaPointe-Krebs house, built in 1757, is the oldest structure in Mississippi and is the oldest confirmed building in the entire Mississippi Valley.
LEGEND OF SINGING RIVER
The Pascagoula River in Mississippi has a dark history. The story unfolds with a complex love affair within the Pascagoula Indian Tribe and the Biloxi Indian Tribe. The princess of the Biloxi Tribe, Anola, fell in love with Altama, Chief of the rival Pascagoula Tribe.
LOGTOWN CEMETERY
Visitors who visit the picturesque Logtown should also explore the Logtown Cemetery. The peaceful cemetery offers a reminder of a once booming community. It can also be a great place for ghost hunting!
LYNN MEADOWS DISCOVERY CENTER
All the best things about being a kid come together at Mississippi’s First Children’s Museum. Live, learn, laugh, and play in over 15,000 square feet of indoor and 7.5 acres of outdoor adventures!
MISSISSIPPI VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL
A State of Mississippi Memorial, honoring the young men from Mississippi who made the supreme sacrifice.
OLD BILOXI CEMETERY
Old Biloxi Cemetery is a great place to visit if you love learning history. Some of the headstones date back to the 1800’s- and you might recognize some names.
PALESTINE GARDENS
Established in 1960 on a dirt road in the middle of the rural Mississippi woods, Reverend Walter Jackson and his wife began a lifelong journey to build the Palestine Gardens.
PEARL RIVER COURTHOUSE
Just a few miles west of Interstate 59, nestled in charming downtown Poplarville, you’ll find one of the architectural jewels of southern Mississippi: The Pearl River County Courthouse.
YARYAN/PHOENIX NAVAL STORE
The former paymasters office of the Yaryan/Phoenix Naval Store, located in Gulfport’s Turkey Creek Community, played essential part of the timber industry in South Mississippi. The term Naval Store refers to products or “stores” of turpentine, rosin, tar, and pitch produced from pine trees.
ROUND ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
Built in 1869 and a beacon for mariners for 150 years, the hurricane-ravaged remnants of Round Island Lighthouse were rescued and relocated to mainland Pascagoula in 2010.
SHIP ISLAND
Ship Island is the common name for two separate islands, East Ship Island and West Ship Island, located off the coast of Southern Mississippi.
THE GOLDEN FISHERMAN
The Golden Fisherman was once one of the largest statues in Mississippi, standing at 16-feet. The statue was first unveiled in 1977 in Biloxi to commemorate the seafood industry’s heritage in the Gulf Coast region.
THE PICAYUNE GYMNASIUM
This old gymnasium holds rich history that will live on forever through its service as a historic landmark for the African American culture on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.
THE SHAY ENGINE
Visiting the Shay Engine educates visitors on Mississippi’s logging past all the way to Picayune’s present day railroad park.
TWELVE OAKS
Twelve Oaks is the local term for the copious amounts of historic oak trees that can be found along Old Fort Bayou. Many of these trees are believed to be around 400-years young.
