It was around Ocean Springs, Biloxi’s neighbor to the east, where famous French explorer, Pierre Le Moyne D’Iberville first colonized the area in 1699. 

After landing on Ship Island, just off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, D’Iberville was tasked with finding a proper location for the new capital. That location is thought to be somewhere in the back bay of Biloxi and Ocean Springs. After he established the first white settlement in Mississippi, D’Iberville returned to France.

According to journals, he left around 100 people, including high ranking members of the French Navy, to maintain the area. On maps from that era, the name evolved to “Fort Bilocci,” which is the French translation for Biloxi.

After suffering severe damage after Hurricane Katrina, Fort Maurepas park was rebuilt in the late 2000’s. It now includes a pavilion, fishing pier, splash pad and a structure resembling the ship of D’Iberville.