Biloxi

An area across Biloxi Bay from the city, called Old Biloxi, was first visited by French explorer Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville in 1699. The explorer, who was looking for the mouth of the Mississippi River, was instructed by the King of France to claim the coastal region. D'Iberville sailed into Biloxi Bay with a small group of men and established Fort Maurepas and a similar colony on the east shore, now the site of Ocean Springs. The word Biloxi means "First People" and was the name of a local Native American tribe met by d'Iberville and his men when they explored the land. Since its discovery, eight flags have flown over the city including the French, English, Spanish, West Florida Republic, Mississippi Magnolia, Confederate State, Mississippi State, and that of the United States.

In 1719 Fort Louis was founded on the site of the present-day city, which served as the capital of French colonial Louisiana from 1720 to 1722. In 1783 Biloxi was taken over by the Spanish, who merely collected tariffs, while the area retained its strong French influence. The Spanish maintained their rule until 1810, when a rebellion occurred and the area was seized by American insurgents. At that time, Biloxi became part of the Republic of West Florida. Although petitions for statehood were denied, the Biloxi region became part of the Territory of Orleans (which had been part of the Louisiana Purchase). Two years later, in 1812, Biloxi became part of the Mississippi Territory. In 1814 a British attempt to capture New Orleans failed, but the British remained on nearby Ship Island until 1815. Finally, on December 10, 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state of the United States.

During the 1820s Biloxi became a popular summer resort for New Orleanians wishing to escape their city's heat and yellow fever epidemics. Biloxi was incorporated officially in 1838. The city grew as families and their servants flocked to the area, which by 1847 had become the most important of the Gulf Coast's resort towns. By the middle of the nineteenth century even more people came for the ostensible healing powers of the waters, and for the balls, outings, and hunting events that enlivened the social scene.

At the time of the Civil War, Union troops took over nearby Ship Island and carried out a blockade of the gulf. Citizens protected the city from invasion by the Yankees through the threatening appearance of fake cannons, which were really only logs planted in the sand. Mullet fish, called "Biloxi bacon," saved the local populace from starvation in the war years. The first fish cannery opened in 1881, and the city's seafood industry quickly developed. By 1900 Biloxi was termed the "seafood capital of the world." Polish, Austrian, and Acadian French soon came to the city to work in the industry, adding their own cultural influences. Tourism flourished and more hotels were built to accommodate the visitors, many of them from the Midwest, who came to escape the harsh northern winters.

During the early 20th century, the city grew and new developments included electricity, a street railway system, and telephone service. During the 1920s a paved highway was built along the beach, and more hotels were constructed as tourism increased. In 1928 the world's longest seawall, which spanned 25 miles (40 km) of Biloxi's coastline, was dedicated. The 1930s saw the decline of the area's seafood industry, but a new boom took place during World War II when Biloxi was chosen to be the site of a new air force base.

Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Biloxi rebuilt its original image. Hurricane Katrina left a devastated image in the tourist industry in Biloxi. Right after Hurricane Katrina, the casinos were the first to approach in rebuilding to create jobs and entertainment. You can still see ruins from the aftermath of Katrina. The houses that are rebuilt after the hurricane are now around ten feet above ground to avoid flooding. However, the question of stability of those houses are still being concerned.

In 2010, there was also an oil spill on the Gulf Coast of Mexico by British Petroleum company which destroyed the livelihoods of many people in Biloxi.

• 🌍 Biloxi Visitor Center, 1050 Beach Blvd,, ☏ +1 228 374-3105, toll-free: +1-800-BILOXI-3 (245694-3), visitor@biloxi.ms.us. M-F 8AM-5PM. On US-90 facing the beach and north of the Biloxi Lighthouse. 

• 🌍 Beauvoir (Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum), 2244 Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 228-388-4400. 9AM–5PM daily. One of the post-war homes of the only president of the short-lived Confederate States of America (1861–1865), this shrine to Jefferson Davis is now an antique site displaying rather antiquated views about slavery and the Lost Cause, as decreed by his youngest daughter when she sold the property to a pro-Confederacy organization in 1903. Originally built using both slave labor and local craftsmen between 1848 and 1852, this summer home was bought by Jefferson Davis more than a decade after his rebel government lost the American Civil War. It is now owned and operated by the United Sons of Confederate Veterans, which, among other activities, puts Confederate flags on all the graves in the adjacent Confederate Memorial Cemetery. Docent-led tours on the hour. The museum store sells a variety of neo-Confederate books and items featuring the Confederate seal and flag. $12.50. (updated Jul 2023)
• 🌍 Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, 386 Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 228-374-5547, info@georgeohr.org. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. Features George Ohr's pottery works. George Ohr is called the "Mad Potter" of Biloxi. Adults $10, Seniors (60+) $8, Student (6-17 and College w/ ID) $5, Child (under 6) free. (updated Jun 2020)
• 🌍 Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum, 115 1st St, ☏ +1 228-435-6320. (updated Jun 2020)
• 🌍 Biloxi Lighthouse (Middle of US 90 at Porter Ave), ☏ +1 228 374-3105, museums@biloxi.ms.us. Adults $5, Children 12 and under $2. (updated Jun 2020)
• 🌍 Coastal Mississippi Mardi Gras Museum, 792A Howard Ave, ☏ +1 228-314-4747. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM. (updated Jan 2021)

Biloxi has long been known for its casino based tourism industry. Each year, about 16 million people visit these casinos. Biloxi has nine casinos.

Biloxi is still in need of a good shopping mall. Most shopping usually are done in Mobile or New Orleans.

• 🌍 Edgewater Mall, 2600 Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 228 388-4636. Nearly 100 stores and a food court. Also has a movie theater, arcade, and rock climbing wall. (updated Jun 2020)
• Edgewater Village. Across from the mall. 
• Gabrielle's Boutique, 1765 Popps Ferry Rd Ste G, ☏ +1 228-385-0550. 
• Souvenirs City, 2026 Beach Boulevard, ☏ +1 228 388-2550. 
• Surf Style (located really close to the mall). 

There are cafes, seafood, and fine dining offering a wide variety of food in downtown Biloxi. For Vietnamese food, there's Kim Long Restaurant, Henry's Bakery, Le Bakery (Huong Que). The casinos also offer all you can eat buffets, with prices varying.

• 🌍 Mary Mahoney's Old French House, 110 Rue Magnolia, ☏ +1 228-374-0163. Historic seafood restaurant in one of the oldest houses in the city. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Patio 44, 124 Main St, ☏ +1 228-207-2628. Serving Creole cuisine. (updated Dec 2017)

• Adventures Pub & Spirits, 789 Vieux Marche, ☏ +1 228 435-9558, fax: +1 228 465-1758. Su-W 11AM-4AM, F Sa 11AM-6PM. A friendly late night atmosphere located on historic Vieux Marche in the heart of Old Down Town Biloxi. (updated May 2021)
• Fly Llama Brewing, 186 Bohn St, ☏ +1 228-207-7757. Taproom with 18 craft beers and hard seltzers. (updated May 2021)

• Days Inn by Wyndham Biloxi Beach, 1768 Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 228-207-6504. Free danish. 
• Best Western Oak Manor, 886 Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 228-435-4331. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Outdoor pool, WiFi, and breakfast included. No smoking or pets. 
• Air Force Inns (Keesler), ☏ +1 228-374-0088. 
• Econo Lodge Biloxi Beach North, 1776 Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 228-374-7644. Rebuilt after Katrina; tennis court. 
• 🌍 Margaritaville Resort and Family Entertainment Center, 195 Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 228 271-6377. (updated Jun 2020)

• Destin is a couple of hours east on I-10
• Pensacola is about two hours east on I-10
• New Orleans is about an hour west on I-10
• Mobile is about an hour east along I-10
• Hattiesburg is about an hour north on U.S. Highway 49
• Abita Springs, LA, home to the Abita Springs Brewery, just under two hours to the west, along I-10
• McHenry, is about 30 min north in the heart of De Soto National Forest on U.S. Highway 49