Vignettes - Places

  This is the fourth in a series on historic churches in Hancock County.  This month we return to the Bay St. Louis area with a look at the Valena C. Jones United Methodist Church located located at 248 Sycamore Street.   Between 1865 and 1882, the predominately white Methodist Episcopal parent church faced the… (read more)

WPA PROJECT 1937 [Emma A. Clay and Edmond J. Giering wrote the following report in February and March of 1937.]   The first attempt to establish a system of public or common schools proved futile in the early days of the state and counties.  The following Acts of the Legislature did not bear fruit until… (read more)

  In the fall of 1912, I began teaching in the public school of my hometown, Pearlington.  I was principal and teacher.  My pupils numbered thirty-two from primer through eighth grade.   I had had two years of helping my mother in her private school in Pearlington.  Then attended the Tri-County Normal School in Wiggins,… (read more)

At the turn of the 19th century, the Louisville and Nashville railroad station at Bay St. Louis was considered to be the prettiest station on the line between New Orleans and Mobile. Meeting the dollar excursion train from New Orleans morning and evening was an outstanding attraction during the summer season.  In the evening, the… (read more)

Situated on an elevated plot of land facing the St. Louis Bay and the Mississippi Sound, Onward Oaks (c.1875) is a raised Creole cottage with Greek Revival and Italianate influences. Resting on reconstructed brick piers, the house is a frame, one-and-one-half story, seven by four bay, side gabled building wit undercut galleries spanning both the… (read more)

Prior to the early 1910's the area we know as Kiln or “The Kiln” was referred to as the Jourdan River Community.  However, since at least the 1880's, it has been known as Kiln because of the kilns once located there and used for the production of pine tar.  By 1913 the name Kiln was… (read more)

Center was a Choctaw Indian settlement before the first Europeans entered south Mississippi.  It was bounded by Catahoula Creek on the east and Playground Branch on the west and was in the geographical center of Hancock County (before the creation of Pearl River County).  Its original name was a Choctaw term meaning “center” or “coming… (read more)

The town of Gainesville was founded in the early 1800’s by Dr. Ambrose Gaines, who had come to the early settlement of Cottonport located on the Pearl River.  Dr. Gaines received the first Spanish land grant for what was to become Gainesville in 1810.  Issued by John V. Morales and confirmed by William Crawford, U.… (read more)

  In 1698, Louis XVI, King of France, was able to achieve a long-held dream of locating the Mississippi River. He dispatched Pierre LeMoyne, Sieur d’Iberville and Jean Baptiste, LeMoyne, Sieur d’Bienville to locate the river and establish claim for France all territories drained by it.   Spain learned of the quest and sent its… (read more)

Sources Along the Gulf In 1895, the book entitled Along the Gulf  was published by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in order to promote travel along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Among other areas, one attraction was called Brown’s Vineyard. It was called “a veritable garden of beauty,” crediting Mr. Brown with having “…planted almost exclusively… (read more)