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Bay Saint Louis---A Place
Apart, A Place of Art!
“I wasn’t born in Bay St.
Louis, but I got here as fast as I could.”
Kathe
Calhoun, local watercolor artist
Bay St. Louis,
a 300+-year-old settlement on the Bay of Saint Louis
and the Mississippi Sound, is the county seat.
Casino Magic Bay St. Louis is the queen jewel.
This 600 plus acre casino & golf resort offers
residents and visitors 24 hour gaming and
first-class amenities on one secluded site.
While dockside gaming has been
the major employment engine in Bay St. Louis for the
past ten years, the arts have created a
community all their own that has become a major
economic development enterprise in Bay St. Louis
Public art is abundant in Bay
St. Louis with the large corporate collection
displayed in Hancock Medical Center, outdoor murals,
including the community built mosaic murals designed
by Elizabeth Veglia and the worldly graphic designs
of Kevin Webster.
“Each and every artist
contributes to the beauty and diversity of Bay St.
Louis, and we are so glad they chose our area for
their studios and homes,” said Mayor Eddie Favre.
With more than 200 resident
artists, Hancock County is a magnet for artists. If
you ask artists why they move here you will get many
different reasons. Some are drawn to the small town
or rural lifestyle and like the fact that it is
close enough to New Orleans and Mobile. Others cite
the cost of living, low crime rates, and affordable
housing. In fact, the county boasts one of the
lowest property tax rates on the Mississippi Coast.
No doubt the proximity to the
Gulf waters, the beaches, golf courses and natural
environment all play a role. A common answer is the
laid-back attitudes of the people who live here, and
the ever-increasing number of like-minded artists
like the late Alice Moseley. Before moving to
Bay St. Louis, Miss Moseley, a nationally acclaimed
folk artist and story teller, lived in Birmingham,
Alabama and Memphis,Tennessee. When she arrived for
an art show, she told her son Tim, “This is where I
am going to live the rest of my life.” And she
did. Today, Tim continues to operate her Bay St.
Louis studio on Bookter Street in the Depot District
as the Alice Moseley Folk Art & Antique Museum.
While the largest concentration
of art galleries is located in Bay St. Louis, the
art community is actually spread throughout the
county. The county is rich in artistic diversity.
Performing artists, musicians, writers and poets,
fiber artists, sculptors and potters, printmakers
and papermakers--artisans of every sort make their
home here.
There are many arts-related organizations already in
place, such as: Bay St. Louis Little
Theatre—Hancock County’s only community theatre,
Diamondhead Performing Arts, St. Rose de Lima Choir,
and a variety of dance schools and arts-related
programs.
The Bay St. Louis Little
Theatre is experiencing a renewal, with a
revival of interest and assistance from the
community it has served for over 50 years. The
original theatre was built on Boardman Avenue in Bay
St. Louis in 1948 from two war surplus barracks from
the Seabee base in Gulfport. A grant from the
Mississippi Arts Commission and assistance from
community partners like Casino Magic Bay St. Louis
and area artists are helping to restore the existing
structure while maintaining its charm. The program,
always run by a dedicated, passionate group of
volunteers, fulfills a critical community need to
delight the senses, challenge the mind, and uplift
the spirit. Each season includes four plays, a
Dinner Theatre production, the Children’s Summer
Theatre Program, and an annual Christmas
production.
The BayArts, an activity
of the city’s division of Cultural Affairs, includes
major teaching studios for pottery, printmaking and
photography. Master craftsmen work with area
teachers to enhance their skills using art to teach
mathematics, history, chemistry and other
disciplines. Recently, area leaders spearheaded an
effort to bring all the art forms together under one
umbrella organization now known as The Arts,
Hancock County.
Everyone, not just visitors,
enjoys a festive and eclectic historic beachfront
business area, where art galleries, antique shops
and jewelry stores co-exist with bed and breakfast
homes, coffee shops, waterside dining and
entertainment venues.
The Old Town Bay St. Louis
Shopping District and the Main Street of
Waveland—Coleman Avenue--welcome residents and
visitors year round with events and parades. In the
Bay, on the second Saturday of each month from March
through December, Old Town turns into Hancock
County’s “giant block party.” Stores stay open
until eight, live bands stroll the streets and
stores offer refreshments to all who visit, says
Richie and Barbara Zitzmann, event co-chairs. The
new Art Market located at Serenity on Main Street
features artists every weekend in Old Town.
Bay St. Louis and Waveland have
abundant public properties for towns with
populations of more than 8,200 and 6,600
respectively. Neighborhood parks, such as
Commodore Park on Beach Boulevard near the
Bay-Waveland Yacht Club in Bay St. Louis offer
visitors and residents a beautiful view of the Bay
and boats under sail.
On the Beach at Ulman Avenue in
the Bay, look for the Jimmy Rutherford Pier.
This 1,000 foot long pier provides just the right
venue for walking, stargazing and fishing. And
don’t forget your fishing license! The pier is open
to the public, without charge, 24 hours, every day
of the year.
In downtown Bay St. Louis, you
will find city and county offices, including the
historic Hancock County Courthouse on Main
Street. Still operational, it was built in 1911,
and has undergone an extensive renovation to
showcase the classic Southern, Greek and Roman
revival architecture.
Next door, you will find the
Hancock County Historical Society’s home, the Kate
Lobrano House established in 1896. There you
will find able volunteers who can lead you to
historical data, photos and collections.
Around the corner and down
Second Street, you will visit City Park, next
to historic Bay St. Louis City Hall (a
Mississippi Landmark building now home to public
works and code enforcement offices). You may even
want to rent a “Surrey by the Bay” on Main
Street to get there. The Park features two live
oaks with arms that spread to the ground, giving a
beautiful canopy for picnics, weddings and
concerts.
Follow the railroad tracks to
the Historic L & N Depot District, a quaint
area of Old Town that features art and antiques,
fine china, local cuisine, a coffee house, yoga, bed
and breakfast and the area’s historic Train Depot.
Established in 1928, it is a totally refurbished
Mississippi Landmark with a scheduled Amtrak stop.
This historically majestic, two story building, and
the alluring grounds are used for exhibits,
receptions, seminars, meetings and other grand
gatherings and celebrations.
Near the Depot District is
St. Rose de Lima Catholic Church. Established
in 1926, the church is African American based
with an interracial congregation, and is home to one
of the best Southern Gospel Choirs in the country.
The altar features an extraordinary mural of an
African Christ figure rising before a live oak tree.
At Highway 90 on Second Street, you
will see St. Augustine Seminary & Grotto, an
African American Heritage Site. The Seminary,
established in 1922 by the Brothers of the Divine
Word from Germany, is the first Roman Catholic
Seminary in the United States to train and ordain
African American men for the Priesthood and
Brotherhood.
The Bay St. Louis Athletic
Complex has seven baseball / softball fields.
The city hosts a variety of competitions at the
district, state and World Series levels, in addition
to league play. Three other off-site fields support
the Complex. Supported by the cities of Bay St.
Louis and Waveland and Hancock County, Bay Area
Youth Soccer (BAYS) fields are located adjacent to
the city limits on Longfellow Road. Nearby, on
Saturdays you can enjoy a vast array of produce and
unique handmade items from local farmers and
craftsmen at the Farmer’s Market.
Public walking tracks
are available 24/7 to area residents and visitors.
One is a beachfront pedestrian and biking path that
runs from the Washington Avenue Pier in Bay St.
Louis to the Garfield Ladner Municipal Pier in
Waveland. A new path and ball field is now featured
at a County Park in Necaise out Highway 603. Other
paths in Bay St. Louis run down Dunbar Avenue to the
Beach and on Highway 90 at Hancock Medical Center.
Waveland is a
city that is on the grow. Historically, a
vacation area for New Orleanians, Waveland weekend
camps and homes are now turning primary residential
for those looking for a relaxing lifestyle,
year-round.
“Upon our arrival to Hancock
County eight years ago, I knew there was something
unique about Waveland, Mississippi,” said Kathy
Pinn, owner of That Cute Little Shoppe on Coleman
Avenue and President of the Coleman Coalition. “At
first I thought it was the physical things--the warm
weather, the sunshine, the beach lined with its
grand homes, pine trees, magnolias and live oaks.
You can drive for miles along well-maintained public
beaches. Even holidays when Beach Boulevard has an
endless stream of cars, RV’s, and visitors, you can
find a little piece of beach just for yourself,” she
said.
“One of our favorite activities
is to pack a picnic basket, umbrellas, chairs and
the kids and sit for hours just looking out over the
water doing nothing," she said. “Kids, kites,
floaties all become a part of the blue, white, and
sometimes pink-tinged vista.”
It’s the little surprises that
let you know you are home.
The all-female Krewe of
Nereids calls Waveland home. It is one of the
largest annual Mardi Gras parades on the Gulf Coast,
and travels on Highway 90, answering the chorus of
“throw me something” generously. The Krewe is
renowned for its elaborate ball and parade.
The Waveland Civic Association
holds its annual St. Patrick’s Day
festivities with a grand ball to crown their Colleen
and pass the shillelagh to its new Grand Marshall.
They follow the ball with a parade down Coleman
Avenue, the old Waveland downtown and beachfront
area. Every street is packed to capacity to catch
their cabbage, potatoes and carrots for a grand
Irish stew.
“You haven't lived until you've
had a large head of cabbage hurled at you.” laughs
Pinn.
Although the beach, the
parades, the food, and the unexpected things hold a
charm that keep so many glued to this place, the
real secret charm of Waveland is its people, which
is why so many call it the Hospitality City.
Waveland is a small town with
all the attributes you would expect of a small
town. Everything that happens in a big city happens
here only on a smaller scale and sometimes a little
slower.
“Although we've experienced a
lot of growth, and many new people have moved in to
the area, most of the population has lived here for
generations, including my own family,” said Waveland
Mayor Tommy Longo, whose father was also the Mayor
at one time.
Commercial growth along the
Highway 90 and 603 corridors is unprecedented and
retail sales increases have been substantial.
Recently, Waveland and Bay St. Louis showed the
greatest percentage of retail sales increases along
the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with overall retail
sales increasing by 8% and 6% respectively.
Highway 90 in Waveland is home
to the world’s second largest Wal-Mart SuperCenter
and the Hancock Center for Pearl River Community
College. A Hospitality Station is a welcoming
gateway to the County. And three certified little
league fields are located on Central Avenue with
three other community parks and playgrounds located
throughout the city.
On Coleman Avenue, on
the surface it may look like nothing’s going on, but
25 businesses and services are provided there for
such services as getting a haircut, mailing a
letter, paying a utility bill, talking to the Mayor,
seeing a nurse, checking out a library book, buying
a house, having a sign made, filling up your car
with gas, seeing an attorney or local artist, to
having lunch and dinner at one of three restaurants,
shopping or simply stopping for boiled seafood and
refreshments. It’s one of those places where
you can walk to almost anything.
On one end of Coleman Avenue is
the new branch of the Hancock Library that
also features the Lucien Gex Park for
children and the historic elementary school. The
schoolhouse will serve as a Community Center,
featuring an auditorium, meeting rooms and the home
of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
Both facilities will provide more educational and
cultural activities for children and adults.
At the center of Coleman Avenue
is the historic City Hall (circa 1900). This
two story wood structure, adorned by a mosaic tile
mural in front, was originally built as a school,
and is the headquarters for the City of Waveland.
Down Coleman Avenue at the
Beach are the Garfield Ladner Municipal Fishing
Pier & the Veterans Memorial Fountain. The
memorial, a cooperative effort of The American
Legion and the City, received the State’s first Blue
Star recognition. Open to the public, the $1million
municipal Pier is the only public fishing facility
on the Gulf Coast that is lighted with 24-hour
security. There you can fish, crab or just sit
"doing nothing," peering out over the horizon. It
boasts new pagodas for family picnics, new bathroom
facilities and an extension that stretches out into
the Gulf.
Further down the beach, you
will find Buccaneer State Park, one of the most
popular Parks in the State. In
the 1700s, pirates frequented the area. It
figures prominently in the legendary tales of
smuggling and buried treasure. At another site on
the beach in Waveland,
Historic markers designate the site where Jean
Lafitte’s Pirate House once stood before Hurricane
Camille devastated the Coast in 1969.
Today, Buccaneer State Park is
legend for its exciting wave pool and water slides,
which provide a safe, yet exciting setting for
summer rafting and body surfing and as a winter
retreat where the mild temperatures allow outdoor
recreation year-round. The site features primitive
and developed camping, fishing, nature trails,
picnic areas, tennis and basketball courts, and disc
and put-putt golf. The day use area was the site for
Andrew Jackson’s Plantation--Seasong.
Near the Park you will find
Gulfside Methodist Assembly. This beachfront
property was built early in the 20th
century by Bishop Robert E. Jones to provide
African-Americans with a safe gathering place for
missions and educational opportunities. It was a
safe haven during the era of racial strife. Today,
it serves as a host to Elderhostel, and as a retreat
area to meet the spiritual and social needs of
individuals throughout the world.
Clermont Harbor—Easy Living
and a Mecca for Wildlife Enthusiasts
Clermont Harbor is an
easy living residential community. Hugging the Gulf
of Mexico, it is located between Buccaneer State
Park and Bayou Caddy in Hancock County.
The town is built around a
harbor, barely visible from Beach Boulevard. There
is a great local interest in revitalizing the
harbor, which once accommodated fishing, crabbing,
boating, water skiing, canoeing and sailing
activities.
A drive around Clermont Harbor
will find old and new residents building, upgrading
and improving their property and grounds, and
sometimes that of their neighbors. Residents are
passionate and protective about their community.
Clermont Harbor had a neighborhood watch long before
there was such a thing---officially. Many families
have been here for generations, so traditions are
valued and memories run deep.
Clermont Harbor has the only
Lighthouse in Hancock County in addition to a rabbit
hole and alligator hole. A grocery store has been
located at the corner of Clermont Boulevard and
Railroad Avenue for almost a century.
This unique Gulf Coast
Community is home to artists, writers, scientists,
builders, judges, teachers, firefighters, clergy,
fishermen, seamen, retirees and more. Children of
all ages enjoy bike riding, fishing and crabbing
from the new pier, swimming, walks in the shallow
water, or just sitting on the seawall and gazing
across the vastness of the Gulf of Mexico.
Floundering has a different meaning here. Clermont
Harbor is also home to rabbits, herons, egrets,
pelicans, seagulls, eagles and alligators—a mecca
for wildlife enthusiasts.
Citizens interested in
improving the quality of life in the area are
energetically involved in the Clermont Harbor Civic
Association in cooperation with the Hancock County
Chamber of Commerce.
Lakeshore-Ansley—a place for
quiet, unhurried living
Near Clermont Harbor is the
Lakeshore-Ansley area. The community has grown in
the past decade, due to an influx of people mostly
from the Louisiana area. This growth has not
affected the family oriented atmosphere of friendly
people who truly are an example of southern
hospitality.
For those who enjoy hunting,
the area is surrounded by forested lands and the
Stennis Space Center buffer zone, which is home to
white-tail deer, turkeys, quail and other game.
Fishermen have a choice of fresh or salt water to
pursue their pastime. Marinas at Bayou Caddy and
local fishing camps are places to launch your boat
for fishing or just to cruise.
For the health conscious, there
is an excellent walking track just north of Gulfview
School, or you may prefer to walk or bicycle along
the beachfront. A basketball court is located
across the street from the School and is a favorite
gathering place for area youth. Between the School
and walking track are two athletic fields that are
used by football teams in the fall and girl’s fast
pitch softball in the spring.
Bird watchers have found this
area to be particularly attractive to pursue their
hobby, since the area is in the midst of one of the
great migration flyways. Spring and fall are the
most active times, but winter offers an excellent
chance to spy the birds that travel here for the
season from the northern climates.
If seafood is your desire, you
have found “paradise”. Fresh seafood is found at
Bayou Caddy Marina or the public marina on Pleasure
Street almost daily on the many boats that dock
there and unload their catch for local restaurants.
The Lakeshore-Ansley area
offers a quiet, rural, unhurried life and if this is
to your liking—welcome home.
Pearlington—the Pearl of Hancock County
Located in the southwest corner
of the county, the small town of Pearlington was
founded like many other towns in Mississippi, by
simple men making their way down the Pearl River and
across the Gulf of Mexico, finding a comfortable
place to live and make lots of money through free
trade.
Known as the “pearl” of Hancock
County, Pearlington found its name in the early
1800s due to the fresh water pearls found in the
Pearl River. Hidden away amongst the live oak trees
and stately pines are its beautiful homes and
riverside fishing camps. Pearlington is home to
people from all walks of life who enjoy a generally
mild climate, outdoor activities and quiet country
living.
Pearlington is located in the
“buffer zone” of the nearby NASA Stennis Space
Center, and offers protection for the town and
indigenous wildlife through restricted access
areas. Many of the 1,600 residents are employed at
the Center.
Many people have said, “If you
want to get to space, you have to first go through
Pearlington.”
Arriving from Michoud,
Louisiana, fuel tanks make their way up the Pearl
River to the NASA site for testing. They can be
seen en route from either of the two public boat
launches in Pearlington and the abandoned Logtown
area.
Pearlington is home to
Hancock County’s Mississippi Welcome Center.
Located at I-10, it is one of the most heavily
trafficked centers in the state, welcoming close to
450,000 annually. Friendly, trained travel
counselors are available to provide complimentary
refreshments and information including maps,
hotel/motel reservations, restaurant guides, weather
reports, area events and activities of interest. It
is also home to NASA Stennis Space Center’s
tourism launching area, offering free tours to
Stennis Space Center via a bus ride to the 14,000
square foot space StenniSphere museum. The
museum accommodates more than 110,000 visitors
annually.
South of Pearlington on Mulatto
Bayou, once the home of Mississippi’s foremost
historian J.F.H.Claiborne, is the 3,600-acre
waterfront Port Bienville Industrial Park.
Managed by the County’s economic development agency,
the Hancock County Port & Harbor Commission, it is
the largest developed industrial park in the State.
The Commission, established in 1963, also manages
the county’s airport. More than 1,150 full-time
employees work at the industrial site, which
includes an industrial shipping port only a few
miles from the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of
Mexico, a modern medical clinic through Hancock
Medical Center known as the Robert Baxter Clinic,
and the David N. McDonald Industrial Training
Center. Served by its own full service, short line
railroad system with connections to nearby CSX
mainline, it is now home to close to 30 industrial
and business tenants, including the 38th
largest shipper of containers in the world---Linea
Peninsular. Industrial tenants are complimented by
a variety of service providers, including companies
that provide trucking, packaging, metal
fabrications, and shipping services.
Nearby is the Pearlington
Branch of the Hancock Library, located at the
Charles B. Murphy School. It is the State’s only
joint use library. All children who attend the
school have access to a computer lab and remain on
the edge of educational technology.
Pearlington has an excellent
volunteer fire department, as well as a community
center and playgrounds for recreational use. Local
vendors, including convenient stores, restaurants
and bait shops, offer residents and visitors more
than enough to do in one day. The town is blessed
with year-round activities, as well as peace and
quiet found only in the woods and along the
riverbanks of Pearlington.
Kil’n Time is Hard to Do in
the Kiln
Just off Interstate 10 at
Highway 603 is the community of Kiln, (known as The
“Kill”). With a population of more than 2,000, it
is one of the fastest growing areas in the region.
“Kil’n time is hard to do in
the Kiln area these days,” say Lauly and Jerry
Peterson, local developers and owners of Statewide
Insurance. “Things are moving a little too fast for
all of us.”
In the last few years, growth
along the Highway 603 corridor has exploded with new
commercial and public developments. A new branch of
the Hancock Library opened, offering new
educational opportunities for adults and children.
The Library showcases community artists and provides
residents with a convenient place for meetings and
events like the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting.
The Kiln is also home to the
Hancock County Equine and Livestock Arena.
Located on 80 acres of land, this facility is host
to county fairs, dog and horse shows, rodeos, music
festivals and more throughout the year.
Not far from this facility, you
will find McLeod Water Park and Campground,
on Texas Flat Road. Rich in coastal beauty and
recreational opportunities, it is simply a paradise.
This is a favorite spot for locals and visitors
alike to go skiing, canoeing, fishing, hiking and
picnicking along the beautiful waterways. Primitive
and developed campsites, pavilions and ballparks are
also available. Nearby are private camping
facilities.
“Hancock County is a
sportsman’s paradise,” said elected official Steve
Seymour. “We have access to saltwater and fresh
water fishing, marshes for duck hunting, and uplands
for quality hunting. Seymour says the Board of
Supervisors has worked with the community to insure
public access to these natural areas and to create
many different types of parks for organized
recreation. “Throughout the county, you will also
find community ballparks and even a walking track at
Necaise,” he said.
North on Highway 603 you will
find Stennis International Airport & Airpark,
managed by the Hancock County Port & Harbor
Commission. It has the third longest runway in the
state—8,500 feet--with surfaced aprons and taxiways,
and over 70,000 square feet of hangar space,
individual airplane storage, and acreage for
additional development. A U.S. Customs Port of
Entry, it is well equipped to service all types of
aircraft. The adjacent 125,000-acre NASA Stennis
Space Center acoustic buffer zone precludes
encroachment to the airport facility. Local
residents enjoy public air shows and the Annual
Extreme Weather Fair each April. Recently, an
Innovative Technology Center was established at the
100 acre Stennis Airpark. Already, five remote
sensing manufacturing tenants have filled the new
facility and future expansion is planned.
Nearby on 603 at I-10, a
privately funded 1,000-acre high technology business
park—Stennis Technology Park—has broken
ground, catering to advanced-technology companies,
providing opportunities for those with ties to SSC.
Ready access to three International airports, three
ports, and the Stennis Space Center makes it a
premier site for new high-tech company locations or
expansions.
North on 603 you will find the
Southern Promiseland, a 52-acre farm open to
the public. Children of all ages experience a rarity
for the South each fall during September and
October. This working farm challenges visitors
to master the 10-acre corn maze. Using a
global positioning system, a nearly three mile long
design has been cut through beautiful green corn
stalks, offering visitors a truly memorable
experience. A 2.5 acre pumpkin patch, hay
rides and more will keep the children entertained
for hours.
In response to the needs of a
growing community, satellite offices of the Hancock
County Sheriff’s Office and the Tax
Collector/Assessors Office, volunteer fire
departments and a Coast Electric Power Association
Service Center have been established around the
county.
The world has found out about a
sleepy little community known as “the Kiln,” now
known as the birthplace of football great Brett
Favre, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. One
thing is certain, for rural living in a growing
community, the Kiln is the place to be.
Diamondhead – A Planned Resort Community
Location, elevation and size
make Diamondhead a special place on Mississippi’s
West Coast. A planned resort community with a
population of close to 9,000, it is the fastest
growing community in south Mississippi.
Conveniently located off Interstate 10 with a full
interchange at Mississippi Exit # 16, an estimated
50,000 cars pass through this exchange daily on the
main East – West Interstate.
Diamondhead boasts 6,400 acres
of heavily wooded, rolling land that rises from sea
level at the Bay of St. Louis to over 100 feet above
sea level in several locations. It is one of the
highest points of land adjacent to salt water from
Texas throughout the Gulf Coast and all the way to
Florida.
More families with children are
making Diamondhead their home, which is changing the
demographics and lowering the average age of the
residents. Restrictive covenants protect the
community’s integrity. With Stennis Space Center
close by, the backgrounds of its residents are
diverse.
Annually, Diamondhead is an
attraction for Midwesterners with second homes and
thousands of other visitors attracted by the great
golf and tennis facilities and laid back lifestyle.
The community offers two 18-hole championship golf
courses, three pools, resort condo’s, two hotels and
Tennis World’s 12 championship clay courts. The
latest community feature is the new stunning $3
million Club House, a fabulous addition to the
first-class convention and banquet capabilities, all
available to the public. Each September on the
third weekend, the beautiful grounds of the Country
Club are the site for the Annual Arts & Crafts Show,
one of the largest in the region.
The Yacht Club located on the
South side of the community is suited to boaters and
non-boaters alike. A restaurant and lounge
overlooking the Bay of St. Louis provide a
spectacular panorama and fine dining, and are open
to the public. The Diamondhead Marina has
facilities available for mooring boats up to 55 feet
in length. The Ship’s Store offers full service and
fuel dock, and serves as a meeting place for boaters
and fishermen.
Diamondhead Tennis World is one
of the most active tennis facilities in the area.
Ten Rubico lighted courts, team play, a pro shop and
lessons make Tennis World a complete tennis
complex. It also hosts the Annual Women’s 60’s,
70’s, 80’s & 90’s National Clay Court Championships
each spring.
The Diamondhead Community
Center is the hub for community activities. The
Garden Club, Square Dance Club, Bridge Club plus
other groups and organizations use the center on a
weekly basis. The community has four large swimming
pools strategically located throughout Diamondhead
for the use of the property owners. The East Rec
pool area also has soccer and baseball fields and a
children’s playground. There are churches located
across from the Community Center, and a continuing
education facility at the former 19th
Hole, offering courses ranging from computer
training, artwork, and foreign language to yoga and
Ti-Chi.
Diamondhead celebrates Mardi
Gras each year with parades from the three social
Krewes. The Krewe of Diamondhead, the Boaters and
the Krewe of Selene. Crowds of several thousand
attend each year for the fun and festivity.
The Diamondhead Airport offers
a 3,500 foot lighted runway for private planes and a
full service fixed base operator for pilot needs.
Sightseeing tours are scheduled at the airport that
include flights over Diamondhead and the Bay of St.
Louis.
Diamondhead has one of the
lowest crime rates in the State, and the Fire
District, with state of the art equipment, is rated
one of the best in Mississippi—bringing lower
insurance premiums to homeowners.
Diamondhead is a private
community. All of the facilities and amenities
within the community are owned by, and are for the
use of, the property owners and their guests. The
property owners elect officers and a board of
directors that are non-paid to oversee the
operations of the community. A general manager is
responsible for the day-to-day operations and
reports to the board. Property owners pay a monthly
fee to defer the cost of operation of the
Diamondhead Country Club and Property Owners
Association. The dues entitle the owners to reduced
fees at the clubs and recreational facilities.
Homeowners, condo and townhouse owners pay nominal
fees to offset costs of the fire department and
garbage collection.
In short, Diamondhead is resort
living and year-round vacationing at its best.
Who to contact when you are ready to CONNECT
Whether you are visiting or
considering Hancock County as your new home, the
Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, Hancock County
Tourism Development Bureau, and the Hancock County
Port & Harbor Commission are great resources to help
you get to know this unique coastal area. The
Chamber is your connection to close to 800 business,
community and governmental leaders representing
thousands of employees, and more than 100 social,
civic and non-profit organizations in Hancock
County. So, when you are ready to connect, contact
the Chamber for a complete listing of organizations
and quality of life resources at 228-467-9048. And
check out the following websites for more
information and links to other sites:
Hancock Chamber:
www.hancockchamber.orgg
Hancock County Tourism
Development Commission:
www.hancockcountyms.org
Hancock County Port & Harbor
Commission:
www.portandharbor.com
Mississippi’s West Coast Beach is the best kept
secret in the State
BEACH…just the word does
something really nice to your pulse rate…it soothes,
calms and creates a peaceful presence. That is why
living on the beach or close to one, is a pure
necessity for many who call Hancock County home.
Residents claim some nine
miles of sugar-white, man-made beaches
including a new stretch near Bayou Caddy,
established for shorefront protection that will also
complement future developments.
“I have visited every coastline
in the United States and had the rare and wonderful
opportunity to live for several years in a community
that is known for its beautiful beaches…Hawaii. I
have found every beach to be unique. However, there
is something really special to be said for our
beach,” says Colleen Read, owner of Da Beach House
in Bay St. Louis.
“The sand is white and clean,”
said Read. The beach itself, she says, is long and
deep, out of the way with a nice, new walking and
bike path. Land lovers can enjoy a biking excursion
along the beach bike path or peddle round town
exploring life the Bay way.
For residents of Hancock County
enjoyment and protection of the environment go
hand-in-hand. Walkers, joggers, bicyclists and
babies in strollers take advantage of
the 2.6 mile
beachfront path beginning at the Washington Avenue
Pier in Bay St. Louis and ending at the Garfield
Ladner Municipal Fishing Pier in Waveland.
“The beachfront path has made a
huge difference in the lives of people in Hancock
County,” said elected official Lisa Cowand. “People
are walking, jogging, biking, and families are
talking and playing. Everyone appreciates that
everyday, the view from this public pedestrian and
bike path is different from the day before.”
The water is shallow and
warm--the perfect playground for all who enjoy the
art of sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, swimming,
boating, fishing, building a sandcastle, flying a
kite, or making pictures out of clouds. Water
enthusiasts can take an eco-tour by kayak and
discover wonder filled waterways and paddle the
rivers, the bayous or the bay. Guided and solo
sailing adventures are also available in the Gulf of
Mexico everyday.
Dolphins appear almost every
morning in the Gulf as a part of nature’s play. And
the birds are plentiful, flying in rhythm over the
sandbars everyday, which is why the area is one of
the hot spots on the new Mississippi Coastal Birding
Trail map, available through any Mississippi Welcome
Center.
Bayou tours can take you
through marshes, rivers and bays and chartered boats
can take you to the Mississippi Sound and Louisiana
marshes to pursue the bountiful speckled trout,
redfish, flounder and more.
There is much to do.
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