Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Explained

Official Name:	Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Settlement Type:	City
Image Blank Emblem:	Logo of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.png
Blank Emblem Type:	Logo
Mapsize:	250x200px
Pushpin Map:	USA
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location in the United States
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	United States
Subdivision Type1:	State
Subdivision Name1:	Mississippi
Subdivision Type2:	County
Subdivision Name2:	Hancock
Leader Title:	Mayor
Leader Name:	Mike Favre
Unit Pref:	Imperial
Area Footnotes:	^[1]
Area Total Km2:	68.95
Area Land Km2:	38.05
Area Water Km2:	30.90
Area Total Sq Mi:	26.62
Area Land Sq Mi:	14.69
Area Water Sq Mi:	11.93
Population As Of:	2020
Population Total:	9284
Population Density Km2:	243.99
Timezone:	Central (CST)
Utc Offset:	-6
Timezone Dst:	CDT
Utc Offset Dst:	-5
Elevation M:	7
Elevation Ft:	23
Coordinates:	30.3147°N -89.3442°W
Postal Code Type:	ZIP Code
Postal Code:	39520, 39521, 39522
Area Code:	228
Blank Name:	FIPS code
Blank Info:	28-03980
Blank1 Name:	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:	0666588
Population Density Sq Mi:	631.91

Bay St. Louis is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Mississippi, in the United States.^[2] Located on the Gulf Coast on the west side of the Bay of St. Louis, it is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,284 at the 2020 census, up from 9,260 at the 2010 census.

History

The first European settlers in this area were French colonists, whose culture still influences the small city and who imported enslaved people from Africa. A Louisiana Creole population developed, featuring people of color as well as white colonists of largely French descent.

The county was organized by European Americans, who named it after John Hancock, who was a Founding Father of the United States. While more Protestant Americans migrated into this area after Indian Removal in the 1830s, there are still many Catholic families, some dating to both African and French ancestors of the colonial era. Roman Catholic schools still draw area students.

Geography

Bay St. Louis is located in southeastern Hancock County. It is situated on the west side of the Bay of St. Louis which empties into the Mississippi Sound, adjacent to Pass Christian to the east. The city is bordered to the north by the Jourdan River, the primary inlet of the bay and Diamondhead. The eastern border of the city is the Harrison County line in the middle of the bay.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 69km2, of which 38.1sqkm are land and 30.9sqkm, or 44,82%, are water.^[3]

Hurricanes

On August 17, 1969, Hurricane Camille made landfall at the tip of Louisiana before continuing to Bay St. Louis.

On August 29, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. CDT, Hurricane Katrina made its final landfall just west of Bay St. Louis, at the mouth of the Pearl River, causing a 28feet storm surge. Hurricane Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 9:15AM, +2.3 feet more,^[4] causing a storm tide more than 30feet high.

USGS topographic maps show a common 25feet elevation contour line running throughout a ridge along the former routing of Highway 90 (Old Spanish Trail) on the western edge of the city. As higher ground, this area was spared inundation from the storm surge of Hurricane Katrina.

Katrina damaged more than 40 Mississippi libraries, including severe roof and water damage to the Bay St. Louis Public Library. The library reopened to the public on October 12, 2005.^[5]

The Bay St. Louis Bridge on US Highway 90 was severely damaged, with many bridge sections down-dropped at the west edges. The destroyed bridge was replaced by a new Bay St. Louis Bridge, which received America's Transportation Award. It includes a pedestrian bridge with an art walk featuring the works of local artists.

The underground utility infrastructure in Bay St. Louis received a federally funded total overhaul and replacement.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bay St. Louis has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.^[6]

Adjacent cities and towns

• Diamondhead (north)
• Gulfport (east)
• Pass Christian (east)
• Waveland (west)

Demographics

Bay St. Louis racial composition as of 2020^[7] !Race!Num.!Perc.

White (non-Hispanic)	6,996	75.36%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,357	14.62%
Native American	37	0.4%
Asian	93	1.0%
Pacific Islander	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed	404	4.35%
Hispanic or Latino	396	4.27%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,284 people, 5,447 households, and 4,273 families residing in the city.^[8]

Education

Almost all of the city of Bay St. Louis is served by the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District. Small portions of land are within the Hancock County School District.^[9]

It is the home of Bay High School. In addition to Bay High, there are private Catholic schools: Saint Stanislaus College, a residency and day school for boys grades 7–12; and Our Lady Academy, a day school for girls grades 7–12. The latter two share some classrooms as well as a Roman Catholic curriculum.

All of Hancock County is in the service area of Pearl River Community College.^[10]

Media

The 1966 movie This Property is Condemned starring Natalie Wood and Robert Redford was filmed in Bay St. Louis, which was called "Dodson" in the movie, with some additional shooting in Biloxi, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Infrastructure

Major highways

• Interstate 10 passes through the northern extension of the city, 10miles northwest of downtown, with access from Exit 13 (Highway 603). I-10 leads east to Biloxi and southwest to New Orleans.
• U.S. Highway 90 passes just north of downtown Bay St. Louis, leading east across the St. Louis Bay Bridge to Pass Christian. Via US 90 it is east to Gulfport and southwest to New Orleans.
• Mississippi Highway 603 runs along the western edge of the Bay St. Louis city limits, connecting US 90 and Interstate 10.

Notable people

• Stephen E. Ambrose, historian and author^[11]
• Richmond Barthé, sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance^[12]
• J. P. Compretta, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives^[13]
• Leo Fabian Fahey, coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Baker City, Oregon from 1948 until 1950^[14]
• Shannon Garrett, former professional Canadian football player^[15]
• Walter J. Gex III, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi^[16]
• Jacob Lindgren, MLB player
• Philip Moran, member of the Mississippi State Senate^[17]
• Alice Moseley, folk artist
• Leo Norris, former infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies^[18]
• Carlile Pollock Patterson, fourth superintendent of the United States Coast Survey (renamed the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey during his tenure)^[19]
• Albert J. Raboteau, is an African-American scholar of African and African-American religions
• Lawrence E. Roberts, pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen and colonel in the United States Air Force^[20]
• John Scafide, former offensive lineman for the Boston Redskins and mayor of Bay St. Louis from 1953 to 1969^[21]
• Caroline Snedeker, children's author^[22]
• Gene Taylor, member of the United States House of Representatives from 1989 to 2011^[23]
• Tank Williams, former NFL player^[24]

See also

• List of cities in Mississippi

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. July 24, 2022.
2. Web site: Find a County. 2011-06-07 . National Association of Counties. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120712220218/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx . 2012-07-12.
3. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Bay St. Louis city, Mississippi. American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. August 14, 2017. https://archive.today/20200213100810/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US2803980. February 13, 2020. dead.
4. "2005 NOAA Tide Predictions: St. Louis Bay entrance" (2005), tide on 29-Aug-2005, NOAA, web: NOAA-tide-tables.
5. "Hurricane Katrina Related Damages to Public Libraries in Mississippi" (September 2005), Mississippi Library Commission, (ALA-Katrina) .
6. Web site: Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase). Weatherbase. 2 May 2017.
7. Web site: Explore Census Data. 2021-12-16. data.census.gov.
8. Web site: Bay St. Louis city, Mississippi . 2023-04-19 . United States Census Bureau.
9. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hancock County, MS. https://web.archive.org/web/20220414180042/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28045_hancock/DC20SD_C28045.pdf . 2022-04-14 . live. U.S. Census Bureau. 2022-04-14.
10. Web site: 2014-2016 Catalog. https://web.archive.org/web/20150807053926/http://prcc.edu/files/catalogs/Catalog%202014-2016%20-%20Spring.pdf . 2015-08-07 . live. Pearl River Community College. 2022-04-13.
11. Web site: Senate Concurrent Resolution 506 . Mississippi Legislature . 20 February 2021.
12. Book: Henry Louis Gates Jr.. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham. African American Lives. 29 April 2004. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-988286-1. 51.
13. Web site: Joseph Compretta's Biography . Project Vote Smart . 20 February 2021.
14. Book: Charles N. Bransom. Ordinations of U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1790-1989: A Chronological List. 1990. National Conference of Catholic Bishops, U.S. Catholic Conference. 978-1-55586-323-4. 113.
15. Book: National Football League. Workman Publishing. The Official NFL 2000 Record and Fact Book. July 2000. Workman Publishing Company, Incorporated. 978-0-7611-1982-1. 129.
16. Book: The American Bar, the Canadian Bar, the International Bar. 1988. R.B. Forster & Associates. 978-0-931398-17-9. 1959.
17. Web site: Philip Moran-Biography . Project Vote Smart . 20 February 2021.
18. Book: Rex D. Hamann. The Millers and the Saints: Baseball Championships of the Twin Cities Rivals, 1903-1955. 21 October 2014. McFarland. 978-1-4766-1599-8. 144.
19. Book: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 1882. American Philosophical Society.. 522.
20. Web site: Lawrence Edward Roberts Sr. . CAF Rise Above . 20 February 2021.
21. Book: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. Subcommittee on National Parks and Insular Affairs. To Establish a Barrier Islands Protection System: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on National Parks and Insular Affairs of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, Second Session, on H. R. 5981 ... Hearings Held in Washington, D. C., March 24 and 27, 1980. 1980. U.S. Government Printing Office. 341.
22. Book: The Horn Book Magazine. 1956. Horn Book, Incorporated. 85.
23. Book: Nancy Capace. Encyclopedia of Mississippi. 1 January 2001. Somerset Publishers, Inc.. 978-0-403-09603-9. 416.
24. Book: Stanford University. Annual Commencement: Order of Exercises. 2002. 74.