Moss Point, Mississippi Explained

Official Name:Moss Point, Mississippi
Settlement Type:City
Image Blank Emblem:Logo of Moss Point, Mississippi.png
Blank Emblem Type:Logo
Mapsize:250px
Coordinates:30.4117°N -88.5344°W
Pushpin Map:USA
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the United States
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Name1:Mississippi
Subdivision Name2:Jackson
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Billy Knight, Sr.
Established Title:Founded
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:1901 (as a city)
Area Total Km2:68.80
Area Land Km2:62.45
Area Water Km2:6.35
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:12147
Population Density Km2:194.50
Timezone:CST
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Area Total Sq Mi:26.57
Area Land Sq Mi:24.11
Area Water Sq Mi:2.45
Elevation M:5
Elevation Ft:16
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Postal Code:39562, 39563, 39581
Area Code:228
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:28-49240
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:0673878
Population Density Sq Mi:503.75
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]

Moss Point is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,147 in 2020, a decline from the figure of 13,704 in 2010. The Moss Point Historic District and several individual buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places' Jackson County listings.

History

On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong east side of Hurricane Katrina, and much of the city was flooded or destroyed (see details below). Moss Point is home to Trent Lott International Airport and the Mississippi Export Railroad.

An EF2 tornado touched down in Moss Point on June 19, 2023 [2] The tornado covered six miles of the city and damaged or destroyed over 300 homes and businesses.[3] [4]

Geography

Moss Point is in southeastern Jackson County, on the east side of the Pascagoula River. It is bordered to the south by the city of Pascagoula, the county seat, and to the north by unincorporated Escatawpa. The Escatawpa River flows east–west through the city into the Pascagoula River.

U.S. Route 90 forms the southeastern boundary of Moss Point, leading southwestward into Pascagoula and northeastward to Interstate 10, which runs through the northern part of the Moss Point city limits. I-10 leads west to the Biloxi area and northeast to Mobile, Alabama. Mississippi Highways 63 and 613 (Main Street) are north–south roads through Moss Point. Highway 63 leads south to US-90 and north to Lucedale, while Highway 613 leads south 4miles to the center of Pascagoula and north 5miles to Escatawpa.

Moss Point has a total area of 68.8km2, of which 62.6km2 are land and 6.3km2, or 9.11%, are water.[5]

Demographics

Moss Point racial composition as of 2020[6] !Race!Num.!Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)2,61721.54%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)8,65571.25%
Native American230.19%
Asian400.33%
Pacific Islander10.01%
Other/Mixed3612.97%
Hispanic or Latino4503.7%
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,147 people, 5,102 households, and 3,263 families residing in the city.

Education

The city is served by the Moss Point School District.

Hurricane Katrina

On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong eastern side of Hurricane Katrina, when it passed east of central New Orleans with minimal gale-force winds. However, on the east side of Hurricane Katrina, much of Moss Point was flooded or destroyed in one day, by the strong hurricane-force winds which lasted several hours and a storm surge exceeding in some sections.[7]

Sister city

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Burlington, Vermont became the sister city of Moss Point and provided much-needed aid to the city.[8]

Notable people

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. July 24, 2022.
  2. https://www.wxxv25.com/tornado-touches-down-in-moss-point/ Tornado touches down in Moss Point
  3. https://www.wxxv25.com/city-of-moss-point-provides-update-on-tornado/ City of Moss Point provides update on tornado
  4. https://www.wxxv25.com/moss-point-community-prepares-to-rebuild-after-tornado/ Moss Point community prepares to rebuild after tornado
  5. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Moss Point city, Mississippi . dead . https://archive.today/20200213103458/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US2849240 . February 13, 2020 . August 3, 2018 . American Factfinder . U.S. Census Bureau.
  6. Web site: Explore Census Data. 2021-12-16. data.census.gov.
  7. Gary Tuchman, Transcript of "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" (2006-08-29) 19:00 ET, CNN, CNN-ACooper082906 GARY TUCHMAN, CNN Correspondent: Responds to Anderson Cooper that it felt like it would never end, saying winds were at least 100 miles per hour in Gulfport for seven hours, between about 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. For another five or six hours, on each side of that, they had hurricane-force winds over 75 miles per hour; much of the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, in Harrison County of 71,000 was then under water.
  8. Web site: Moss Point receives aid from Burlington, VT; become sister cities. https://web.archive.org/web/20080607144020/http://www.ci.burlington.vt.us/sistercities/moss_point_relief_timeline.php. dead. 7 June 2008. 2 May 2023.
  9. Web site: Moss Point alumni honor classmate who now runs Coca-Cola at reunion. Cherie. Ward. 1 August 2010. Gulflive.com. 2 May 2023.