Bay St. Louis is a city in and the county seat of

Hancock County Hancock County is the name of ten counties in the United States. All are named for John Hancock who was a leader in the American Revolution. The counties are: * Hancock County, Georgia * Hancock County, Illinois * Hancock County, Indiana * Hancock ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Mis ...

, in the United States. Located on the Gulf Coast on the west side of the Bay of St. Louis, it is part of the Gulfport–

Biloxi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in and one of two county seats of Harrison County, Mississippi, United States (the other being the adjacent city of Gulfport). The 2010 United States Census recorded the population as 44,054 and in 2019 the estimated pop ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

. As of 2010, Bay St. Louis’ population was 9,260.

History

The first European settlers in this area were French colonists, whose culture still influences the small city and who imported slaves from Africa. A

Louisiana Creole Louisiana Creole ( lou, Kréyòl Lalwizyàn, links=no) is a French-based creole language spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, mostly in the state of Louisiana. It is spoken today by people who may racially identify as White, Black, mixed, and ...

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. The 1966 movie '' This Property is Condemned'' starring

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood ( Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles. Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring r ...

and

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award from four nominations, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Ceci ...

was filmed in Bay St. Louis, which was called "Dodson" in the movie, with some additional shooting in Biloxi, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Geography

Bay St. Louis is located in southeastern Hancock County at 30°18'53" North, 89°20'39" West (30.314696, −89.344096). It is situated on the west side of the Bay of St. Louis which empties into the

Mississippi Sound The Mississippi Sound is a sound along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It runs east-west along the southern coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, from Waveland, Mississippi, to the Dauphin Island Bridge, a distance of about . The sound is s ...

, adjacent to

Pass Christian Pass Christian (), nicknamed The Pass, is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,307 at the 2019 census. History Pre-European history ...

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 United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 44,82%, are water.

Major highways

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally ...

passes through the northern extension of the city, northwest of downtown, with access from Exit 13 (Highway 603). I-10 leads east to

and southwest to

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

U.S. Highway 90 U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-lived ...

passes just north of downtown Bay St. Louis, leading east across the

St. Louis Bay Bridge The St. Louis Bay Bridge is a bridge in the U.S. state of Mississippi which carries U.S. Route 90 over Bay of Saint Louis between Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian, Mississippi, Pass Christian. The original bridge was ...

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.

Adjacent cities and towns

* Diamondhead (north) *

(east) * Waveland (west)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,284 people, 5,995 households, and 3,562 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 8,209 people, 3,271 households, and 2,064 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 1,342.1 people per square mile (517.9/km). There were 3,817 housing units at an average density of 624.1 per square mile (240.8/km). The racial makeup of the city was 80.23%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 16.59%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.40% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 0.19% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 1.68% of the population was

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 3,271 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the population was 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,106, and the median income for a family was $41,957. Males had a median income of $32,261 versus $21,308 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $18,483. 13.2% of the population and 10.0% of families were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

. Out of the total population, 17.2% of those under the age of 18 and 11.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

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 The Hancock County School District is a public school district based in the community of Kiln, Mississippi ( USA). In addition to Kiln, the district also serves the communities of Diamondhead, Pearlington, sections of Waveland and Bay St. Lou ...

. It is the home of Bay High School. In addition to Bay High, there are private Catholic schools:

Saint Stanislaus College St. Stanislaus College (SSC) is a Catholic day and boarding school for boys in grades 7–12. It has been owned and operated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart order since 1854. It is located about an hour's drive outside New Orleans in Bay Sa ...

, a residency and day school for boys grades 7–12; and

Our Lady Academy Our Lady Academy (OLA) is a private, Roman Catholic, all-girls high school in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Bay St. Louis is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Mississippi, in the United States. Located on the Gulf Coast on the w ...

, 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.

Hurricanes

On August 17, 1969,

Hurricane Camille Hurricane Camille was the second most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the United States, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. The most intense storm of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season, Camille originated as a tropical depression ...

made landfall at the tip of

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

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 The Pearl River, also known by its Chinese name Zhujiang or Zhu Jiang in Mandarin pinyin or Chu Kiang and formerly often known as the , is an extensive river system in southern China. The name "Pearl River" is also often used as a catch-all ...

, causing a

storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...

. Hurricane Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 9:15AM, +2.3 feet more, causing a storm tide more than high. USGS topographic maps show a common 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

libraries, including severe roof and water damage to the Bay St. Louis Public Library. The library reopened to the public on October 12, 2005. The Bay St. Louis Bridge on

US Highway 90 U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-liv ...

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 The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Bay St. Louis has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Notable people

* Stephen E. Ambrose, historian and author *

Richmond Barthé James Richmond Barthé, also known as Richmond Barthé (January 28, 1901 – March 5, 1989) was an African-American sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Barthé is best known for his portrayal of black subjects. The focus of his arti ...

, sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance *

J. P. Compretta Joseph Patrick "J.P." Compretta (born March 17, 1945) is a Mississippi lawyer and Democratic politician. He is a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, representing the 122nd house district (part of Hancock County). Compr ...

, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives * Leo Fabian Fahey,

coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "c ...

of the Diocese of Baker City,

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idah ...

from 1948 until 1950 *

Shannon Garrett Shannon Garrett (born January 24, 1972) is a former professional Canadian football defensive back and linebacker who played fourteen seasons in the Canadian Football League. Early years Garrett was born January 24, 1972, in Bay St. Louis, Missi ...

, former professional

Canadian football Canadian football () is a sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's scoring area ( ...

player *

Walter J. Gex III Walter J. Gex III (March 29, 1939 – November 12, 2020) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Education and career Born in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, Gex received ...

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...

of the

United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi The United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi (in case citations, S.D. Miss.) is a federal court in the Fifth Circuit with facilities in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Natchez, and Jackson. Appeals from cases brought in ...

Jacob Lindgren Jacob Stephen Lindgren (born March 12, 1993) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees in 2015. He played college baseball for Mississippi State University. Amateur car ...

, MLB player * Philip Moran, member of the

Mississippi State Senate The Mississippi Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol ...

* Alice Moseley, folk artist * Leo Norris, former

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...

for the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...

* Carlile Pollock Patterson, fourth superintendent of the

United States Coast Survey United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

Albert J. Raboteau Albert Jordy "Al" Raboteau II (September 4, 1943 – September 18, 2021) was an American scholar of African and African-American religions. Since 1982, he had been affiliated with Princeton University, where he was Henry W. Putnam Professor of R ...

, is an African-American scholar of African and African-American religions *

Lawrence E. Roberts Lawrence Edward Roberts Sr. (December 9, 1922 – October 12, 2004) was a pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen and a colonel in the United States Air Force, with 32 years of total military service. He is the father of newscaster Robin René Roberts an ...

, pilot with the

Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army ...

and colonel in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...

* John Scafide, former

offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numb ...

for the

Boston Redskins The Washington Commanders, an American football team belonging to the National Football League (NFL), have also played as the Boston Braves, Boston Redskins, Washington Redskins, and Washington Football Team. Founded in 1932, the team has won five ...

and mayor of Bay St. Louis from 1953 to 1969 *

Caroline Snedeker Caroline Dale Snedeker née Parke (March 3, 1871 – January 22, 1956) was an American writer, primarily of children's historical novels. Two of her books, '' Downright Dencey'' and '' The Forgotten Daughter'', were runners-up for the Newbery M ...

, children's author * Gene Taylor, member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

from 1989 to 2011 * Tank Williams, former NFL player

References

External links

* {{authority control Cities in Mississippi Cities in Hancock County, Mississippi County seats in Mississippi Gulfport–Biloxi metropolitan area Populated coastal places in Mississippi French-American culture in Mississippi