Gulfport ( ) is a city in

Harrison County, Mississippi Harrison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, Harrison County is the second-most populous county in Mississippi with a population of 208,621; although the most recent population estimate from 202 ...

, United States, and its co-

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

. It had a population of 72,926 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in Mississippi, after

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

. The

Gulfport–Biloxi metropolitan area The Gulfport–Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region that includes four counties – Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Stone. The principal cities are Gulfport and Bi ...

had a population of 416,259. Gulfport lies along the

Gulf Coast of the United States The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South or the South Coast, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states th ...

in southern Mississippi, taking its name from its port on the Gulf Coast on 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 the mouth of the Pearl River at the Mississippi-Louisiana state border to the Dauphin Islan ...

. Gulfport emerged from two earlier settlements, Mississippi City and Handsboro. Founded in 1887 by William H. Hardy as a terminus for the

Gulf and Ship Island Railroad The Gulf and Ship Island Railroad (G&SI) was constructed in the state of Mississippi, USA, at the turn of the 20th century to open a vast expanse of southern yellow pine forests for commercial harvest. In spite of economic uncertainty, entrepren ...

, the city was further developed by

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

oil tycoon Joseph T. Jones, who funded the railroad, harbor, and channel dredging. The city was officially incorporated in 1898. By the early 20th century, Gulfport had become the largest lumber export city in the United States, though this faded with the depletion of Mississippi's Piney Woods. The city transitioned into tourism through its white beaches, grand hotels, and significant

casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...

gaming operations. The largest sectors of Gulfport's economy include military operations, tourism, healthcare, and maritime commerce. The city is home to the Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, and

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) is a Public college, public community college with its main campus in Perkinston, Mississippi. It was founded as Harrison County Agricultural High School in 1912. MGCCC has three campuses and sev ...

. The Port of Gulfport serves as one of the busiest ports in the Gulf of Mexico, while Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport provides commercial air service to the region. Despite significant impacts from Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the city has consistently rebuilt and expanded its infrastructure and facilities.

History

Two villages predated the founding of Gulfport: Mississippi City, located along the gulf, and Handsboro, founded in the 1800s along the northern bayous. Mississippi City was born out of the Mississippi City Company that was formed in 1837 to build a town to serve as the terminus for the

. The purpose of the railroad was to transfer

yellow pine In ecology and forestry, yellow pine refers to a number of conifer species that tend to grow in similar plant communities and yield similar strong wood. In the Western United States, yellow pine refers to Jeffrey pine or ponderosa pine. In the S ...

for ship-based trade. While a depression led to the abandonment of the railroad, the town was nevertheless built and later made the county seat upon the creation of Harrison County in 1841. The Gulf and Ship Island Railroad company was later reorganized and selected William H. Hardy as its president. Desiring to connect the railroad from the town of

Hattiesburg Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County (where it is the county seat and most populous city) and extending west into Lamar County. The city population was 48,730 in 2020, making it the 5th m ...

, which he founded, to the coast, he steered away from Mississippi City because of its lack of proximity to deep water. He selected the site of Gulfport in 1887, and the town was founded that year. Because of the cost of the project, Hardy went bankrupt in 1893, and the town became a

ghost town A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...

. However,

oil tycoon Joseph T. Jones purchased the company. Jones funded not only the railroad, but much of the city, the harbor, and the dredging of the channel. In 1888, the city was given its name from the

Jackson Clarion-Ledger ''The Clarion Ledger'' is an American daily newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi. It is the second-oldest company in the state of Mississippi, and is one of the few newspapers in the nation that continues to circulate statewide. It is an operating ...

editor,

R. H. Henry R. or r. may refer to: * ''Reign'', the period of time during which an Emperor, king, queen, etc., is ruler * '' Rex'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning King * ''Regina'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning Queen * or , abbreviate ...

after a conversation between him and Hardy. On July 28, 1898, the city was incorporated. In 1902, Harrison County voted to move the county seat to Gulfport.In 1900, the railroad was completed, and in 1902 the Port of Gulfport was completed. On April 28, 1904, the Treasury Department changed the

port of entry In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border control, border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not impo ...

for the district of the Pearl River from Shieldsboro to Gulfport. At the time, the Gulfport port had greater ease of access than comparable ports like Mobile or New Orleans. The port soon made Gulfport the largest lumber export city in the United States, shipping over 293 million feet of lumber in 1906; however, the depletion of the yellow pine ended this status in the early 20th century. At the turn of the century, Gulfport began to experience notable growth: by 1900, the population hit 1,000, and by 1910, over 6,000. As a result, the fire department and sanitation services were established, and by 1903, the county courthouse was built. The

Louisville and Nashville The Louisville and Nashville Railroad , commonly called the L&N, was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1850, the road grew into one of t ...

railroad line also began serving the city around this time at

Gulfport Station Gulfport station is a closed Amtrak intercity train station in Gulfport, Mississippi, United States. Gulfport is a former union station that served the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and Gulf and Ship Island Railroad (which was succeeded by ...

(then the Union Depot). In 1910, the U.S. Post Office and Customhouse was built, and in March 1916, the construction of a Carnegie Library was announced by the mayor. Other impressive developments include the building of the Great Southern Hotel, the construction of an electric plant (later managed by

Mississippi Power Mississippi Power, preciously known as Mississippi Power Company (MPC), is an electric utility company. Its headquarters are in Gulfport, Mississippi, and it is a subsidiary of Atlanta-based, Southern Company. Mississippi Power has more than 1,0 ...

), and a

streetcar A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some include s ...

line. In 1917, the city was set to hold the Mississippi Centennial Exposition, but upon the U.S. entering

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the plans were abandoned. The building complex created for the exposition was transferred to the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

as a training center. The lands were eventually transitioned into a

Veterans Administration Hospital Veterans' health care in the United States is separated geographically into 19 regions (numbered 1, 2, 4–10, 12 and 15–23)In January 2002, the Veterans Health Administration announced the merger of VISNs 13 and 14 to create a new, combined n ...

, which operated until 2005. The 1920s saw a construction boom with buildings like the Hotel Markham and the Bank of Gulfport being completed. By the 1930s, the population had increased to over 12,000, with growth continuing into the 1940s. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, two military bases were built in Gulfport. Camp Hollyday, established in 1942, would later become the home base for the Naval Construction Battalion Center. Also in 1942, the

U.S. Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

constructed a training base for heavy bomber crews known as

Gulfport Army Airfield Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center is a United States Air Force training center, located at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, Mississippi. It is located north-northeast of Gulfport, Mississippi. Overview The Air National Guard Co ...

. After the war, the base was declared excess, and the city purchased most of the facilities for a new Gulfport Municipal Airport (the first airport was dedicated in 1930). In 1954, the

U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its origins to 1 ...

resumed use of the facilities they still owned as Gulfport Air Force Base to train

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...

units. This lasted until 1958, when the facilities were transferred to the

Mississippi Air National Guard The Mississippi Air National Guard (MS ANG), commonly known as the Mississippi Air Guard, is the aerial militia of the State of Mississippi, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Mississippi Ar ...

as the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center. President Ford during a campaign stop - NARA - 7027915

By 1950, the population had grown to around 22,000 and by 1960, 30,000. Around the time of the Biloxi wade-ins, Gulfport had its own protest wade-in in 1960. In 1965, the city annexed the original Mississippi City and Handsboro area. On August 17, 1969, Gulfport and the Mississippi Gulf Coast were hit by

Hurricane Camille Hurricane Camille was a powerful, deadly and destructive tropical cyclone which became the second most intense on record to strike the United States (behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane) and is one of the four Category 5 hurricanes to make ...

, the second-strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. in recorded history. The most heavily damaged part of Gulfport was the waterfront areas: storm waters in Gulfport reached 21 feet, and the port of Gulfport was nearly completely destroyed. Otherwise, the downtown and inland areas received small amounts of structural damage. In 1976, the

Armed Forces Retirement Home The Armed Forces Retirement Home refers to one of two Old Soldiers' retirement homes, one in Gulfport, Mississippi, the other in Washington, D.C., that house veterans and retired members of the United States Armed Forces. Current status In ...

relocated from Philadelphia to Gulfport on the land of the former

Gulf Coast Military Academy The Gulf Coast Military Academy (GCMA) was a military school in Mississippi. It was founded in 1912 by Colonel James Chappel Hardy in Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport, Gulfport, Mississippi, Mississippi. It ceased operation in 1976. After severe d ...

. The facility was destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina but rebuilt as a much larger facility in 2010. A new county courthouse was built in 1977. In 1993, the city opened its first two casinos, and later that year in December, the city annexed north of Gulfport. This annexed land included Turkey Creek, a historic community founded by emancipated slaves before the founding of Gulfport. In 2003, the

Dan M. Russell Jr. United States Courthouse The Dan M. Russell Jr. United States Courthouse is a complex located in Gulfport, Mississippi to serve the Southern District of Mississippi. The courthouse tower was named in honor of United States district judge Dan M. Russell Jr. (b. 1913 � ...

was completed. GulfportHarbor2005

On August 29, 2005, Gulfport was hit by the strong eastern side of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

with wind speeds of at least and storm surge of at least . 9,571 houses were damaged or destroyed, and the town was left with a $3 million deficit. The city received over $300 million in federal aid which it used to repair infrastructure and facilities for essential services. In 2020, on the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Mississippi Aquarium opened, replacing a dolphin-oriented facility destroyed by the hurricane.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city had a total area of , of which is land and (11.40%) is water. The Gulfport Formation in Harrison County is described as barrier ridge composed of white, medium- to fine-grained sand, yellow-orange near surface. Thickness ranges from 5.0 to 9.5 m. It overlies Biloxi Formation. Age is late Pleistocene. Gulfport Formation is limited to a 1- to 3-km-wide discontinuous barrier ridge belt that borders the Gulf mainland shore. It commonly overlies Prairie Formation (alluvium) landward and Biloxi Formation (shelf deposits) near shore. The formation grades upward from poorly to moderately sorted shoreface sands to foreshore sand and dunes. The unit extends from Gulfport, MS, eastward to the mouth of the

Ochlockonee River The Ochlockonee River ( ) is a fast running river, except where it has been dammed to form Lake Talquin in Florida, originating in Georgia and flowing for before terminating in Florida. Background The name is from the Hitchiti language wor ...

Franklin County, Florida Franklin County is a County (United States), county along the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida Panhandle, panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 12,451, making it the third-leas ...

and was deposited during the

Sangamonian The Sangamonian Stage (or Sangamon interglacial) is the term used in North America to designate the Last Interglacial (130,000-115,000 years ago) and depending on definition, part of the early Last Glacial Period, corresponding to Marine Isotope St ...

Neighborhoods

The city listed 39 official neighborhoods in 2000. These neighborhoods are sometimes subdivisions or accumulations of gradual home development. These include: * Lyman * Orange Grove * Biloxi River * Lorraine * The Reserve * Pine Hills * Bayou Bernard Industrial District * Bayou View North * The Island * Fernwood * Handsboro * College Park * Silver Ridge * Great Southern * Mississippi City * Gooden * East Park * Bayou View South * Magnolia Grove * East Beach * Broadmoor * Soria City * CBD * State Port & Jones Park * West Beach * Gaston Point * Fairgrounds * Central Gulfport * 25th Avenue Commercial * Original Gulfport * Mid-City * Brickyard Bayou * North Gulfport Industrial Center * Turkey Creek * North Gulfport * CB Base * Gulfport Heights * Forest Heights * Sports Super Complex

Climate

Gulfport has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, which is strongly moderated by the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...

. Winters are short and generally mild; cold spells do occur, but seldom last long. Snow flurries are rare in the city, with no notable accumulation occurring most years. Summers are generally long, hot and humid, though the city's proximity to the Gulf prevents extreme summer highs, as seen farther inland. Gulfport is subject to extreme weather, most notably

tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its lo ...

activity through the Gulf of Mexico. The all-time record high for the city is , set on August 26, 2023, and the record coldest is on February 12, 1899. Climate records for the city date back to 1893; however, until 1998 records were stitched with neighboring Biloxi.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 72,926 people, 25,559 households, and 15,584 families residing in the city. Gulfport is part of the

, which has a population of 416,259.

Economy

According to Gulfport's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:

Tourism

From its beginnings as a lumber port, Gulfport evolved into a diversified city. With about of white sand beaches along the

, Gulfport has become a tourism destination, due in large part to Mississippi's coast casinos. Gulfport has served as host to popular cultural events such as the "World's Largest Fishing Rodeo," "Cruisin' the Coast" (a week of classic cars), "Black Spring Break" and "Smokin' the Sound" (speedboat races). Gulfport is a thriving residential community with a strong mercantile center. There are historic neighborhoods and home sites, as well as diverse shopping opportunities and several motels scattered throughout to accommodate golfing, gambling, and water-sport tourism. Gulfport is also home to the Island View Casino, one of twelve casinos on the

Mississippi Gulf Coast The Mississippi Gulf Coast, also known as Mississippi Coast, Mississippi Gulf Coast region, Coastal Mississippi, and The Coast, is the area of Mississippi along the Mississippi Sound at the northern extreme of the Gulf of Mexico. Geography At t ...

Arts and culture

Mississippi Aquarium opened August 29, 2020. The complex incorporates both indoor and outdoor habitats with more than 200 species of animals and 50 species of native plants. Fort Massachusetts is a fort on West Ship Island along the coast. It was built following the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

and remained in use until 1903. Currently, it is a historical tourist attraction within the

Gulf Islands National Seashore Gulf Islands National Seashore is an American National seashore that offers recreation opportunities and preserves natural and historic resources along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. In 2023, it was the fifth-mos ...

. Turkey Creek Community Historic District is a settlement established by emancipated

African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...

during the

Reconstruction Era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...

after the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Government

Gulfport uses a strong mayor-council form of government. The city is subdivided into seven wards, where members are elected as part of the Gulfport City Council. The current mayor is

Billy Hewes William Gardner Hewes III (born October 27, 1961) is an American Republican politician. He is the mayor of Gulfport, Mississippi and the former President pro tempore of the Mississippi State Senate. Early life and education Hewes was born ...

who is serving his third term in office. The Gulfport Police Department has 160 sworn personnel and 80 civilian staff. It is assisted by the U.S. Coast Guard, which operates 9 boats out of the port of Gulfport, 4 of which are Patrol Boats. The Gulfport station has 110 members which include Active, Reserve and Coast Guard Auxiliary who respond to an average of 300 search and rescue cases annually. The Gulfport Fire Department was founded in 1908 and currently provides fire suppression, HAZMAT response, and technical rescue services within the city limits of Gulfport, Mississippi . The GFD operates out of 11 active stations and is staffed by professional firefighters. The GFD works in conjunction with American Medical Response for EMS related emergencies.

Education

The City of Gulfport is served by the

Gulfport School District The Gulfport School District is a public school district based in Gulfport, Mississippi (USA). Schools High school *Gulfport High School Middle schools *Bayou View Middle School *Gulfport Central Middle School Elementary schools *Anniston ...

and the

Harrison County School District The Harrison County School District is a public school district based in Gulfport, Mississippi, United States. In addition to serving portions of Gulfport and Biloxi, the district also serves the city of D'Iberville, the communities of Liza ...

. The Harrison County Campus of

is also located in Gulfport. Before Hurricane Katrina,

William Carey University William Carey University (Carey, William Carey, or WCU) is a private Christian university in Mississippi, United States. The institution is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Mississippi Baptist Convention. The main campus ...

had a satellite campus in Gulfport. In 2009, the university moved to its new Tradition Campus, constructed off Mississippi Highway 67 in north Harrison County. The Gulf Park Campus of the

University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bac ...

is located in

Long Beach Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

, just west of Gulfport. In 2012, repairs and renovations to campus buildings were still in progress following extensive damage in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina.

Media

Headquartered in Gulfport, ''

The Sun Herald The ''Sun Herald'' is a U.S. newspaper based in Biloxi, Mississippi, that serves readers along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The paper's current executive editor and general manager is Blake Kaplan, and its headquarters is in the city of Gulfpor ...

'' is the local

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

for Gulfport, Biloxi, and other Gulf Coast cities. The paper won the 2006

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

in journalism for its Katrina coverage. There are six FM radio stations licensed in Gulfport: W209CF 89.7, WA0Y 91.7 (

American Family Radio American Family Radio (AFR), also known as American Family News (AFN), is a network of more than 180 radio stations broadcasting Christian-oriented programming to over 30 states.WGBL WGBL (96.7 FM, "G96-7") is a radio station based in Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi broadcasting a classic hip-hop format and new hip-hop. The station is owned by Telesouth Communications, Inc. and broadcasts their format with an ERP of 4.3&nbs ...

96.7,

WGCM-FM WGCM-FM (102.3 FM, "Coast 102"), is a classic hits formatted radio station based in Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi, United States. The station is owned by Lisa Stiglets and Elizabeth McQueen, through licensee JLE, Incorporated. Signal WGCM-FM ...

102.3, WAIP-LP 103.9, and

WLGF WLGF (107.1 FM) is a radio station located in Gulfport, Mississippi, broadcasting a contemporary Christian format under the national K-Love radio network. WLGF is owned by Educational Media Foundation and its signal covers areas in Gulfport-Bilo ...

107.1 (

K-Love K-Love (stylized as K-LOVE) is an American Christian radio network. Owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF), a non-profit Christian ministry, it primarily broadcasts contemporary Christian music. As of June 2019, the network's progr ...

). There are also three AM radio stations licensed in Gulfport, all with FM translators: WQFX 1130 (W254DJ 98.7), WGCM 1240 (W265DH 100.9), and

WROA WROA (1390 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Gulfport, Mississippi. It is owned by the Lisa Stiglets and Elizabeth McQueen, through licensee JLE, Incorporated, and broadcasts a classic country radio format. Its radio studios and offices ...

1390 (W261CU 100.1). It is also served by two television stations, the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

affiliate

WLOX WLOX (channel 13) is a television station licensed to Biloxi, Mississippi, United States, serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast as an affiliate of ABC and CBS. It is owned by Gray Media alongside low-power MeTV affiliate WTBL-LD (channel 51) ...

and

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

affiliate WLOX-DT2, as well as the

Fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

affiliate

WXXV WXXV-TV (channel 25) is a television station licensed to Gulfport, Mississippi, United States, serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast as an affiliate of Fox, MyNetworkTV, NBC and The CW Plus. The station is owned by Morris Multimedia, and maintains ...

on 25.1,

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

affiliate on 25.2, CW+ affiliate on 25.3, and

Defy TV Defy (also known by its original name Defy TV) is an American digital multicast television network owned by Free TV Networks in partnership with A&E Networks, airing primarily reality shows from the latter company, having launched on July 1, ...

affiliate on 25.4. WLOX won the

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

for its Hurricane Katrina coverage. Movies and TV series filmed in Gulfport include the 2016 film '' Precious Cargo,'' the 2017 TV movie ''Christmas in Mississippi,'' the 2015 TV series ''

The Astronaut Wives Club ''The Astronaut Wives Club'' is an American period drama television series developed by Stephanie Savage for American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It was based on Lily Koppel's 2013 The Astronaut Wives Club (book), book of the same name. The serie ...

,'' and other productions.

Transportation

Gulfport/Biloxi and the Gulf Coast area is served by the

Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport is a joint civil–military public-use airport three nautical miles (6 km) northeast of the central business district of Gulfport, a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It is ...

. The Coast Transit Authority provides bus service to the region with fixed-route and paratransit services. Major roads and highways serve Gulfport.

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the origina ...

runs east–west through the middle section of Gulfport.

U.S. 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. It generally travels near Int ...

, following the coast in this region, runs east–west through the downtown area. U.S. 49 from the north terminates in Gulfport. Until

in 2005,

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

's ''

Sunset Limited The ''Sunset Limited'' is a long-distance passenger train run by Amtrak, operating on a route between New Orleans and Los Angeles. Major stops include Houston, San Antonio and El Paso in Texas, as well as Tucson, Arizona. Opening in 1894 thr ...

'' from Los Angeles to Orlando made stops in

Gulfport station Gulfport station is a closed Amtrak intercity train station in Gulfport, Mississippi, United States. Gulfport is a former union station that served the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and Gulf and Ship Island Railroad (which was succeeded by ...

. Well into the 1960s, the

ran several trains daily, making stops in Gulfport--''

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase (as it appears in the northern hemisphere) in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hindu iconography, Hind ...

,'' '' Gulf Wind,'' '' Humming Bird,'' '' Pan-American'' and ''

Piedmont Limited The ''Piedmont Limited'' was a named passenger train operated by the Southern Railway in the southern United States. For most of its life it was a New York—New Orleans train, operating over the same route as the more famous '' Crescent L ...

''—varied destinations including New Orleans, Cincinnati, Atlanta, New York City and Jacksonville. Amtrak service is expected to return in 2025 with the '' Gulf Coast Limited'' (new name has yet to be determined) and will connect Gulfport to cities along the Gulf Coast through

Notable people

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (born Chris Wayne Jackson; March 9, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for nine years with the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Griz ...

, former

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

point guard for the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...

and

Vancouver Grizzlies The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Vancouver. The Grizzlies competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Midwest Division (NBA), Midwest Division of the Western Conference ( ...

Stacey Abrams Stacey Yvonne Abrams (; born December 9, 1973) is an American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, serving as minority leader from 2011 to 2017. A member ...

, American politician, lawyer, and author * Thomas H. Anderson, Jr.,

Ambassador of the United States Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the president to serve as the United States' diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of th ...

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

Dominica Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...

St. Lucia Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...

Antigua Antigua ( ; ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...

St. Vincent Saint Vincent may refer to: People Saints * Vincent of Saragossa (died 304), a.k.a. Vincent the Deacon, deacon and martyr * Saint Vincenca, 3rd century Roman martyress, whose relics are in Blato, Croatia * Vincent, Orontius, and Victor (died 305 ...

, and St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla from 1984 to 1986, was born in Gulfport * Tommy Armstrong, Jr., quarterback for the

Nebraska Cornhuskers The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding t ...

* Jerome Barkum, former wide receiver and tight end for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...

from 1972 to 1983 in the National Football League * Milton Barney, 1990 AFL Ironman of the Year * William Joel Blass, attorney and educator * Katie Booth (scientist),

biomedical Biomedicine (also referred to as Western medicine, mainstream medicine or conventional medicine)

chemist and

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

activist *

Timmy Bowers Timothy Jermaine Bowers (born January 9, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. He was named the 2006 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP. At 6' 2", he is capable of playing both guard positions. Early life He grew up in ...

, professional basketball player * Rod Davis, professional football player, played for the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 cons ...

, quarterback in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

for the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, born in Gulfport * William H. Hardy, co-founder of the city of Gulfport * Josh Hayes, professional

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

roadracer,

AMA Superbike Championship AMA Superbike Championship is an American motorcycle racing series based in the United States. The series is organized by MotoAmerica and is sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) as well as the Fédération Internationale de ...

title winner * William Gardner Hewes, politician and Mayor of Gulfport * Jonathan Holder, Major League Baseball pitcher *

Boyce Holleman Jesse Boyce Holleman (February 26, 1924 – November 21, 2003) was an American war veteran, attorney, politician, and actor. Boyce Holleman was born in Fruitland Park, MS, to a family that made their living in timber and construction. As ...

, attorney, politician and actor *

Jaimoe John Lee Johnson (born July 8, 1944), frequently known by the stage names Jai Johanny Johanson and Jaimoe, is an American drummer and percussionist. He is best known as one of the founding members of the Allman Brothers Band and, with the death ...

, original member and drummer of the Allman Brothers Band, grew up in Gulfport * Joseph T. Jones, co-founder of the city of Gulfport * Matt Lawton, former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player best known for his stint with the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...

* Matt Luke, former head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels football team of the

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (Epithet, byname Ole Miss) is a Public university, public research university in University, near Oxford, Mississippi, United States, with a University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical center in Jackson, Miss ...

. * Stanford Morse (1926-2002), member of the

Mississippi State Senate The Mississippi State Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the Lower house, lower Mississippi House of Represen ...

, 1956–1964; Republican candidate for

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

in 1963. *

Brittney Reese Brittney Davon Reese (born September 9, 1986) is a retired American long jumper, Olympic gold medalist, and a seven-time world champion. Reese is the indoor American record holder in the long jump with a distance of 7.23 meters. Personal life Bo ...

long jump The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point. Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance as a gr ...

er, Olympic gold medalist *

John C. Robinson John Cleveland Robinson (April 10, 1817 – February 18, 1897) was an American soldier in the United States Army. Robinson had a long and distinguished military career, fighting in many wars and culminating his career as a brigadier general and ...

(1903-1954), "The Brown Condor", aviator and civil rights activist *

Stuart Roosa Stuart Allen Roosa (August 16, 1933 – December 12, 1994) was an American aeronautical engineer, smokejumper, United States Air Force pilot, test pilot, and NASA astronaut, who was the Command Module Pilot for the Apollo 14 mission. The mis ...

, Colonel,

US Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

Apollo 14 Apollo 14 (January 31February 9, 1971) was the eighth crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, the third to Moon landing, land on the Moon, and the first to land in the Geology of the Moon#Highlands, lunar highlands. It was the las ...

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...

, Command Module Pilot. Brought seeds to moon that germinated in space * Tiffany Travis, former WNBA

Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player, played for

Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the league's eight original teams. The team disbanded on January 3, 2007. The Sting was originally the sister organization ...

Natasha Trethewey Natasha Trethewey (born April 26, 1966) is an American poet who served as United States Poet Laureate from 2012 to 2014. She won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for her 2006 collection ''Native Guard'', and is a former Poet Laureate of Missi ...

, Pulitzer Prize winning poet, former Poet Laureate of the United States, and Professor at

Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...

, born in Gulfport * Tim Young, professional baseball player, played for the

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...