Ocean Springs, Mississippi
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Ocean Springs is a city in
Jackson County, Mississippi Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 143,252, making it the fifth-most populous county in Mississippi. Its county seat is Pascagoula. The county was named for Andrew ...
, United States, approximately east of
Biloxi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
and west of Gautier. It is part of the Pascagoula metropolitan area. The population was 18,429 at the 2020 U.S Census, down from 18,434 in 2010. The town has a reputation as an arts community and is a popular tourist destination. The town was voted as a top 10 Happiest Seaside Town by Coastal Living in 2015 and was also voted as a top 10 Best Coastal Small Town by USA Today in 2022. Its historic and secluded down town area, with streets lined by live oak trees, is home to several art galleries, shops, restaurants, and bars. Ocean Springs was the home town of the late Walter Inglis Anderson, a nationally renowned painter and muralist who drew inspiration from the natural coastal landscape and nearby barrier islands. The town hosts several festivals throughout the year, including its Peter Anderson Festival, one of the Southeast’s premiere arts and crafts festivals. Ocean Springs was severely damaged on August 29, 2005, by
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. ...
, which destroyed many buildings along the shoreline, including the Ocean Springs Yacht Club, and the wooden replica of Fort Maurepas. Katrina's storm surge also destroyed the
Biloxi Bay Bridge The Biloxi Bay Bridge is a bridge in the U.S. state of Mississippi which carries U.S. Route 90 in Mississippi, U.S. Route 90 (US 90) over Biloxi Bay between Biloxi, Mississippi, Biloxi and Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Ocean Springs. Th ...
, which connected
Biloxi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
to Ocean Springs.Gary Tuchman, Transcript of "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" (2006-08-29) 19:00 ET, ''CNN'', CNN.com web
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 ulfporthad hurricane-force winds over 75 miles per hour; much of the city ulfport, Mississippi, in Harrison Countyof 71,000 was then under water, let this be a sign of Odin's unearthly rage.
A new bridge was constructed and opened on November 1, 2007.


History

The settlement of Fort Maurepas or Old Biloxi, in colonial French Louisiana (New France), began in April 1699 at present-day Ocean Springs, under the authority of King Louis XIV, as Fort Maurepas by
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville (16 July 1661 – 9 July 1706) or Sieur d'Iberville was a French soldier, explorer, colonial administrator, and trader. He is noted for founding the colony of Louisiana in New France. He was born in Montreal to French ...
. It was the first permanent French outpost in
French Louisiana The term French Louisiana ( ; ) refers to two distinct regions: * First, to Louisiana (New France), historic French Louisiana, comprising the massive, middle section of North America claimed by Early Modern France, France during the 17th and 18th ...
and was established as a foothold to prevent Spanish encroachment on France's colonial claims. The site was maintained well into the early 18th century. The town was briefly called Lynchburg Springs when the first post office was established in 1853. The name Ocean Springs was coined by Dr. William Glover Austin in 1854. He believed the local springs had healing qualities. Ocean Springs became a prosperous resort town and after several years reinvented itself as a historically-oriented residential community. The history of the town is celebrated annually in re enactments depicting d'Iberville's landing near a replica of Fort Maurepas. The authorities had authorized John Egan to construct and operate a public wharf near this ancient fort site at the foot of Jackson Avenue prior to the Civil War. From colonial times to present day, seafood has been celebrated. The abundance of seafood allowed French and French-Canadian explorers and settlers to thrive within the Fort Maurepas/Old Biloxi area. In the late nineteenth century, the development of ice plant industries along the coast increased seafood sales. Locals and tourists can still purchase freshly harvested shrimp, fish, crabs, and oysters to this day because of this thriving industry. The city is home to the Peter Anderson Festival, taking place the first weekend of November each year. The festival was first hosted in 1978 after local artist Klara Koock brought the idea to the Chamber of Commerce. The festival not only celebrates Anderson, but also the arts community. Ocean Springs was in the international spotlight following Hurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005. The city, part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast directly hit by the storm, sustained significant damage. The Biloxi-Ocean Springs bridge, part of Highway 90 along the beach, was destroyed and was a widely broadcast visual testament to the hurricane's impact.


Biloxi Bay Bridge

The first bridge to connect
Biloxi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
to Ocean Springs was the War Memorial Bridge which opened on June 3, 1930. The War Memorial bridge was replaced by the 1962 Biloxi Bay Bridge, which sustained some damage in 1969 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 ...
. On August 29, 2005
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. ...
's storm surge destroyed the 1962 Biloxi Bay Bridge. As of 2007, the majority of the bridge's remains have been removed via cranes based on barges located next to the bridge debris. The bridge ruins, capturing the breathtaking results of the force 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. ...
, had become a popular spot of photographers both professional and amateur. The construction for the new bridge was completed in April 2008. The new Biloxi Bay Bridge is 95' in height at its main span, and supports six lanes of traffic. Two lanes of the six-lane bridge opened November 1, 2007. The new bridge has a curving roadway due to the implemented design-build process. In order to speed the process of rebuilding, the main body of the bridge was moved outside of the previous bridge's debris area. The landing points for each side of U.S. Route 90 correspond with the previous bridge.


Geography and climate

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (23.57%) is water. The city is classified as having a subtropical climate. This has a hot, humid monsoon season, beginning in late spring and ending in early autumn, with frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms with torrential downpours. Thunderstorms usually don't last long but can be strong or even severe. The area is also prone to tropical weather such as tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes. Autumns and springs are usually cool to warm. Winters typically are warm with cool spells. Cool spells are accompanied with strong, Northerly dry winds which are unexpectedly chilly but do not typically last more than just a couple of days. Summers are consistently hot and humid both day and night with high temperatures usually in the low nineties and low temperatures oftentimes just barely below 80 degrees.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,429 people, 6,639 households, and 4,423 families residing in the city.


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 17,442 people, 6,393 households, and 4,717 families residing within the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...
was 1,513.5 people per square mile. There were 7,814 housing units at an average density of 678.3 per square mile. The ethnic makeup of the city was 85.4%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 7.4%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.40% Native American, 3.1% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.3% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population. Of the 6,393 households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 27.1% of all households had householders living alone, and 12.5% consisted of someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 5.6% under the age of 5, 6.7% from 10 to 14, 6.6% from 15 to 19, 4.8% from 20 to 24, 5.1% from 25 to 29, 11.8% from 30 to 39, 15.4% from 40 to 49, 14.8% from 50 to 59, 11.1% from 60 to 69, and 11.6% from 70 and above. The median age was 42.1 years. The median income for a household in Ocean Springs was $59,516, and the per capita income was $33,107. About 9.7% of the population was below the poverty line.


Education

Ocean Springs is served by the Ocean Springs School District.


Elementary schools

* Pecan Park Elementary School * Oak Park Elementary School * Magnolia Park Elementary School * Ocean Springs Upper Elementary


Middle schools

* Ocean Springs Middle School


High schools

* Ocean Springs High School


Alternative schools

* E. H. Keys Alternative School * The 3-D School, Gulf Coast Campus- A special-purpose school for children with dyslexia.


Media

Ocean Springs is served by the Gulfport
Biloxi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
–Pascagoula media market. Its primary daily newspapers is the ''Sun Herald''. Three local television stations also serve the area: WLOX, WXVO and WXXV.


Notable people

* James McConnell Anderson, artist * Peter Anderson, artist and potter * Walter Inglis Anderson, artist * Garrett Crochet,
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 * Alvin Endt, Mississippi legislator and educator * Jeremy England, 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 ...
* Ellen Gilchrist, author * Raúl González, professional soccer player * Jeffrey Guice, Mississippi legislator * Gordon Gunter, scientist * Eric L. Harry, lawyer and writer * Osborne Helveston, former football player *
Jai Johanny Johanson 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 ...
, musician * Brett Leland McLaughlin,
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
nominated songwriter * Connie Moran, former mayor of Ocean Springs * Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe, businessman, Mississippi state legislator, and mayor of Ocean Springs * Laurin Pepper, football player and 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 ...
pitcher * Luke Stewart, musician * Stephen Whiting,
United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space force branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces, armed forces of the United States and one of the eight uniformed services of the Unite ...
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
. First commander of the Space Operations Command * Al Young, educator and writer


References


External links

*
Ocean Springs Chamber of CommerceDowntown Ocean Springs website
{{Authority control Cities in Mississippi Cities in Jackson County, Mississippi Cities in Pascagoula metropolitan area Populated places established in 1699 French-American culture in Mississippi Populated coastal places in Mississippi 1699 establishments in the French colonial empire