Pascagoula, Mississippi
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Pascagoula ( ) is a city in and the
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 ...
of Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula metropolitan area, and is part of 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 combined statistical area and the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area. Its population was 22,010 at the 2010 census, down from 22,392 at the 2010 census and 26,200 at the 2000 census. The city is served by three airports: Mobile Regional Airport, to the northeast in
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
; Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, about west of Pascagoula; and the Trent Lott International Airport, to the north in Jackson County.


History


Early history

The name Pascagoula, which means "bread eater", is taken from the Pascagoula, a group of Native Americans found in villages along the Pascagoula River some distance above its mouth.
Hernando de Soto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1497 – 21 May 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru, ...
seems to have made the first contact with them in the 1540s, though little is known of that encounter. Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, founder of the colony of
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, left a more detailed account from an expedition of this region in 1700.Goddard, Ives (2005). "The indigenous languages of the Southeast." ''Anthropological Linguistics.'' ''47'' (1): 1–60. The first detailed account comes from Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, younger brother of Iberville, whom the Pascagoula visited at Fort Maurepas in present-day Ocean Springs, shortly after it was settled and while the older brother was away in France. Few details are certain about these people, except that their language seemed not to have shared an etymological root with the larger native groups to the north, the
Choctaw The Choctaw ( ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States, originally based in what is now Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choct ...
particularly, who speak a Muskogean language. Some speculation exists that their language may be related to
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 ...
. The Biloxi people spoke a now-extinct Siouan language, which is related to the languages spoken by the Sioux,
Crow A crow is a bird of the genus ''Corvus'', or more broadly, a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not linked scientifically to any certain trait but is rathe ...
, and Ho-Chunk. The territory of the Biloxi people seems to have ranged from the areas of what are now called Biloxi Bay to Bayou La Batre (
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
) and up the Pascagoula River, and the Pascagoula people's territory seems to have ranged between some distance north of there to the confluence of the
Leaf A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the plant stem, stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leav ...
and Chickasawhay Rivers.Cain, Cyril Edward: ''Four Centuries on the Pascagoula'', Vol. 1 (1953) However, the Pascagoula language is completely undocumented; thus, genealogical affiliations from other authors are speculation. The first European settlers of Pascagoula were Jean Baptiste Baudreau Dit Graveline, Joseph Simon De La Pointe, and his aunt, Madame Chaumont.


Modern history

The region changed hands over the next century, being occupied variously by the English, French, and Spanish until well after the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. It came into the permanent possession of the United States in 1812, when it was added to the Mississippi Territory. At one point, for 74 days in 1810, Pascagoula was a part of what was known as the Republic of West Florida. Pascagoula was incorporated as a village in 1892. It obtained city status in 1901. Today's downtown Pascagoula used to be the town of Scranton, Mississippi, incorporated in 1870. The two towns merged in 1904 by governor's proclamation and in 1912 by Mississippi legislative act. In October 1973, an alleged
unidentified flying object An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...
sighting and alien abduction is said to have occurred when co-workers Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker claimed they were abducted by aliens while fishing near Pascagoula. The incident, the Pascagoula Abduction, earned substantial
mass media Mass media include the diverse arrays of media that reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television. Digital media comprises b ...
attention. In June 2019, Pascagoula placed a historical marker near the alleged abduction site. The city honors the abduction every year during an event called Goula Palooza. The festival takes place in the downtown area of the city.


Hurricane Katrina

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 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 ...
devastated Pascagoula,National Weather Service Forecast Office – Mobile/Pensacola
" ''
NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) is an American scientific and regulatory agency charged with forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, charting the seas, conducting deep-sea exploratio ...
.'' July 7, 2006.
much like
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 Gulfport and the rest of the Mississippi Gulf Coast."." (post-analysis) ''National Hurricane Center.'' revised August 10, 2006. Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 6:12 am, more than typical. Nearly 92% of Pascagoula was flooded. Most homes along Beach Boulevard were destroyed, and FEMA trailers became an omnipresent sight. Due to the media focus on the plight of
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
and Biloxi-Gulfport in the aftermath of Katrina, many Pascagoula citizens have expressed feeling neglected or even forgotten following the storm. Most Pascagoula residents did not possess
flood insurance Flood insurance is the specific insurance coverage issued against property loss from flooding. To determine risk factors for specific properties, insurers will often refer to topographical maps that denote lowlands, floodplains and other areas th ...
, and many were required to put their homes on pilings before being given a permit to rebuild. TITANTubes, sometimes referred to as geotubes, were installed under the beach to serve as low-profile dune cores to protect the evacuation route.
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
officials announced that two guided missile destroyers that were under construction at
Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) was formerly a sector or division of Northrop Grumman Corporation which was responsible for building small and medium shipping products. It was merged with another sector of Northrop Grumman, Northrop Grumman ...
in Pascagoula had been damaged by the storm, as well as the
amphibious assault ship An amphibious assault ship is a type of warship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory during an armed conflict. The design evolved from aircraft carriers converted for use as helicopter carriers (which, as a result, ar ...
. Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40 Mississippi libraries, flooding the Pascagoula Public Library's first floor and causing mold in the building.


Points of interest

The United States post office in Pascagoula contains a mural, ''Legend of the Singing River'', painted in 1939 by Lorin Thompson. Murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department. The mural was restored in the 1960s as the building became the Pascagoula Public Library. The building was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the mural was placed in storage. In 2010, it was reinstalled at the new Pascagoula post office on Jackson Avenue. Pascagoula is the home of the Old Spanish Fort, the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley. It was built sometime in the 1750s.


Geography

Pascagoula is located along Mississippi Sound, on the east side of the mouth of the Pascagoula River. It is bordered to the north by Moss Point and to the west, across the Pascagoula River, by Gautier. The city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 37.25%, are covered by water. U.S. Route 90 (Denny Avenue) passes through the city, leading northeast to Grand Bay, Alabama, and west to Biloxi. Mississippi Highway 613 (Telephone Road) leads north from US-90 into Moss Point and to
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 ...
.


Climate

According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Pascagoula 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 ...
, ''Cfa'' on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Pascagoula was on August 26, 2023, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 30, 2014.


Demographics


2020 census

In the 2020 United States census, 22,010 people, 8,415 households, and 4,865 families were residing in the city.


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 26,200 people, 9,878 households, and 6,726 families were living in the city. The population density was . The 10,931 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 67.15% White, 28.97% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 1.69% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.89% of the population. Of the 9,878 households, 34.5% had children under 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were not families. About 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the age distribution was 26.9% under 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,042, and for a family was $39,044. Males had a median income of $30,313 versus $22,594 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,891. About 18.1% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Pascagoula is a major industrial city of Mississippi, on the Gulf Coast. Prior to
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 ...
, the town was a sleepy fishing village of about 5,000. The population skyrocketed with the war-driven shipbuilding industry. The city's population seemed to peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s, as
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
defense spending was at its height. Pascagoula experienced some new growth and development in the years before Hurricane Katrina. Today, Pascagoula is home to the state's largest private, single-site employer, Ingalls Shipbuilding, owned by
Huntington Ingalls Industries Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) is the largest military shipbuilding company in the United States as well as a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. HII, ranked No. 375 on the Fortune 500, was formed ...
. Other major industries include the largest Chevron refinery in the world; Rolls-Royce Naval Marine, specializing in U.S. Navy ship propulsion; and First Chemical/Chemours. Naval Station Pascagoula was located on Singing River Island and was homeport to several Navy warships, as well as a large
Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a Maritime Security Regimes, maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with cust ...
contingent. Naval Station Pascagoula was decommissioned as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure recommendations, and ceased operations in 2006.


Education

The Pascagoula-Gautier School District serves Pascagoula. Resurrection Catholic School is a parochial school for prekindergarten to grade 12, established in 1882.


Notable people

* Brent Anderson, country music singer * Vick Ballard, NFL player * Earl Blair, Canadian Football League player * George Blair, NFL player * Steve Bowman, NFL player * Isaac Brown, Wichita State University basketball coach * Terrell Buckley, NFL player * Jimmy Buffett, musician, songwriter, author, actor, and businessman born here * Joey Butler, MLB player * William Colmer, US congressman * Chuck Commiskey, NFL player * Fred Cook, NFL player * Tony Dees, Olympic silver medalist in 1992 * Uncle Elmer (real name: Stan Frazier), former professional wrestler * Senquez Golson, NFL player * Litterial Green, NBA player * Ira B. Harkey Jr., editor and publisher of ''Pascagoula Chronicle'', won Pulitzer Prize for courageous editorials devoted to processes of law and reason during integration crisis in Mississippi in 1962 * Antonio Harvey, NBA forward * Richard Harvey, NFL player * Dr. Calvin Huey, chemist, businessman, first African-American football player at Navy * Sam Leslie, former MLB player (New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers) and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame member *
Trent Lott Chester Trent Lott Sr. (born October 9, 1941) is an American lobbyist, lawyer, author, and politician who represented Mississippi in the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1989 and in the United States Senate from 1989 to 2007. ...
, US senator * Aubrey Matthews, NFL player * Shane Matthews, NFL player * Fishbait Miller, doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives * Jennifer Palmieri, politician * Clyde Powers, NFL player * Carl Tart, comedian/podcaster *
Channing Tatum Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut in the drama ''Coach Carter'' (2005), and had his Breakthrough role, breakthrough with the sports comedy film ''She's the Man'' (2006) and t ...
, actor * Kim Seaman, former professional baseball player (St. Louis Cardinals) * Toni Seawright, first African-American Miss Mississippi * Charles Sellier Jr., television and film producer, including ''
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams ''The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams'' is a 1974 independent feature film produced by Charles E. Sellier Jr. and Raylan D. Jensen for Sunn Classic Pictures. The film's popularity led to an NBC television series of the same name. The title ...
'' * Tony Sipp, MLB player * Judson Spence, musician, singer, songwriter * Diron Talbert, NFL player * Lynn Thomas, NFL player for
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
* Sarah Thomas, first female NFL official * Harry "The Hat" Walker, MLB player * Otis Wonsley, NFL player * Mike Ezell, U.S. congressman


Sister city

* –
Chico, California Chico ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "little") is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 United Sta ...
(U.S.) 2005


In popular culture

*Pascagoula is the setting for Ray Stevens's novelty song " Mississippi Squirrel Revival". *Jimmy Buffett wrote a song called "The Pascagoula Run". *Pascagoula is also home to the Mississippi's "Phantom Barber", where a man would run around cutting women's lock of hair at night. *Several free concerts have been held in Pascagoula by famous musicians, including The Charlie Daniels Band (2006),
Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music, country singer, songwriter and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin (Blake Shelton song), Austin" from his Blake Shelton (album), self ...
(2007), and Jimmy Buffett (2015) *Pascagoula, along with several other Mississippi Gulf Coast cities, participates in hosting the "Crusin' the Coast" car show every year, which was named America's best car show in 2020 by ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
''. *Pascagoula appears as a level in '' Tom Clancy's EndWar''. The player is given the task of either destroying or defending the Pascagoula Refinery, described as the largest in the U.S.


See also

* Pascagoula Abduction * Pascagoula River High Rise Bridge


References


External links


City of Pascagoula official website
{{authority control Cities in Mississippi Cities in Jackson County, Mississippi County seats in Mississippi Cities in Pascagoula metropolitan area French-American culture in Mississippi Populated coastal places in Mississippi World War II Heritage Cities