The Civil Rights Wade-In historical sign is an important part of the history of Biloxi, Mississippi…read moreand honestly, was not that long ago in realistic terms. The sign also discusses the importance of the wade-ins in the birth of the Biloxi, Mississippi and the birth of the local NAACP.

Located in the parking lot for the Biloxi Lighthouse Pier, this marker recalls an important battle…read morein the fight for Civil Rights. The marker is accessible and in good condition. It reads, "Civil Rights Wade-Ins. On May 14, 1959, April 24, 1960, and June 23, 1963, the Biloxi beach front was the site of planned civil rights wade-ins demanding equal access to the public beach. On April 24, 1960, several citizens, both black and white, were injured and arrested, including the leader of the wade-ins, physician Dr. Gilbert R. Mason Sr. This series of protests gave birth to the Biloxi branch of the NAACP, major voter registration drives in 1960, and a 1968 falderal court ruling opening the beach to all citizens." Before the beaches were desegregated, adjacent homeowners claimed the beaches as private property. However, Mason and his supporters noted that the beaches had been built in a major project completed in 1953 by the Army Corps of Engineers using taxpayer funds, and so thought they should be public and available to all. The new beaches had increased tourist traffic to the Biloxi area, strengthening the local economy. The effort by local authorities to maintain segregation was supported by actions of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, a state agency founded in 1956. It used its extensive investigative powers to spy on citizens and plan economic retaliation against those who were civil rights activists or suspected of being so. On the date mentioned on the plaque, the police stood by and watched as white mobs attacked black beachgoers. It is referred to as "The Bloody Wade-In" and was described by the New York Times as "The worst racial riot in Mississippi history." The marker was placed here in April 2010, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the protests. [Review 14121 overall, 1443 of 2020, number 28 in Mississippi.]

Had been a few years since we last visited the memorial. Noticed several of the trees were gone now…read more, and the display with all the washed up items from katrina was gona as well. Seems to be more missing, but cant recall. So sad , and cant believe its been 20 years. If your traveling through biloxi , i highly recommend stopping by the monument and paying respects the souls loat and said their are still 3 ppl listed as missing even after 20 years.RIP.....

I think most people have no idea how destructive this storm really was. Causing over 1800 deaths…read moreand $125 billion in damage, it was at the time the costliest tropical cyclone on record. The storm was the twelfth tropical cyclone, the fifth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States. Battered by wind, rain and storm surge, some beachfront neighborhoods were completely leveled. Preliminary estimates by Mississippi officials calculated that 90% of the structures within half a mile of the coastline were completely destroyed. The pictures of the coastal casinos - block long buildings! - were picked up and basically launched at the coastline, destroying many 18th century homes and ancient trees. The Bay St. Louis-Pass Christian and the Biloxi-Ocean Springs bridge were entirely destroyed. Katrina's surge was the most extensive, as well as the highest, in the documented history of the United States. That is documented here with a post showing the maximum height of the surge. The Memorial stands 12 feet tall, about the height of the water during Hurricane Katrina's storm surge at the Town Green. It lists the names of the 170 victims that perished during the storm. [Review 14185 overall, 1507 of 2020, number 75 in Mississippi.]

Spent all day calling to get information on the Real ID and never got to talk to a person.read more

All county offices should be as well organized as this one. As soon as we crossed the threshold, a…read moreCounty Constable greeted us and directed us to the proper location to get a number and to sit. The waiting room is designed to accommodate a LARGE number (almost a hundred) of people, including those who may have special physical needs. Clear signs let you know where to go, which number is being served and which windows are available. Our agent was friendly and quite helpful. I'm rather surprised by the effectiveness and efficiency of the location. In the future, I won't dread any necessary visit.

Mobile, Alabama Folklore. Apparently, there is a Leprechaun in the Tree at the end of a dead end…read moreroad on Le Cren Street in the Crichton Area. Legend says the leprechaun is there but disappears when you shine a light at him. I was skeptical of the leprechaun's presence, but I have walked by here several times while walking my dog, my dog always barks at this tree, so I know the Leprechaun is there, hiding. I am pretty sure the leprechaun is real, many Irish settled in the Mobile Area in the 1800's, so it is possible that they brought the Leprechaun with them.

The Eric Clark Coastal Preserve marker in Gautier reads like a quiet tribute to the kind of…read morelong‑term stewardship that shapes a coastline more than any single project ever could. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "The Mississippi Legislature established the Eric Clark Coastal Preserve in 2023. As Secretary of State from 1996 to 2008, Clark led in the permanent preservation of more than 16.000 acres of coastal wetlands, including Deer Island and Indian Point. The Indian Point property, consisting of more than 900 acres, makes up the Eric Clark Coastal Preserve. All of the acquired land is part of the Department of Marine Resources Coastal Preserves Program. created by the Legislature in 1992 to protect wetlands on the Gulf Coast." The preserve sits along Gautier Vancleave Road near Indian Point Parkway, close enough to the water that you can feel why this land mattered, and the text makes clear that Clark's years as Secretary of State were defined by balancing development pressures with the need to keep fragile marshes intact for future generations. The result is a marker that doesn't just commemorate a person but anchors you in the landscape he helped preserve, turning a roadside stop into a small moment of environmental history. It was erected in 2024 by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. [Review 311 of 2026 - 118 in Mississippi - 25499 overall]