Secret Facts Page Four

  1. The Ruskin Oak in Ocean Springs is estimated to have sprouted from the sandy soil in around 1692, before the original French settlers arrived in the region.
  2. Long Beach was once known as the "Radish Capital of the World."
  3. Use of the land that Buccaneer State Park now sits on in Waveland was first recorded in history in the late 1700's when Jean Lafitte and his followers were active in smuggling and pirating along Coastal Mississippi.
  4. Bay St Louis was named in 1699 for Louis IX of France.
  5. The Golden Fisherman was once one of the largest statues in Mississippi, standing at 16-feet, constructed in 1977 in Biloxi to commemorate the seafood industry's heritage in the Gulf Coast region.
  6. Coastal Mississippi is home to several walkable entertainment districts where alcohol is permitted, including Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Ocean Springs.
  7. Jesmyn Ward is from Delisle, author of Salvage the Bones and Sing, Unburied, Sing.
  8. An artificial reef program created by the Department of Marine Resources allows for fishermen to increase their bounty.
  9. Diners at Scranton’s in Pascagoula can peek into the old town vault; dine in the spot where the mayor once conducted business; touch the bars of the town's original jail cell and glimpse the bright red door that once opened to the old firehouse.
  10. Mississippi is home to two annual PGA TOUR events with one being The Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic of the PGA Champions Tour played at Fallen Oak.
  11. Golf Digest recognized Shell Landing in Gautier as one of the state’s best courses, and Golf Week called The Oaks in Pass Christian one of the best you can play.
  12. The Biloxi Shuckers are a Minor League Baseball team and the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers currently play at MGM Park, which opened on June 6, 2015 in Biloxi. MGM Park
  13. Bay St. Louis is known for its fun, artistic flair, seen in the annual Dolly Should Festival, a celebration of the country singer’s birthday.
  14. Coastal Mississippi has 62 miles of scenic coastline with 26 miles of beaches.
  15. The peaceful, warm waters of Coastal Mississippi offer everything from freshwater to brackish water to saltwater fishing, and there are 200 species of fish up for grabs.
  16. The Dusti Bongé Art Foundation celebrates the work of its namesake, one of only a few female Abstract Expressionists in the 1950’s.
  17. The Mississippi District Headquarters for the Gulf Islands National Seashore is in Ocean Springs; the Davis Bayou Area offers fishing, hiking, biking, bird watching, picnicking, camping, and ranger-led programs.
  18. Coastal Mississippi is prime real estate for watching unique bird species like the Bald Eagle, Prothonotary Warbler, Osprey, Blue Heron, Egrets, the Red Winged Black Bird and the Mississippi Sandhill Crane.
  19. The Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum in Gulfport has close to 200 years of train history including a model train that honors POW-MIAs from Vietnam & WWII.
  20. Drive through downtown Bay St. Louis and gaze upon "Heavenly Carved Wooden Angels”, once beautiful live oaks are now works of art. Chainsaw sculptor, Dayle K. Lewis from Indiana transformed the tree trunks into “Angel Creations.”
  21. Built in 1995 by the Dedeaux Family Furniture Factory as an advertisement, The Magnolia State Rocker is one of the World’s Largest Rocking Chairs at 35’ tall and all handcrafted from southern pine.
  22. Ranked among the top three culinary trails in America by USA Today, the 57-mile Mississippi Seafood Trail stops at 42 restaurants and begins in Coastal Mississippi.
  23. In the 1940s, the town of Pascagoula had a hard time figuring out the mystery of the bizarre “Phantom Barber.” The serial hair-snipper would break into homes to steal locks of hair and then slip away into the night. When it was all said and done, a man named William Dolan was caught.
  24. The world’s largest shrimp is on display at the Old Spanish Fort Museum in Pascagoula.
  25. The Mississippi Sandhill Crane is the rarest crane in North America, with an eight-foot wingspan. It’s indigenous to Jackson County.