Page 14 - Pascagoula Magazine - 2025

Pascagoula
Pascagoula, the “Flagship” city beside the Gulf of Mexico, has a deep and rich history as a European settlement that goes back over 300 years. The name Pascagoula (meaning “bread
eaters”) is taken from a band of peaceful Native Americans who inhabited the area when Hernando De Soto first explored the Mississippi River area in the 1540s. The history of The Flagship City includes a vital role in WWII, the legendary Jimmy Buffet, and even aliens, but the story of this magnificent history is still being written.
World War II
Pascagoula recently received a designation as a World War II Heritage City by the National Park Service. As it stands, there can only be one Heritage City per state, and Pascagoula was bestowed this honor. There is a lengthy application process and jurisdictions must meet specific requirements to
be eligible for this recognition. Signifying the area’s
14 Pascagoula, MS 2025 • www.cityofpascagoula.com
WWII Heritage City
involvement in WWII, Pascagoula is currently one of 19 communities in the country that have received this distinction and it could not be more fitting for this industrial hub.
WWII transformed Pascagoula from a sleepy fishing village with a population of less than 4,000 to the industrial dynamo it is today, swelling
to 38,000 people at its peak. From the very beginning, Pascagoula embraced the war effort. The development of Ingalls Iron Works (known today
as Ingalls Shipbuilding) in 1938 prior to America being at war was a testament to that commitment. Soon later, Pascagoula was primed to take charge on building needed ships for WWII. The people
of Pascagoula opened their homes to strangers flooding into town seeking work at Ingalls. The
City built streets, schools, utilities and recreation facilities to handle the sevenfold explosion in population. Moreover, soldiers and sailors migrated to the area. Non-traditional roles were assumed
HISTORY OF