Page 164 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2017

the county of
JACKSON
Jackson County came to be after being absorbed into
the Mississippi Territory and brought under Constitutional law in 1810. It wasn’t until two years later that Jackson County was officially founded, and is said to be named in honor of General Andrew Jackson who visited the territory. In December of 1812, Mobile County was divided into three counties: Mobile in the east, Hancock in the west and Jackson in the center of the two.
Much as it is now, Jackson County quickly became a
titan of industry. From 1880 to 1910, Jackson county experienced its first economic boom, largely due to the prosperous timber and sawmill industry. Pecans, specifically, were a big industry at the turn of the century. Shipbuilding was recorded as early as 1838 with Ebenezer Clark constructing flat-bottomed schooners for coastal trade. The shipyard, as well as other early yards, were precursors of the state’s largest private employer, Huntington Ingalls.
As time progressed, Jackson County grew and modernized, taking advantage of its plethora of resources and easily accessible waterways. Jackson County has continued to prosper, keeping a steady pace of growth and earning the description “most industrialized county in the state.” The Port of Pascagoula has been a catalyst for industrial and economic development and has kept up to date with modern equipment and facilities, but the citizens of Jackson County are responsible for making the future happen every day.
Ocean Springs
The city of Ocean Springs became a United States territory in 1811 and quickly became a melting pot for people of varying backgrounds and skill sets. Slowly, a small village developed on the eastern shore of the Bay of Biloxi, which was referred to as Old Biloxi or East Biloxi. In those days, locals relied on fishing, farming, burning charcoal, lumbering and naval stores.
Today, the city thrives as an art-loving, eclectic city, filled with amazing shops, restaurants and art. “We are an arts community that has grown into a vibrant cultural area,” said Cynthia Dobbs Sutton, executive director of the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce. “From tour Public Art Project to the murals at Front Beach Bridge, art pops up on most corners of town.”
Moss Point
The area that is now Moss Point was incorporated
in 1901, and the surrounding forests began to supply resources for French, Spanish, and British war ships. Following the Battle of New Orleans, some of its men settled at Moss Point, while other early settlers established thriving sawmill businesses. To the log men of the area, the place known as Elder’s Ferry was referred to as “Mossey Point,”
a nod to the majestic Spanish Moss that hangs in the city’s historic oak trees.
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