The Mississippi Gulf city of Ocean Springs, Mississippi is in southwestern Jackson County, about two miles east of Biloxi and west of Gautier, in the southeastern corner of the state. Besides Biloxi and Gautier, other nearby communities include D’Iberville, Gulf Hills, Gulf Park Estates, Hickory Hills, Latimer, and Vancleave. The settlement of Fort Maurepas, also known as Old Biloxi, began at the current site of Ocean Springs in 1699, and was the first permanent French outpost in what was then French Louisiana. The community was renamed Ocean Springs by Dr. William Glover Austin in 1854, as he believed the local springs had healing qualities. The Civil War decimated the area’s tourist industry and economy, as many local men joined the Love Oak Rifles Company A, 3rd Mississippi Regiment, and some families moved north of the coast for subsistence farming, while those who remained subsisted almost solely on seafood. No major battles were fought within the town limits, however. After the war, a railroad link from Mobile to New Orleans was completed, with a depot in Ocean Springs, which helped the town to prosper as a resort town, and later to reinvent itself as a historic residential community. The city was incorporated in 1892. In 2005, Ocean Springs was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed the Biloxi Bay Bridge, connecting Ocean Springs to Biloxi. Rebuilding of the bridge was not completed until 2008.
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Recommended Resources
The official municipal web site offers a profile, history and demographics for the city, along with a city map, staff directory and office hours, a calendar of events, meeting agendas and minutes, and a guide to local parks, recreational facilities, and athletic fields, photographs, and public notices.
http://ci.ocean-springs.ms.us/
The mixed-level Girl Scout troop meets at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Meeting information and times, a schedule of programs and events, and access to various forms and documents are available through the site, and a private member login is included.
http://gstroop6292.scoutlander.com/publicsite/unithome.aspx?UID=12303
Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is a not-for-profit organization made up of business owners and others in the Ocean Springs, Mississippi area. An introduction to the Chamber and other associated organizations is offered, with a guide to local businesses, restaurants, entertainment venues, and events.
http://www.oceanspringschamber.com/
Locally owned and operated by fellow triathletes, Stephen and Lesley Lee, the store includes a bicycle repair shop, a full line of bikes for sale, and a line of swimming, biking and running gear, supplies and accessories, and is an authorized dealer for YOLO, Scott and Felt. Its location, schedules, and products are highlighted.
http://trihardsports.net/
