To see some more of Steve Martin's great Biloxi photography, visit his gallery. You'll enjoy it.
The area around Biloxi was previously occupied by Biloxi Indians. The first European settlement there, Fort Maurepas, was established in 1699 and located in what would become the city of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. At that time, it was in Louisiana, whose eastern border was at the Perdido River, near Pensacola, Florida.
By 1719 there were numerous businesses lining the streets of Biloxi. The residents raised crops and built boats to transport their products to points farther inland. In 1720, Biloxi was selected to be the capital of French Louisiana. In 1723, the capital was again moved to New Orleans. In 1763, the area came under British rule. In 1810, Biloxi came under the rule of the short-lived Republic of West Florida, which came about when the citizens of West Florida rebelled against the Spaniards.
In 1817 Mississippi became a state and Biloxi continued to slowly grow. It was incorporated as a township in 1838. People began to discover the coast and several hotels and boarding houses had been established. Many wealthy visitors came to Biloxi in hopes of escaping yellow fever epidemics. Many large, waterfront homes were built there.
In 1848, the Biloxi Lighthouse was built and is still to this day a landmark
Biloxi was occupied early in the Civil War by Union troops. It fell to Union Naval Forces operating from Ship Island on December 31, 1861. The years following the Civil War were especially difficult for Biloxi, but in time, they would begin to overcome the hardships.
The L&N Railroad came through Biloxi in 1872. In 1881, Lopez, Elmer and Company became the first seafood cannery in Biloxi. Additional canneries were established by the end of the decade. By 1900, Biloxi was the seafood capital of the world. By 1920, it had become the world’s largest shipper of canned raw oysters and there were forty seafood canneries in Biloxi.
In 1992, Mississippi decided to allow dockside gaming. This was a tremendous boon to the economy. Today, Biloxi is one of the fastest growing areas in the U.S.
Casinos: