The Biloxi Lighthouse a South Mississippi Landmark

The gulf coast of Mississippi is rich in history and the south loves to declare its history. The coast has been under several flags and nationalities creating a mixture of cultures. From American Indians, French, English, Spanish, the Civil War, the seafood industry, casinos, military bases, and manmade beaches you name it we've got it. The landmark everyone knows though is the Biloxi Lighthouse.

The Biloxi Lighthouse stands 64 feet and was built in 1848 and has been a landmark for the Mississippi Gulf Coast throughout the years. Over the years I have driven by this landmark many times but have never actually gone inside. My daughter and I thought it would be fun to climb the 59 steps to get to the top of one of the oldest cast-iron lighthouses in the south.

In 1847, Mississippi State Representative Jefferson Davis sponsored Legislation that proposed 3 lighthouses for the Mississippi Sound. The Mississippi Sound is the area between the barrier islands that parallel the gulf coast. The islands are between the Gulf of Mexico and the coast leaving an area with a unique ecosystem and giving the coast some protection during storms.

With approval given, a 1-acre tract was bought for $600 to build the lighthouse. Marcellus J. Howard was the first lighthouse keeper. Throughout the years there were several female keepers the longest being Maria Younghans who was the keeper for 53 years. In 1939 the Coast Guard took over the operation and in 1968 the City of Biloxi was given ownership of the lighthouse.

The lighthouse was built and transported in sections of cast metal from Baltimore Maryland. It was reassembled in its present location and lined with bricks to add strength. The structure was built on the water and over the years land has been added and a road on the south side so that the lighthouse now stands in the middle of Hwy 90.

The day we went it was hot and humid and the little lighthouse was muggy. We were the only ones there with the tour guide who talked on the short trip up. As you walk up the stairs you can feel the thickness of those walls that have withstood several major hurricanes. On the wall are marks showing how high the water was at the lighthouse when the waters rose.

Hurricane Katrina brought devastation to the gulf coast, but the lighthouse stayed strong and withstood the storm surge. Though the lighthouse sustained damage the storm surge is reported to have been a third of the way up the lighthouse. Some of the bricks inside fell and many of the windows were broken. But the lighthouse has become a beacon of the resilience of the gulf coast and was put on our state's license plate for a time.

You can visit this wonderful little lighthouse daily at 9:00 and 10:00 am weather permitting and for a small fee of $5.00. The visitors center has information and souvenirs inside. Also on the property is a plaque with the history of the area, a high watermark from Hurricane Katrina, and a French settler graveyard dating from the 1700s. It is a short visit that is worth the effort to get there.

The gulf coast also features the home of Jefferson Davis, Beauvoir, as well as other historical finds. It also has casinos and white sandy beaches. Not far from New Orleans or Mobile it is a quiet place to slow down and visit.

The website for the lighthouse has a live feed of the area showing the beach and Hwy 90. If the gulf coast is on your visiting list then the lighthouse should be a stop.