Introduction to Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi, in Jackson county, is located 19 miles E of Biloxi, Mississippi and 95 miles E of New Orleans, Louisiana. The city is included in the Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula metropolitan area.
Pascagoula History
The first inhabitants of the Pascagoula region were a small tribe of Native Americans who settled by the Pascagoula river. The city derived its name from "Pasca Okla," a Native American term meaning "bread people." Hernando De Soto was the first Spanish explorer to come to this region, arriving in the 1540s. Joseph Simon De La Pointe, his aunt Madame Chaumont and Jean Baptiste Baudreau Dit Graveline are believed to be the first settlers in the area. It came under the possession of the United States in 1812. In 1892, Pascagoula was incorporated as a village. It received city status in 1901. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Mississippi, and large parts of Pascagoula suffered serious damages as a result.
Pascagoula and nearby Attractions
- Mardis Gras Museum
- Old Spanish Fort
- Fort Morgan Historic Site
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Shepard State Park
Things To Do In Pascagoula
The Mardis Gras Museum and the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum are close by to Pascagoula. The Walter Anderson Museum of Art includes the work of artist Walter Inglis Anderson, and his brothers James McConnell Anderson and Peter Anderson. The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art showcases pottery collections of George Ohr. However, all these museums were devastated by the Hurricane Katrina, and are in the process of reconstruction. The Gulf Islands National Seashore, which stretches from Mississippi's West Ship Island to Florida's Santa Rosa Island, was also hit by the hurricane. The seashore currently offers facilities for picnicking and fishing. At the Shepard State Park, visitors can enjoy nature walks, camping, fishing, boating and picnicking. The Bellingrath Gardens Estuarium and the Mobile Botanical Gardens are also accessible from Pascagoula.
Pascagoula Transportation
Flights are available from Mobile Regional Airport.
Pascagoula Higher Education
Bishop State Community College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Spring Hill College, the University of Mobile and the University of South Alabama are all nearby.
