Mississippi 2014

June 22, 2014

lighthouse in Biloxi

Last day in Mississippi!   We drove down the beach towards Biloxi, stopping at various sites to take pictures, play in the Gulf of Mexico and walk on a pier.  We stopped at the lighthouse, it's the only lighthouse in the USA that sits in the middle of an interstate hwy (#90).   They only give tours between 9 and 9:30, of course we were there at 9:45.

Beauvoir --Pres. Davis summer home

We did tour the visitor center next door, it shows a film on Biloxi and how they recouped after Katrina.   We learned more details, this part of Biloxi had 21' of water come into it!  The visitor center was heavily damaged, as was the lighthouse.   Both were saved and repaired.

Next we drove to Ocean Springs to visit Davis Bayou, we took the side roads so we could see the fabulous homes in this area.  Very expensive!   We arrived at the visitors center to the National Park, and once again learned more about Katrina.   The NP was closed for many years after the storm, they received 5' of water in the building.

Bobby in Gulf of Mexico

Pres. Davis Library & Museum

It's time to head back towards home, along the way we stopped at the Biloxi National Cemetery, thought maybe Jefferson Davis was buried there....he is not.   We then continued onto Beauvior, summer home of President Davis.   This facility was also damaged by Katrina and it took them 3 years to rebuilt/replace what was destroyed.   Most of the furnishings they saved but had to refinish, etc.   The main house was heavily damaged and the outer buildings totally lost along with the visitors center, which all have been rebuilt.   The house had a 21' surge hit plus heavy winds.   thankful the floor withstood the storm/water, and that's what saved the house from being destroyed.   It is beautiful, in particular the painting on the walls and ceiling.   Absolutely beautiful.
We did tour the museum prior to touring the house, it's not as spectacular as some of the other presidential libraries we've seen, but the artifacts are much more difficult to find/locate.

After the tour, we took the wagon ride around the property, would not recommend it, you really don't see anything nor learn anything.




June 21, 2014

Antebellum Home in Pass Christian

Headed to the Stennis Space Center in Bay St Louis, MS.   Along the way, we stopped at the Train Depot Visitors center in Bay St Louis.   Here we had the opportunity to see some of the old Mardi Gras costumes used by the King & Queen.   Beautiful!!!

Mardi Gras Costumes

We then continued onto the space center.   You have to purchase tickets at the visitors center just west of I-10 and then board a bus that takes you onto the actual facility.  The security is very tight, so you must take the tour to see anything.

Our tour guided was a talking book of knowledge about this facility, where they test ever engine that is used in a rocket, space shuttle, etc. that the government creates.  He showed us 3 of the testing sites but unfortunately nothing was being tested while we were there.   He did tell us that back in the 60's visitors had to be 2 miles away but today we could be within 1/4 of a mile, technology has improved tremendously as we all know.

J-2 Engine test site at Stennis Space Center

The Stennis center is it's own community and owns a huge amount of swap land so that testing does not create a noise problem for communities.   He did tell us that when they test the new engine for the rocket going into space in anther 10+ years, that they'll feel it in Long Beach, MS...about 15 miles away.   They DO create their own earthquakes from these tests.  Amazing!
Would love to see one tested....next time!

Oak Tree Stump carving

Afterwards we headed back into Bay St Louis, looked around at the beach, downtown (huge into antique shops), Hollywood Casino, saw one of the oaks created into art, etc.

Friendship Oak Tree

Next we drove to Long Beach to see the Katrina Archives, but they are no longer at the Mississippi College Library.   However, the lady at the desk gave us another history lesson on Katrina.   She told us that her parents home was totally destroyed except for the porch.  Nothing remained and they never found anything!   Her sister home was about 1.5 miles inland and was totally destroyed also, but it was from flooding.  She got 5' inside the house.   We talked about insurance, they had to fight State Farm for 3 years to get their homes rebuilt.  How sad is that!  Apparently State Farm was arguing over whether it was wind or flood that caused the damage!!!

Also on the Mississippi State campus is the Friendship Oak Tree, it's over 500 yrs old and has survived over 8 hurricanes.

Came home as it's hot....not as humid as it has been but thunderheads are coming.  Still don't like them but getting used to them.