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Spotlight on . . .
KILN
[ Waveland* 8»*», UW«* .\.^.
The unincorporated community of Kiln is located in Hancock County near the banks of the Jourdan River, it is at the Intersection of State Highways 43 and 603 about four miles north of Interstate 10 and nin#' miles north of Bay St. Louis and Waveland.
Some of the earliest French settlers of the area built gif>t,t kilns where they made charcoal and tar pitch, which were sold in New Orleans. The site was first known as Jourdan for the river. However, it soon became known as Kiln for its leading industry.
Pirates were known to have operated in the vicinity in its early days and ■the Copeland outlaw gang once hid in the Catahoula Swamps to the north. Many holes were dug by treasure hunters seeking their hidden wealth through the years, but there’s no record of anyone succeeding.
Samuel L. Favre built a sawmill at Kiln in 1870 and operated it along with a general store. The first Post Office was established about 1887. In 1908 the W. W. Carre Lumber Company bought the mill site and moved all the old homes off the bank of the river. One of the South’s largest sawmills was built on the site. The lumber mill burned in 1912. In 1913 its remaining interests were purchased by the Edward Hines Lumber Company.
Soon a logging railroad was extended to Lumberton. Passenger trains began stopping at Kiln and two hotels and a hospital were built. There was also a drug store, commissary, bakery and other businesses. The boom lasted until February, 1930 when the mill closed because of the depression. The railroad was abandoned and many local businesses closed for good.'
Today, Kiln’s population is estimated at nearly 2,000. Fine homes have been built in Jourdan River Shores, Haas Acres and Silver Creek subdivisions. The community has a super market, restaurant, several convenience stores, service stations and other thriving small businesses. There is also a library and Post Office. Kiln has a community water syste 'i and fire protection is provided by the Kiln Volunteer Fire Department. Joast Electric Power Association serves the electrical needs of the area. The Annunciation Catholic Church and the Shifalo Memorial Baptist Church are located in Kiln.
The John C. Stennis International Airport and the Vocational-Technical Training Branch of Pearl River Junior College are located nearby.
— Information by Mr. Ray Fmvm
Hancock County Branch Library at Kiln.
MISSISSIPPI EPA NEWS/JANUARY, 1988


Kiln Spotlight on Kiln, Mississippi EPA News
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