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How Bay St. Louis Got Its Name By Joe Pilet
This area was first explored by white man in 1682 when Robert Cavalier de la Salle's findings were recorded by Jacque de la Metairie, the official historian of the expedition.
On April 12, 1699 Pierre le Moyne d*Iberville set out to explore a beautiful bay. He had learned of it through Indians and also through la Salle's findings. The bay was reached on the Feast Day of King Louis IX, the sainted King of Prance, and was named The Bay of St. Louis in his honor. (This information from the account given by Penicault who was journalist of the frigate Le Marin).
Jean Baptiste le moyne Bienville, brother of d'Iberville, set foot on land and named the territory Bay St. Louis, taking the name from the Bay of St. Louis.
In December of 1699 d*Iberville placed a sergeant and 15 men in a small fort. It is believed the fort was situated in the vicinity of the now Carroll Avenue and de Montluzin. Indians knew this area as Chicapoula, a Choctaw name meaning "bad grass0. It is thought the name referred to rock-a-chaws or sand burr clover since both grow in profusion in this area.
Two ships carrying 300 persons and a "Madam Mezieres" arrived January 3, 1721. Madam Mazieres settled on a land grant of 17,084 acres!
These colonist and Madam Mezieres were the pioneer settlers of Bay St. Louis. By 1823 The American Atlas gave the population of Hancock County 1,59^.