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4-THE SEA COAST ECHO, TERCENTENNIAL EDITION, THURSDAY, AUGUST 19
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then known as Fist Mississippi.
The direct result was of great importance to Mississippi Territory and to the present state as in this way frontage on the Gulf was secured. The flag of the United States was raised over the Bay on Jan. 11, 1811.
There were six “watering places” developed on the Gulf Coast before 1860. They were Shieldsborough or Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Mississippi City, Biloxi, Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.
Weekly excursions to the watering places made it possible for those forced to remain in New Orleans during the week to enjoy something of resort life on the weekends.
On the fourth of July organizations such as military companies and fire departments came in masses.
The selection here to spend the summer was personal. On New Orleans paper put it, “Here is the difficulty -- to select, among so many pleasant and desirable places, all having peculiar advantages and characteristics.”
The Bay of St. Louis was named for Louis IX of France on whose birthday it was discovered by Bienville in 1699.
Thomas Shield secured a grant from the Spanish Government for part of this area.
By 1814 a village known as Shieldsboro on the west side of the Bay was the summer
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resort of Natchez planters, and during the 1820’s and 1830’s it grew in favor with the up country planters.
Involved land titles in the area gave rise to much litigation that employed numerous lawyers.
Of the location Timothy Flint wrote that “It is swept by cool breezes of the Gulf, and though it has not always been exempted from the yellow fever, is a famed resort for the inhabitants of New Orleans during the sickly months.”
The Bay of St. Louis Hotel at Shieldsborough was advertised in 1839 by its owner J. St. Cyr. Board was $60 per month. In 1842 this “establishment” and well known retreat was opened by Edward Milford and Angusters McDonald.
They pointed out that in attractions for families ... “the hotel at Bay St. Louis has claims for possess. Its fine and abundant shade — its excellent drives - a retired resort on the grounds for children and nurses to amuse and recreate themselves -- the coolness of the water — the superiority of bathing and washing arrangements — all contributed to make this house a place of very desirable resort.”
Rates were $35 a month, $10 a week, $2 a day with children and servants half price. The editor of the New Orleans Daily Picayune, visiting Bay St. Louis in August 1842, reported “fishing and fine bathing, good eating and drinking, music and dancing, bowling and pistol shooting, billiards, et cetera, contribute some of the amusements and enjoyments at the Bay St. Louis Hotel.
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“But these things are not the only attraction at Milfords. There are lots of beautiful and interesting ladies, who complete t^e galaxy of splendid attractions now at this desirable resort. Indeed Bay St. Louis is a right pleasant place.”
Even with the scattered and incomplete records Bay St. Louis was quite a busy center during the Civil War. No battles were fought here but the Coast was carefully guarded and there were many activities among the citizens for the comfort of the soldiers.
Occasionally raids were made and horses and cattle were stolen, and sometimes chickens to satisfy Union soldiers’ craving for chicken dinners.
There were no plantations to destroy and no homes were burned. This section suffered little from raids. The only privation that the citizens suffered was a scarcity of salt, sugar and coffee.
Colonel Dan B. Seal, a native of Hancock County at the outbreak of the Civil War, recruited what was known as the “Hancock Rebels” made up of men from the county and known in history as Company C.
To John V. Tulme, another man who figures prominently in the early history of the county and city, is given the credit for organizing the “Shieldsboro Rifles.” These men were recruited in Bay St. Louis and saw service in the long war between the States.
There was also the “Shieldsboro Dragons” which was a cavalry company organized in 1861 and fought the whole length of the war.
The act organizing the county specifies no county seat. It was provided by an act passed Feb. 2, 1825, that sessions of the county courts be held part of the year in Bay St. Louis and part in Pearlington, and that the use of either jail for the confine-
ment of prisoners was left to the discretion of the sheriff.
Court was also held two or three times a year at a place called Center, somewhere near the present Caesar. Later the town of Gainsville on the Pearl River was the county seat.
Fire destroyed the courthouse Apr. 1, 1853 and the county seat was subsequently moved to Bay St. Louis. In 1860 the county seat moved to Bay St. Louis.
Bay St. Louis is the name by which the settlement was originally known. Later it was called Shieldsboro and both names were used for many years.
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen at their first meeting Jan. 4, 1858, attempted to clarify the matter by incorporating the city under the name of the city of Shieldsborough.
this evidently did not meet with the general approbation, so on March 2, 1875, the first name was restored, and the city was incorporated as the City of Bay St. Louis.
The city is situated in Hancock County on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the extreme southwest comer of Mississippi adjacent to Louisiana where Pearl River forms the dividing line.
It is bounded on the east by Jourdan River and on the south by waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Oysters, salt water fish, shrimp, and crabs abound in the waters of the Gulf and draw fishermen from all parts of the world. Excellent highways lead into the county and approximately 170 miles of paved roadways within the county are excellent for travel and transportation.
It is interesting to note that by 1880 there were many businesses which thrived in the community. Mr. J. B. Toulme had a leather factory where he employed seven men and utilized over 10,00C pounds of leather per year.
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Spanish Customs House
The Spanish Customs House/Akers home at 708 South Beac Boulevard in Bay St. Louis, built in 1787, is still in use today as private residence.