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Historical significance of Bay area unrecognized
Editor
Sea Coast Echo Bay St. Louis
Sir:
Bay St. Louis has historical significance that none of the local residents seem willing to claim.
Ocean Springs was the first settlement by the Canadian-French explorers in the Mississippi Valley and BAY ST. LOUIS was second, not Natchitoches as that town claims.*
I have presented these facts to the Hancock County Historical Society and previous dty administrations and nobody has done anything about it. If the location was in Florida, Bay St. Louis would be a tourist mecca.
To substantiate my claim, simply read the journals of Iberville, Bienville and the Compte De Lisle (Royal cartographer) for a description of how the permanent settlement of a few members of the party was established in Bay St. Louis in 1699.
The History of Hancock County written in the 1930’s as a federal government project establishes the location of the early fort as facing the beach just south of Dunbar Ave.
Maybe somebody will grab the ball to give Bay St. Louis its proper place on the historical map.
Sincerely, R. J. Caire Pass Christian