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mis series will cover the 91 courthouses in Miss, photographic history is be. made and will be published as a Bicentennial contribution by the Colonial Patriots Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution. Hancock county was established Dec. 14, 1812 and named for a signer of the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock. Among the 1st settlers of Pearlington and Hancock county was Francois B. Lenoir who represented the county, prior to 1820, in the legislature. The coast region was first discovered by the Spanish and later re -discovered and colonized by LaSalle and Iberville for the French. By the treaty of Paris in 1763 is become a British possession and became part of the West Florida province. These settlements were all on the coast until in the 1800's penetration began to be made into the Indian occupied interior. The Indians finally, under the treaty of Fort Adams, Dec. 17,1801 and Mr.. Dexter, Nov, .16, 1805, re-_ linquished all the southern part of the present State of Miss and MayJ.4, 1812 the District of Mobilelying east of Pearl River, west of the Perdido, and south of the 31st degree of latitude, was annexed to the Miss, territory. Dec. 14, 1814 Hancock and Jackson county were erected from all the territory lying in the limits of present Miss. The original limits of Hancock county on the east began in the middle of the Bay of Biloxi but on Feb. 5,1841 the portion of Hancock county lying east of the line between ranges 13 and 14 became part of Harrison county. Shieldsboro, named for Thomas Shields, a pioneer settler, later became Bay St. Louis. The St. Louis was for the King of France, Louis XI, and the Bay was for the position on the beautiful bay. Early towns in the county were Carriere, Nicholson. Gainsville, Logtown. Pickayune, Westonia, Caesar, Pearlington, and Waveland. Most important and necessary items were brought from New Orleans by Capt. Nelson on the schooner "Major Rainey , the sloop 'slyph'\ and the "(Yi'ole." These vessels made
•ijoro, and Biloxi. Pearl River of the west afforded transportation for the important early lumber industry. The Wolf and Jordan rivers are also important streams. In later years pecans, vegetables, and seafood became an important part of the economy. From this early beginning Hancock county has become a vital part of the National Space program with the $350 million National Space Technology Laboratories project which included a
13,500	acre primary test site with a 128,000 acre buffer zone. Used originally to test rockets that put the first Americans on the moon, it is
environmental research facility. Ha k county has many marrnas and fishing camps for easy access to all types of fresh and salt water sports. New Orleans is near enough for all cultural and sport spectaculars. Hancock county is one of the fastest growing counties in Mississippi and with the civic pride that is evident it should become one of the great counties in the state. The present courthouse was built
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“C” Minutes of bv. Supervisors. Jeth Br Alabama were awardt building contract.