Gulfport's name says it all. The port and railroads were the foundation for this community. In 1900, at two years old, its population was only a little over 1,000. However, by 1906, that number had grown to over 14,000. A wide channel and deepened basin provided for the 36 ships anchored in the harbor. Capt. William T. Hardy's railroad was complete.
Wealthy oilman Capt. Joseph T. Jones had made good on his promises of a train depot, an office building, banks, schools, churches, and stores. The luxurious Great Southern Hotel stood as a star costing over $350,000 to build. Gulfport was a thriving port city. The golfing, hunting, and waterfront activities were an early appeal. Images reflect great fortune and the desperate losses in Gulfport.
Author Betty Hancock Shaw is a native and lifelong resident of Gulfport who became intensely interested in preserving the city's history in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina devastated so much of the area. Her husband's grandfather, Hobart D. Shaw, designed the area's seawall, and his father, Philip W. Shaw Sr., was a former mayor of Gulfport. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from Mississippi State University. She is a founding member of Gulfport's historical society.
Highlights of Gulfport:
• The face of downtown Gulfport
• Building the seawall
• Hurricanes
• Gulfport and the military
• Entertainment and tourism
• People, places, and things of Gulfport
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.
Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.
# # #
With more than 6,000 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.
