Biloxi

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The French established the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi valley in 1699 across the bay at Old Biloxi, which is now Ocean Springs. New Biloxi was founded in 1719. It was the capital of French Louisiana until 1722, after which New Orleans took that role. Biloxi came in the news in 1969, when hurricane Camille wrecked the city's waterfront.

Some of the sights in Biloxi include Keesler Air Force Base and 'Beauvoir', the last home of Jefferson Davis. It was built between 1852 and 1854. Off the coast from Biloxi are the western islands of Gulf Islands National Seashore, including Ship Island, which served as a Union fort during the Civil War.

Industries in Biloxi include fishing and boatbuilding, the packing and shipping of shrimp and oysters and several small manufactures. Since 1990, floating casinos have made Biloxi, long a beach resort, the center of a gambling boom district, which also includes the neighboring town of Gulfport.

In recent years thousands of new hotel rooms have been added to the city's wide variety of accommodation. There are many bars and restaurants in Biloxi too. The city is in the southeast of Mississippi, on a peninsula between Biloxi Bay and Mississippi Sound, on the Gulf of Mexico. It is 250 km southeast from Jackson and 1460 km southwest from Washington D.C.