Welcome to Old Town Bay St. Louis!
Mississippi Gulf Coast
Our January 2018 Second Saturday
"Hot Spots"
stay "Hot" all month!
Hot Spot Activities are 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
HANCOCK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY108 Cue Street
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520 228.467.4090 Open House: 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 13, 2018 ![]() Like many Bay St. Louis residents, it was love at first sight for Charles Harry Gray, the director of the Hancock County Historical Society. The year was 1984. The event was the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge. Mr. Gray had driven in his Rolls Royce from New Orleans to the Bay to observe. Within a week, Charles Harry Gray had purchased his first home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Not long afterward, Mr. Gray attended a meeting of the Hancock County Historical Society, became a member, and was made vice president on the very day he joined. This was before the Lobrano house was bestowed to the Historical Society at a time when Historical Society members held their meetings at local restaurants. Charles Harry Gray knew all about restaurants, as he had operated Corinne Dunbar’s restaurant in the grand parlor of her home on St. Charles Avenue. At Corinne Dunbar’s, guests were treated as if they were dinner guests at a party in her home. I suspect that those who visit the Hancock County Historical Society experience a similar sense of welcome. The Society is headquartered in the Kate Lobrano House, described on the Historical Society's website as “a delightful 1896 shotgun cottage that was donated to the society in 1988 by the grandchildren of Katherine Maynard Lobrano.” The original house (108 Cue Street) is used as a turn-of-the-century museum while an addition to the rear of the house provides office and storage space. Depending on the day of week, guests will find either Charles Gray or Eddie Coleman, newsletter editor and staff person, manning the operation along with one of the Society’s officers or a community volunteer. Membership in the Hancock County Historical Society is 1,000 strong, and membership is nationwide. In fact, Gray marvels that a contingent of out-of-state members commit to months of volunteer service onsite while vacationing in the Bay area. In the pre-Katrina years, visitors traveled to Hancock County regularly via tour bus often to visit the 728 Bay St. Louis houses on the National Registry. The tour buses are no longer running, and the Hancock County Historical Society functions in many ways as a guest or travel center for those who want to know what to see and do while in the area. At its heart, however, the Historical Society collects, preserves, and maintains a collection of documents, photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts designed to help future generations understand their heritage. As a private institution with no state funding, the Hancock Historical Society relies entirely on charitable contributions and memberships and is only as strong as its community involvement. To that end, the Historical Society has a standing invitation to anyone who has lived in Hancock County to share their family histories. If you bring in photographs, Society volunteers will copy and file them in color-coded binders labeled Waveland, County, People, Tony Scafidi, Hurricanes, Cemeteries, Registered Trees, Bay St. Louis Houses, and so on. The photos will also be scanned and saved online to the Cloud. The Hancock County Historical Society is only as good as its community participation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Call for Information As any survivor of a natural disaster can tell you, few things are as important as preserving personal artifacts, memorabilia, and stories. With that in mind, the Hancock County Historical Society invites those whose loved ones have lived in Hancock County to complete a one-page bio sketch of a deceased loved one or family member with roots in Hancock County. It would be appreciated if you would follow the template suggested below. Label and attach a photograph, and include your contact information. All original photographs will be returned to you. A word to the wise: Don’t let the “Story/Anecdote” section intimidate you. Your story might be a paragraph long and focus on a family holiday, a childhood memory, a rite of passage, a military experience, an encounter with nature, a sports triumph, a religious awakening, or a professional accolade. |
Carroll House
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To learn more about the Old Town Merchants Association, use the alphabetical list below. You can also search by category from the menu bar above.
OLD TOWN Trolley Service iS FREE
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Old Town's Historic Tour
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![]() The Bay's Walking/Biking Historic Tour is proof in print that history doesn't have to be boring!
And now it's available in a nifty PDF version, so it can go with you on your phone! Click to open it up and get going right now! Look for an updated print version available free at various merchant locations throughout Old Town in the coming weeks! |
National Recognition
In the June 2017 issue of Vogue Magazine, Bay St. Louis is featured in the article "A Summer Road Trip Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast". Share it with friends and business associates. To read the article in Vogue Magazine, click here!
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In March of 2017, Bay St. Louis was featured as one of Thrillist 13 Amazing American Beach Towns you can actually afford to live in. Explore Old Town and find out why!
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U.S. Solo Travel Destinations for women...

In March of 2017, Glamour Magazine named Bay St. Louis as one of eight cool, unexpected American destinations for women to consider for a solo travel destination. So start bragging!
Share it with friends and business associates. To read the article in Glamour Magazine, click here!
Share it with friends and business associates. To read the article in Glamour Magazine, click here!
BSL Makes "Best Of!"RECENTLY, BAY ST. LOUIS WAS ONE OF ONLY TWELVE MISSISSIPPI LOCATIONS TO BE SELECTED FOR THE "OFFICIAL BEST OF MISSISSIPPI" FEATURE. NOMINEES UNDERWENT A RIGOROUS SELECTION PROCESS. SEE WHY WE WERE CHOSEN "BEST PLEASURE SEEKER'S PARADISE" BELOW!
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The Second Saturday Artwalk is sponsored by Hancock Bank, People's Bank and The First Bank with support from the Seacoast Echo.