D'Iberville in Harrison County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
The Old Brickyard
Photographed by Mark Hilton, August 23, 2018
1. The Old Brickyard Marker
Inscription.
The Old Brickyard. . In 1721 the French colonial headquarters made its fourth move on the Coast: Old Biloxi to New Biloxi with the intentions of building a permanent fort of bricks. Abundant ideal brick clay, was discovered here, the best of four resource sites. After starting production, the fort was cancelled and the headquarters moved to the Mississippi River–to become New Orleans. Bricks were in demand (the Ursuline Nun's Convent is one of the structures). In 1726, under Captain Joseph Moran, 400,000 bricks were produced at this yard. Blacks, Indians, Croatians, Spaniards, Swiss, Austrians, Irish and English eventually worked the yard. For two centuries the operations changed ownership four times: First, Colin J. McRae. After his death his partner and manager, another Joseph Moran, sold the yard to Robert Kendall of New Orleans. (The original and extended mineral rights were of land owned by McRae, Hanson and Alsbury.) After a major fire halted operations in 1853, the Commercial Bank of Natchez foreclosed and sold the brickyard (one story dwelling, kitchen, Negro and Indian cabins, brickyard and shed) to James Robb for $25,000. The yard resumed operations as the Imperial Brickyard until 1908. It never reopened. Evidence of the old brickyard is quite visible today.
In 1721 the French colonial headquarters made its fourth move on
the Coast: Old Biloxi to New Biloxi with the intentions of building
a permanent fort of bricks. Abundant ideal brick clay, was discovered
here, the best of four resource sites. After starting production,
the fort was cancelled and the headquarters moved to the Mississippi
River–to become New Orleans. Bricks were in demand (the Ursuline
Nun's Convent is one of the structures). In 1726, under Captain
Joseph Moran, 400,000 bricks were produced at this yard. Blacks,
Indians, Croatians, Spaniards, Swiss, Austrians, Irish and English
eventually worked the yard. For two centuries the operations
changed ownership four times: First, Colin J. McRae. After his
death his partner and manager, another Joseph Moran, sold the
yard to Robert Kendall of New Orleans. (The original and extended
mineral rights were of land owned by McRae, Hanson and Alsbury.)
After a major fire halted operations in 1853, the Commercial Bank
of Natchez foreclosed and sold the brickyard (one story dwelling,
kitchen, Negro and Indian cabins, brickyard and shed) to James
Robb
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for $25,000. The yard resumed operations as the Imperial
Brickyard until 1908. It never reopened. Evidence of the old
brickyard is quite visible today.
Erected 2017 by the D'Iberville Historical Society, City of D'Iberville and Dale Greenwell.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1721.
Location. 30° 25.686′ N, 88° 54.003′ W. Marker is in D'Iberville, Mississippi, in Harrison County. It is on 7th Avenue north of Moran Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7th Avenue, Diberville MS 39540, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the
Photographed by Mark Hilton, August 23, 2018
2. The Old Brickyard Marker looking south on 7th Avenue towards the Back Bay.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 24, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 24, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,131 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 24, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
