Jackson Avenue

Jackson Avenue. . , Jackson Avenue could really be considered the heart of Ocean Springs. , This community grew north from the foot of Jackson Street. We know that in 1699 French expedition leader Pierre LeMoyne Sieur d'Iberville landed along the Bay somewhere likely in the vicinity of Jackson Avenue, though scholars still debate the exact location. , Settlers discovered in the mid-1800s what Native Americans had known for many years, that the mineral-rich flowing springs of the area were therapeutic in many ways. This discovery brought health-minded visitors aboard graceful schooners, steamboats and paddle wheelers that docked at the foot of Jackson Avenue. This tourism brought growth to the area. And years later with the arrival of the railroad, tourism grew the town up Jackson and Washington Avenues toward the Louisville and Nashville Depot built in 1907. , Postcard image loaned from personal collection., This informational sign is part of a community project led by the Historic Ocean Springs Association, and is made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area. , We thank the City of Ocean Springs for their support of this project.