My Ocean Springs: 2007 in Pictures

One of the wonderful evenings in Ocean Springs each year comes when the city blocks off the downtown area and provides a safe place for children to trick or treat. The event is billed as “Trick or Treat Down the Street,” and business owners and their employees up and down both Washington Avenue and Government Street sit out in front of their stores in costume handing out candy to the scads of children who turn out every year. In 2007, Sonny & Cher made an appearance at the law offices of Dogan, Wilkinson, Kinard, Smith, and Edwards.

The Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company began in 1850, and by 1870 the L & N had established service between Mobile and New Orleans, creating a sight that has been familiar in Ocean Springs ever since. After 132 years of service under the name L & N, the railroad company merged into Seaboard System Railroad in 1982, but just four years later, Seaboard lost its name to another merger that became CSX Transportation. With the eerie exception of the period immediately following Hurricane Katrina, the CSX line has been rolling through Ocean Springs for over twenty years now, naturally drawing the attention of Coast residents like Donna Barnes, who watches the train pass her by in Marshall Park.

Pre-schooler Will Marts gets a close-up view of Crooked Feather on a sunny October day in 2007 just two days before the reopening of the Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge resumed travel by his prominent Highway 90 location. Hungarian sculptor, Peter W. Toth, completed the six-foot tall sculpture from a ten ton cypress log in 1976 as a tribute to the indigenous American Indian, then returned to Ocean Springs in 1987 to restore Crooked Feather after Hurricane Elena toppled him in 1985. The original was replaced in the year 2000 by local sculptor, Thomas King, for $20,000.

Martha Reichard opened her Tea Room to enthusiastic reviews on Washington Avenue in 1991, and after sixteen popular years in that location, 2007 witnessed the restaurant’s move to a beautiful Victorian home on Government Street, featuring a wrap-around porch and outside dining. After all these years, Martha continues to make all her homemade breads, something she calls a “dying art,” along with scrumptious homemade desserts. Martha’s is a popular lunch spot, and despite its English tea room atmosphere, Martha taught me that it isn’t just for the ladies! At the restaurant entrance, a sign announces, “Real men eat quiche!”

B.B. Minton, owner of B.B.’s PoBoys and Seafood on Highway 90, offers the most popular lunch spot in Ocean Springs. Diners enjoy the classic New Orleans dishes, such as a shrimp po’boy, bowl of gumbo, and a Barq’s root beer, along with a full lineup of seafood entrees and delicious desserts. B.B. and his wife, Cindi, have been satisfying customers since 1990.

Ruby Entrekin, a lifelong resident of Biloxi and Ocean Springs, relaxes with her family as her son leads his boat out of Ocean Springs Harbor and into the open waters of the Mississippi Sound on a sunny October afternoon. Ocean Springs is an oasis for boating enthusiasts with far too many places to launch to even begin a list. The call of the open expanse of the Gulf of Mexico, the privacy of the intracoastal bayous, and the easy access to the barrier islands provides an opportunity for everyone to enjoy the call of the water.

The brand new Harbor Landing towers over Ocean Springs Harbor, providing spectacular views of the harbor and the Mississippi Sound. Whether one chooses to relax in one of the shaded hammocks or dine in the restaurant, the Harris family’s Harbor Landing provides everyone with a place to unwind and enjoy the best view in Ocean Springs.

Glenda Fountain, manager of Ted E. Bear’s Stuffin’ Station in downtown Ocean Springs, helps a young lady produce a brand new friend. Located in a historic house on Church Street, the Stuffin’ Station has been bringing joy to the lives of children since Hurricane Katrina tried to do just the opposite. There are over thirty animals to choose from in the workshop, followed by the fun of stuffing the animal and dressing it in the unique Fashion Station! The Stuffin’ Station is a popular location for birthday parties and field trips, too.

Cruisin’ the Coast is the biggest special event in the state of Mississippi. What began in 1996 with 374 registered cars, has grown to well over 5,000 cars, bringing an estimated $15 million to the Mississippi Gulf Coast during just one week. Ocean Springs blocked off its downtown area for three days for the cruisers in early October, and although the rain dampened the area, it didn’t keep cruisers like David and Anjanette Gray from rolling down Washington Avenue in their 1940 Chevy Sports Sedan!

The pumpkins at Courtney Farms on Highway 90 officially announce when fall is in the air in Ocean Springs. Haven, a part-time employee at the market, arranges the pumpkins for maximum visual appeal. This popular open-air market began as a fruit and vegetable stand in 2001, and over the years has added flowers, herbs, and plants to its repertoire, making it one of the more popular businesses in town.