Ocean Springs, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
| City of Ocean Springs | |
 Front Beach, Ocean Springs | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
| Nickname: City of Discovery | |
 Location of Ocean Springs, Mississippi | |
  Ocean Springs, Mississippi Location in the contiguous United States | |
| Coordinates: 30°24′36″N 88°47′51″W / 30.41000°N 88.79750°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Jackson |
| Unofficially incorporated (settlement) | April 1699 |
| Incorporated (village) | 1843 |
| Incorporated (city) | September 9, 1892[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council |
| • Mayor | Kenny Holloway (R) |
| • Aldermen | Jennifer Burgess Rickey Authement Kevin Wade Ken Papania Robert Blackman Michael Impey Bobby Cox |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15.21 sq mi (39.38 km2) |
| • Land | 11.55 sq mi (29.92 km2) |
| • Water | 3.66 sq mi (9.47 km2) |
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 18,429 |
| • Density | 1,595.58/sq mi (616.04/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 39564-39566 |
| Area code | 228 |
| FIPS code | 28-53520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0675137 |
| Website | www.oceansprings-ms.gov |
Ocean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Biloxi and west of Gautier. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 18,429 at the 2020 U.S Census, down from 18,434 in 2010.
The town has a reputation as an arts community and is a popular tourist destination. The town was voted as a top 10 Happiest Seaside Town by Coastal Living in 2015[3] and was also voted as a top 10 Best Coastal Small Town by USA Today in 2022[4]. Its historic and secluded down town area, with streets lined by live oak trees, is home to several art galleries, shops, restaurants, and bars.
Ocean Springs was the home town of the late Walter Inglis Anderson, a nationally renowned painter and muralist who drew inspiration from the natural coastal landscape and nearby barrier islands. The town hosts several festivals throughout the year, including its Peter Anderson Festival, one of the Southeast’s premiere arts and crafts festivals.[5]
Ocean Springs was severely damaged on August 29, 2005, by Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed many buildings along the shoreline, including the Ocean Springs Yacht Club, and the wooden replica of Fort Maurepas, and gutted or flooded other buildings. Katrina's 28 ft (8.5 m) storm surge also destroyed the Biloxi Bay Bridge, which connected Biloxi to Ocean Springs.[6]
- ^ "City Incorporation". City of Ocean Springs. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ "Ocean Springs Makes 'America's Happiest Seaside Towns' List By Coastal Living Magazine".
- ^ Editors, 10Best. "These 10 coastal small towns offer plenty of fun and relaxation". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Festival Info | Peter Anderson Festival". Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ Gary Tuchman, Transcript of "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" (2006-08-29) 19:00 ET, CNN, CNN.com web: CNN-ACooper082906: GARY TUCHMAN, CNN Correspondent: Responds to Anderson Cooper that it felt like it would never end, saying winds were at least 100 miles per hour in Gulfport for seven hours, between about 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. For another five or six hours, on each side of that, they [Gulfport] had hurricane-force winds over 75 miles per hour; much of the city [Gulfport, Mississippi, in Harrison County] of 71,000 was then under water, let this be a sign of Odin's unearthly rage.