Biloxi Off The Beaten Path

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There is a 400-year old oak tree along the north side of Highway 90 near the beach with a ring formed in one of its largest branches. According to legend, an Indian chief told his daughter she could marry a man who was an enemy if the tree formed a ring, and the next day the ring was there. It was probably formed by a lightning strike.

The ring in the oak is at the Episcopal Church of The Redeemer, 610 Water Street.

I am trying to determine if the ring and/or the tree survived Hurricane Katrina.

UPDATE: I visited the site on 19 July 2006 then did some follow up research. The church was destroyed by the hurricane and I didn't see the ring in the oak. However, I just read an article saying it survived...things do look different now as compared to my last visit in 1998.

BTW, the Church of the Redeemer was built prior to the Civil War and was used by Jefferson Davis after the end of the war until his death. It also was damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and the bell tower preserved as a memorial to those who died...the bell tower memorial was destroyed by Katrina.

Biloxi has a great Vietnamese community to explore, try one of these establishments: On the corner of Oak and Howard, in East Biloxi, an area called Point Cadet, there is a fine Asian grocery store called Hong Kong. You will find roasted pork and duck for sale in the back of the store, plus unusual produce and canned goods too.
If you continue North on Oak street, just passed the rail road intersection, you will find, on the right hand side of the road, a GREAT little bakery. All of the bakery items are made fresh daily on the premises and include baguette, French loaf, turnovers of all descriptions as well as cakes and super sweet stuff. .
Pho Palace (pho is soup in Vietnamese), 615 Howard Ave., is open for lunch and supper (tel. 432-9020). It has a very extensive menu, but you might want to try grilled pork vermicelli, lemon grass chicken or beef, beef stew with egg noodles or anything in a clay pot (really!). I have never had a disappointing meal here.
Kim Long restaurant, 832 W. Division St, tel. 435-0907. This neat little Vietnamese restaurant has been open for many years and is very popular. Locals argue over which is the best, Pho Palace or Kim Long, but I will leave it to you to decide.
If you happen to be in Biloxi during Chinese New Year (the date changes every year, so check first), check out the Dragon Dances held all over Biloxi, mostly at commercial establishments owned by Vietnamese. The dances are to insure good luck for the next year and are exciting and loud!

The peaceful atmosphere of Pass Christian shows little evidence of the destruction wreaked by HURRICANE CAMILLE in 1969. Camille caused more than 175 deaths and virtually destroyed the Pass downtown area.
Located on Scenic Drive in Gulfport, this old tug is a reminder of the devastation caused by Hurricane Camille.

Another one of our favourite little places in the Biloxi area is OCEAN SPRINGS. It is a 20 minute drive east of Biloxi. Drive along Beach Blvd., go over the bridge and you will come to the charming little town of Ocean Springs. There are many quaint shops and of course the harbour area which we always must visit. Here, there are always plentiful of pelicans which are attracted here because it's a peaceful and protected area.

I always find the Harbour Area of Pass Christian, fascinating. It's always a hub of activity with boats coming in with their catch of the day. I like to walk along the docks, say hello to the fishermen and if I have a question, they are always eager to answer it. Many fishermen sell their shrimp right off the boat as you can see by this FRESH SHRIMP sign. I was told that the shrimp sell for $2.00 a pound for the small shrimp and $2.50 a pound for the larger shrimp.

Since before anyone can remember, shrimp have been an important part of Mississippi's coastal development. These delicacies from the deep were perhaps first caught by the American Indians, who in turn taught the early French settlers to harvest shrimp in the shallow waters near shore.

A beachfront mansion, PALACE IN THE PASS is available for wedding ceremonies, receptions, Christmas and Holiday parties and other special occasions requiring gracious surroundings. Located at 401 East Scenic Drive.
Call owners P.J. Hughes or son Randy Tuggle for an appointment or for a tour.
Last year Hans and I had the privilege of touring the "Palace". We were taking pictures outside, Randy saw us and invited us in. What a treat. Each room was decorated lavishly and each had a theme. The mansion was filled with antiques, beautiful paintings and furniture.

Located 10 miles west of Gulfport, PASS CHRISTIAN is an idyllic beachfront community. Pass Christian, called simply "The Pass" by locals, stretches for more than 5 miles along the white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.
Stately homes line Scenic Drive, which has been called the "most beautiful street in America."
Hans and I always make a point of driving along Beach Blvd. to visit Pass Christian. It's such an enjoyable drive along the beaches of the Gulf.

If you're visiting Biloxi you might enjoy a trip to the neighboring city to the east, Ocean Springs. A quaint downtown shopping and dining area where you can stroll and enjoy the afternoon... Terrific finds in an out of the way location... great food... and a pretty dog-friendly city as well (dogs are welcome on the beach in Ocean Springs but prohibited on Biloxi Beach!). It's a 10 minute drive from Biloxi casinos and well worth the trip!

And my lead paragraph did mention casinos? This is the Beau Rivage. It means beautiful shore. It was built at the cost of almost a billion dollars. Steve Wynn, who built the Mirage in Las Vegas, built it. The foyer was originally populated with 30 or 40 full grown magnolia trees.