Waveland, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
| Motto: "America's Small Beach Town"[1] | |
 Location of Waveland, Mississippi | |
  Waveland, Mississippi Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:30°17′36″N89°22′42″W / 30.29333°N 89.37833°W /30.29333; -89.37833 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Hancock |
| Established | 1972 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jay Trapani (R)[2][3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.63 sq mi (22.36 km2) |
| • Land | 8.49 sq mi (21.99 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.37 km2) |
| Elevation | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,210 |
| • Density | 849/sq mi (327.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 39576 |
| Area code | 228 |
| FIPS code | 28-78200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405691[5] |
| Website | waveland |
Waveland is a city located inHancock County, Mississippi, United States, on theGulf of Mexico. It is part of theGulfport–Biloxi, MississippiMetropolitan Statistical Area. The city of Waveland was incorporated in 1972. As of the2020 census, Waveland had a population of 7,210.[6] Waveland was nearly destroyed byHurricane Camille on August 17, 1969, and byHurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005.
Andrew Jackson once lived and owned land in Waveland on what is now known as Jackson Ridge.[7] Much of Jackson Ridge later becameBuccaneer State Park.[8]
TheSilver Slipper Casino opened on November 9, 2006.
On August 17, 1969,Hurricane Camille made landfall at the tip of Louisiana before continuing on shore at Waveland.[9] The storm heavily damaged the areas south of theLouisville and Nashville Railroad. Recovery efforts went on for nearly a decade. The town later erected a plaque commemorating the efforts of the volunteers who committed time and resources towards rebuilding.
_Waveland%2c_MS%2c_January_28%2c_2006_--_This_destroyed_house_and_debris_is_a_result_of_Hurricane_Katrina%2527s_landfall_at_this_small_Mississippi_coastal_town._The_effects_-_DPLA_-_59102302eb7088feeb129c571fcaabd3.jpg)
The city of Waveland was "ground zero" ofHurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005. The city received massive damage and is still in the process of recovering and rebuilding. South of the CSXT mainline, the area was almost completely destroyed. The rest of the city took heavy flooding. In a news report, state officials said Waveland took a harder hit from the wind and water than any other town along the Gulf Coast, and that the town was obliterated. Official reports stated that approximately 50 people died when Waveland was hit directly by the eyewall of Katrina and the 26-foot (7.9 m) storm surge. Hurricane Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 8:01 am, +2.2 feet more.[10]
Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40 Mississippi libraries, gutting the Waveland Public Library, as a total loss, requiring a complete rebuild.[11]
The Ground Zero Hurricane Museum was opened in 2013 in what was the Waveland Civic and Cultural Center. Following Hurricane Katrina, the center was the only public building left standing in the city.[12]
A group of social activists seeking to better the lives of local residents, called the "Rainbow Family", arrived in Waveland soon after Hurricane Katrina. From early September to early December 2005, they ran the "New Waveland Cafe & Clinic"[13][14] in the parking lot of Fred's Dept Store on Highway 90. The café provided free hot meals three times a day. The clinic was staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses from throughout the United States who saw over 5,000 patients during the duration, free of charge and dispensing free medications. Donations of medications and supplies came from a multitude of sources, with International Aid[15] arranging the most donations.
Waveland Elementary School, which has served public school students in Grades K-3 (Grades 4-5 attend Second Street Elementary in nearby Bay St. Louis), was heavily damaged by Katrina. The students attending the school were educated in portable classrooms for the beginning of the 2006–2007 school year, pending a permanent solution.[16]
The recovery of Waveland was due in part to the faith-based disaster recovery effort in and around the Waveland area. Shoreline Park Baptist Church in Waveland and Pastor Ed Murphy were vital to this effort, housing and feeding hundreds of missionaries from around the country for many years following Hurricane Katrina in what were referred to as "Pods for God". Shoreline Park Baptist Church directed the repair and, in some instances, the rebuilding of homes in the area for many years after the devastation.[17][18]
After the storm, the similarly named town ofWayland, Massachusetts saw the town was neglected compared to theNew Orleans area which received more media coverage, and decided to adopt the town of Waveland. They started an organization called Wayland to Waveland which sent a tractor trailer full of essential supplies, rebuilt homes, and restored local parks. Even though Hurricane Katrina was many years ago, the two towns still share a bond.[19]
Waveland is in southeastern Hancock County along the shore ofMississippi Sound, an embayment of theGulf of Mexico. It is bordered to the north and northeast by the city ofBay St. Louis.U.S. Route 90 passes through the northern side of the city, leading east across theBay of Saint Louis 18 miles (29 km) toGulfport and west 55 miles (89 km) toNew Orleans.Beach Boulevard (Mississippi Highway 606) passes along the shoreline, connecting Waveland withBuccaneer State Park and the communities ofLakeshore andClermont Harbor.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, Waveland has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.4 km2), of which 8.5 square miles (22.0 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km2), or 1.66%, are water.[20]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 328 | — | |
| 1900 | 520 | 58.5% | |
| 1910 | 554 | 6.5% | |
| 1920 | 431 | −22.2% | |
| 1930 | 663 | 53.8% | |
| 1940 | 768 | 15.8% | |
| 1950 | 793 | 3.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,106 | 39.5% | |
| 1970 | 3,108 | 181.0% | |
| 1980 | 4,186 | 34.7% | |
| 1990 | 5,369 | 28.3% | |
| 2000 | 6,674 | 24.3% | |
| 2010 | 6,435 | −3.6% | |
| 2020 | 7,210 | 12.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[21] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,314 | 73.7% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,100 | 15.26% |
| Native American | 35 | 0.49% |
| Asian | 64 | 0.89% |
| Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 362 | 5.02% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 331 | 4.59% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 7,210 people, 2,642 households, and 1,683 families residing in the city.
Most of Waveland is served by theBay St. Louis-Waveland School District. Some portions are within theHancock County School District.[23]
All of Hancock County is in the service area ofPearl River Community College.[24]
Municipalities and communities ofHancock County, Mississippi,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
