Hancock County Courthouse - Bay St. Louis, MS
N 30° 18.658 W 089° 19.688
16R E 276130 N 3355540
An impressive county courthouse along the old route of the OST to the Pass Christian causeway was built in 1911
Waymark Code: WMQZCA
Location: Mississippi, United States
Date Posted: 04/18/2016
Views: 2
The Hancock County Courthouse sits at 152 Main Street as the OST proceeds easterly to Pass Christian.
It was built in 1911 and heavily damaged during hurricanes Camille (1969) and Katrina (2005). It was repaired both times, and still serves the folks of Hancock County.
More in the history and the post-Katrina repairs for this courthouse can be found here: (
visit link)
BACKGROUND: This historic courthouse in downtown Bay St. Louis, built in 1911, was considered the crown jewel and heart of Main Street. When it was reopened in 2009, the company that did the renovation received an award from the state’s engineering council for the restoration of the building to its original character. Restoration included revealing the original plasterwork and dome ceiling. Reclaimed heart-pine lumber was used for the jury box, wainscoting and chair rails.
THE DAMAGE: Winds near 125 mph and windborne debris razed parts of the roof and shattered some of the windows, causing water damage inside. The storm surge damaged the courthouse’s one-story storage buildings and its contents.
FEMA FUNDING: The county opted to do an improved project, putting the eligible FEMA money of $2.4 million (the cost of restoring the property to pre-disaster condition) toward replacing and expanding the storage facilities. The money also went toward repairing the roof and replacing the windows with pre-finish aluminum storm-resistant ones. The courthouse also has a new fiber-optic video conferencing system. Other funding sources came from insurance proceeds and historical grants."
The modern US 90 bypasses downtown Bay St Louis in favor of a direct connection to the US 90 causeway over Pass Christian (the better to evacuate in advance of hurricanes), but the old route of the OST went right down Main Street.