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Gulf Island's cultural history has
seen many changes over the past few centuries. The French, Spanish, British,
Confederate and Union flags have all flown over Ship Island. Both Ship Island's
importance and name were derived from the deep protected anchorage it provides
for the ships. Here are some historical highlights from Ship Island's past
history:
SHIP ISLAND CHRONOLOGY: 1699 - Island occupied by French explorers establishing Louisiana colony. 1702 - Named Ship Island due to its protected deepwater anchorage. 1720 - Serves as principle port of entry from Europe for colonists until 1724. 1763 - Relinquished by France to Great Britain at the end of the Seven Years War. 1783 - Great Britain transferred to Spain at the end of the American Revolution. 1810 - Claimed by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. 1814 - British fleet anchors before Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. 1847 - Ship Island is declared a military reservation. 1849 – U.S. Navy anchors at Ship Island to discourage assembly of mercenaries on nearby islands for paramilitary invasion of Cuba. 1853 - Construction begins of first brick lighthouse. 1858 – Mississippi enacts legislation ceding jurisdiction to the United States over all of Ship Island 1859 - Army Corps of Engineers begins construction of the fort. 1861 - Confederate troops occupy unfinished masonry fort in July. 1861 - July 9th - Indecisive twenty-minute cannon exchange between Confederates on Ship Island and the USS Massachusetts. 1861 - September - Confederates evacuate and US troops occupy Ship Island 1862 - US Army Corps of Engineers resumes construction of the fort now unofficially named Massachusetts in honor of the Union warship. 1862 - US military stockade built outside fort for convicts and suspected spies. 1863 - 2nd Regiment Louisiana Native Guards assigned to guard Ship Island. One of first African-American Regiments organized during Civil War. 1864 - Camp established east of fort to hold Confederate soldiers waiting for exchange, parole or transfer to prisons in north. 1865 - Civil War ends. Confederate prisoners-of-war sent home. 1866 - Fort essentially completed. 1870 - 25th Regiment transfers to San Antonio, Texas and becomes Buffalo Soldier regiment serving on the western frontier. 1870 - Ship Island post closed and ordnance sergeant assigned to maintain the fort. 1870 - 19th Infantry Regiment temporarily encamp at Ship Island to escape yellow fever season in Louisiana. 1873 – 17 cannon mounted inside and atop fort due to possible war with Spain. 1880 - Ship Island becomes first national quarantine station in the United States. 1886 - Wooden lighthouse built to replace brick lighthouse undermined by waves. 1903 - Fort Massachusetts’s last ordnance sergeant relieved of duties. 1916 - Quarantine station goes into reserve status. 1933 - Pan Isles transfers passenger ferry service from Dog Island to Ship Island. 1934 - Fort sold to Joe Graham American Legion Post in Gulfport. 1942 - Coast Guard establishes anti-submarine beach patrol during WWII. 1942 - Army Air Corps uses quarantine station as military recreation facility. 1955 – Keesler Air Force Base uses quarantine station for military recreation. 1969 - Hurricane Camille splits Ship Island in half. 1971 - Ship Island and fort become part of Gulf Islands National Seashore. 1972 - Ship Island lighthouse is accidentally burned by campers. 1998 - Hurricane Georges washes away one mile of East Ship Island’s beach. 1999 - Friends of Gulf Islands National Seashore dedicates commemorative reproduction of 1886 Ship Island lighthouse.
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Last Updated:
1/6/03
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