Even a decade after Katrina slammed the Mississippi Gulf Coast, signs of the “what was” still remain along Highway 90. Concrete slabs, empty lots and the occasional boarded-up building are part of the “what’s now” landscape, and then, of course, there are the more literal signs ­— staked ones advertising a quarter acre of weedy beach-front property for $550,000.

But there is lots of new in the now, I noticed on a recent trip south. Jefferson Davis’ Beauvoir has been completely restored, and the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art has recovered nicely from its run-in with a casino barge. Harrison County has an impressive new courthouse; Bay St. Louis, a new bridge. Gulfport’s downtown, in particular, seems to have benefited from an obvious update. The boulevard re-do includes wider sidewalks, on-street parking and state-of-the-art crosswalk controls. Nearer to Biloxi, I could easily spy a revitalized marina from where we stayed on East Beach Boulevard.

My husband, a balanced-budget sort of guy, couldn’t resist putting into words what many taxpayers think when they see all the change.

“It’s amazing what a hurricane can do,” he noted flatly, immediately squelching all the ooh and aahing I was doing over one municipality’s innovative landscaping.

I suppose he’s right. When Congress gives a state $5.5 billion for recovery purposes, there should be evidence of it. Just ask town officials at nearby Waveland, who, according to recent reports, may be required to reimburse FEMA $1.4 million for allegedly misspending their piece of that pie.

But I am not thinking of such things on the afternoon we visit our state’s beach, the largest man-made one (26 miles worth) in the world. I have found a jellyfish, and a sea gull is vying for a piece of our pepperoni. And though the water here will never be emerald, my husband points out that it is the shade of sweet tea, which is actually more appropriate. I decide I rather like a shoreline with no pretention – and few people. Let those who will, call it a “Redneck Riviera.” There are advantages to a blue-collar beach — and to living on the Coast, apparently, even though hard-hitting hurricanes are always a possibility.

Bay St. Louis Mayor Les Fillingame reports his city’s current population figures are ahead of pre-Katrina days with more than 11,000 residents now calling Bay St. Louis home. Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes likens the growing interest in his area to “being rediscovered.” That resurgence is thanks in part to a number of grant-funded improvement projects, including Jones Park, arguably one of the finest green spaces to be found anywhere in the state.

That park, nicknamed “Mississippi’s Front Yard,” is a signature Katrina-bounce-back facility. We saw its splash pad in action, and kids on scooters making using of the 23,000 square feet of smooth concrete under the Barksdale Pavilion. We watched as young sailors took classes in its harbor, and big vessels pulled into its more than 300 boat slips.

With several concert pavilions and an amphitheater, Jones Park is the obvious pick for a place to mark Saturday’s big anniversary. That’s why Gulfport has planned a Katrina remembrance service there to celebrate 10 years of recovery, rebuilding and renewal, with an additional emphasis — 10,000 reasons to be thankful to God — rounding out the theme.

Biloxi, a bit further east, will hold its own memorial service the same day at MGM Park.

And while a flood of memories will unleash on the Coast this week as sure as a certain 28-foot storm surge did 10 years ago, that isn’t the biggest anniversary concern facing many residents. Even with all the new buildings and boom, there’s a constant reminder of the past that only worsens with time – one that rears its ugly head every six months.

“My homeowner’s insurance more than doubled after Katrina,” one local told us, shaking his head. “And the only damage I had was a few lost shingles.”

 

Wesson resident Kim Henderson is a freelance writer who writes for The Daily Leader. Contact her at kimhenderson319@gmail.com.