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172:. They had found the bay was 7–8 feet (2 m) deep. They decided to construct the fort there, as they "could find no spot more convenient, and our provisions were failing, we could search no longer". On Wednesday, April 8, they commenced to cut away the trees preparatory for construction of the fort. All the men "worked vigorously", and by the end of the month, the fort had been finished. They also carved what is known as the
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A park has since been constructed at the site of the fort. It includes a playground, a splash pad, a stage, a two-story structure with a viewing platform overlooking the beach, public restrooms, and an eco-friendly parking lot. The construction included improvements of pathways along the beach, and
194:
The best men were selected to remain at the fort, including detachments of soldiers to place with the
Canadians (the French also had a colony in what is now Quebec and along the upper Mississippi River) and workmen, and sailors to serve on the gunboats. Altogether about 100 people were left at Fort
251:
Fathers Davion and
Montigny, accompanied by a few Frenchmen, were th first visitors at the fort, having made the journey downriver in canoes. In May 1700, the settlers were visited by M. Sagan, a traveler from Canada. He carried a request from the French minister to the governor M. de Sauvolle,
477:
Historical documents, reports and translated journals about Fort
Maurepas sometimes contain conflicting dates, or other details. They were records of what people knew, and their understanding of time and context was limited. Often, such writings compress events to simplify the overall view. In
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and its branches, a major tributary of the
Mississippi that has its confluence at what later developed as Saint Louis. During the absence of d'Iberville, his young brother Bienville made further expeditions to try to secure the prosperity of the colony. But the colonists suffered from tropical
226:
Few of the colonists were experienced with agriculture, and the colony never became self-sustaining. The climate and soil were different than they were familiar with. On the return of d'Iberville to Old Biloxi in
January 1700, he brought with him sixty Canadian immigrants and a large supply of
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In the meantime, the boats were actively engaged transporting the powder, guns, and ammunition, as well as the live stock, such as bulls, cows, hogs, fowls, turkeys, etc. . . . The fort was made with four bastions, two of them squared logs, from 2-3 feet thick, placed one upon the other, with
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of 44 guns. This was welcome news to the garrison, which had been living for more than 3 months on little more than corn. They had lost more than 60 men due to disease, leaving only 150 persons in the colony. Bienville was ordered to evacuate Biloxi, and move to a settlement on the
307:, Bienville met with his brothers de Serigny and Chateaugue, who had arrived with a detachment of sailors and workmen. They were to build a magazine for storage of goods and provisions which had been brought from France. On January 16th, Bienville commenced to build the
161:. However, because of its flooding, he had been unable to find a suitable location during his first voyage of discovery up the Mississippi in March 1699. He returned from his river journey on April 1, and spent another week in searching the shores adjacent to
235:
with the view to silk ; the timber for shipbuilding, and to seek for mines. Expeditions in search of gold, jewels and valuable furs were the main goals of the colonists. They made thorough explorations of the
Mississippi River and the surrounding
276:, their traditional enemies among native groups. The Choctaw during this period had 40 villages, with more than 5,000 warriors. On October 25, 20 Mobile natives arrived at Fort Maurepas. They were said to have about 400 fighting men.
452:
exceeding 30 feet (9 m) plus higher waves. Within a few hours, all coastal towns were flooded more than 90%. Residents who had not evacuated, survived by swimming to treetops or roof lines of taller buildings.
853:
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A replica of the wooden Fort
Maurepas was built on front beach about a mile from the original site (which is on private property) in the 20th century and was open to the public. It was badly damaged by
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317:, on the right bank of the river. It was the official center of the Gulf Coast colony for the next nine years, until the new Fort Conde was built. (Mobile city developed around it.)
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country. His government intended to take over the copper mines of the Sioux
Indians in the interests of France. Meanwhile, the French had established forts and settlements in the
482:) began at Fort Maurepas in 1699, moved to Mobile in 1702 (relocated in 1711), and returned to Fort Maurepas (Old Biloxi) in 1719. The main garrison moved to the fort at (New)
490:
during June–August 1722. Several source documents sometimes state "1723" for the founding of New
Orleans as the capital, but this was in fact its first full-year as capital.
184:
embrasures for port holes, and a ditch all around. The other two bastions were stockaded with heavy timbers which took four men to lift one of them. Twelve guns were mounted.
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Also: two captains, two cannoniers, four sailors, eighteen filibusters, ten mechanics, 6 masons, 13 Canadians, and 20 sub-officers and soldiers who comprised the garrison.
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340:. In 1719, Fort Maurepas (at Old Biloxi) was burned; it was never reconstructed by the French. Another fort and magazines were also constructed on Ship Island, in the
328:. They ordered a new fort to be constructed on the mainland opposite, selecting a place one league west of Old Biloxi for a site across Biloxi Bay. The transport ship
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On
Tuesday, April 7, 1699, d'Iberville and Surgeres observed "an elevated place that appeared very suitable". This spot was on the northeast shore of
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497:(after a Native American tribe) was used by the French colonists as one of the nine military districts of the Province of Louisiana (in 1752):
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In modern times, a replica of Fort Maurepas was built at the site, then within the town of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. It was badly damaged by
303:
On January 5, 1702, Bienville departed for the Mobile River, leaving 20 men under the command of M. de Boisbriant as garrison at the fort. At
265:, including the governor, M. de Sauvolle, who died in the summer of 1701. Bienville became ranking chief in command, and acted as commandant.
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248:. Learning of the French colony at Old Biloxi, Canadians came by the boatload down the Mississippi from the upper country (today's Quebec).
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613:: gives dates: 13 Feb. 1699, went to the mainland Biloxi, with fort completion May 1, 1699; sailed for France May 4.
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332:, commanded by M. Berranger, had arrived with many carpenters and masons. They built the new fort, known as New Biloxi (
87:, in a transliteration of the name of the local Native American tribe. The military camp was also known in French as
705:"A New Map of as much of North & South America" (London/1725), Edge of the Map Incorporated, 2007, webpage:
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692:"Pas-Kaart Van de Golff van Mexico" (map from Amsterdam/1710), Edge of the Map Incorporated, 2007, webpage:
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to the sailors memorial, crosswalks, and fire pits. It provides access to parking on the opposite side of the
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in 1723 on the Mississippi River. Government buildings in the latter city were still under construction.
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383:. However, later in the same year, Fort Maurepas (at Old Biloxi) burned. It was never reconstructed.
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to the east, with the news that d'Iberville and Serigny had reached there with the king's ships, the
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501:(French names of military districts; all but two were named after local Native American tribes).
324:) had become choked with sand, de l'Épinay and de Bienville decided to make use of the harbor at
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waters during the early 18th century, the capital of French Louisiana was moved from Mobile to
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In 1700, Le Sueur was sent to the upper Mississippi with 20 men to establish a fort in the
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Biloxi, Natchez, Yazoo, Alabama, Mobile, New Orleans, Illinois, Arkansas and Natchitoches
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Maurepas while Iberville sailed back to France on May 4, 1699. Those remaining included:
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M. de Sauvolle de la Villantry, lieutenant of a company and naval ensign of the frigate
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warriors arrived at Biloxi, asking for French troops to help them fight against the
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99:. It appeared as "Fort Bilocci" on English maps updated circa the years 1710/1725.
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Later, during June–August 1722, the capital was moved again, by colonial governor
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M. d'Iberville originally intended to establish a French colony along the
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The fort was completed on May 1, 1699 under direction of French explorer
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to breed the Buffalo at Biloxi; to seek for pearls; to examine the wild
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National Register of Historic Places in Harrison County, Mississippi
675:"La Louisiane française" (in French), by Virginie Tanlay, from book
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Vieux Biloxi (Fort Maurepas) on the Biloxi Coast (site B on the map)
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on August 29, 2005, when coastal Mississippi was devastated by a
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provisions and stores. On this second voyage, he was instructed:
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Forts on the National Register of Historic Places in Mississippi
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Bienville, king's lieutenant of the marine guard of the frigate
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747:"Fort Maurepas", Mississippi Genealogy, 2002-2008, webpage:
659:"Fort Maurepas", Mississippi Genealogy, 2002-2008, webpage:
363:(1718–1720) against Spain. Due to hurricanes and shifting
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In 1717, when the channel at Dauphine island (present-day
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in colonial times. In modern times it is referred to as
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Buildings and structures in Jackson County, Mississippi
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exceeding 30 feet (9 m), with waves even higher.
605:"Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville" (biography),
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in 1699. The capital was moved from Ocean Springs to
725:, Louisiana State Museum, 2017; accessed 30 May 2017
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55:). Fort Maurepas was designated temporarily as the
219:De Bordenac was chaplain, and M. Care was surgeon.
142:as second in command after the French commandant
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763:"Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville" (history),
721:The Cabildo: Two Centuries of Louisiana History
478:summary, the French claim to La Louisiane (in
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829:Protected areas of Jackson County, Mississippi
313:, about 12 leagues above the present city of
189:Historical Jour, of d'Iberville's expedition
431:Effects of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi
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402:), built for the purpose during 1718-1722.
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261:diseases of the region: many died from
252:asking that Sagan be furnished with 24
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394:at a new inland harbor town named
268:On September 16, 1700, a party of
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834:1699 establishments in New France
814:French forts in the United States
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790:- includes Fort Maurepas Park
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361:War of the Quadruple Alliance
351:was moved to Old Biloxi from
465:Problems in source documents
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563:Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
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136:Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
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473:Blueprint of Fort Maurepas
439:Fort Maurepas Park in 2023
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102:French Louisiana (part of
53:Ocean Springs, Mississippi
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679:, webpage: : states that
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214:Le Vasseur de Boussouelle
788:Ocean Springs City Parks
677:Histoire de la Louisiane
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425:During Hurricane Katrina
279:On December 18, 1701, a
216:, a Canadian, was major.
144:Sauvolle de la Villantry
47:in April 1699 along the
310:Fort Louis de la Mobile
291:of fifty guns, and the
804:Louisiana (New France)
723:, "Colonial Louisiana"
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61:Louisiana (New France)
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18:Fort Maurepas (Canada)
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824:Parks in Mississippi
609:, 1907, webpage:
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661:Mgenealogy-maurepas
396:La Nouvelle-Orléans
767:, Volume II, 1907.
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719:Online Exhibits:
459:Biloxi Bay Bridge
446:Hurricane Katrina
407:Hurricane Katrina
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163:Ship Island
124:"Louisiane"
69:New Orleans
798:Categories
758:References
486:, then to
480:New France
429:See also:
419:storm tide
381:Biloxi Bay
379:), across
338:Fort Louis
170:Biloxi Bay
104:New France
38:Old Biloxi
16:See also:
681:Iberville
572:Louisiana
493:The name
413:areas of
388:Bienville
367:blocking
365:sand bars
285:Pensacola
274:Chickasaw
208:La Badine
120:Louisiana
91:to honor
79:The name
505:See also
330:Dauphine
289:Renommée
254:pirogues
236:country.
233:mulberry
201:Le Marin
187:—
97:Maurepas
75:Toponymy
559:Alabama
495:Alabama
411:coastal
357:Mobille
293:Palmier
281:shallop
270:Choctaw
130:History
85:Bilocci
57:capital
555:Mobile
484:Biloxi
377:Biloxi
369:harbor
353:Mobile
315:Mobile
122:(also
108:French
81:Biloxi
65:Mobile
42:French
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355:(or
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