History

The "Land of Waves" has long been a long established summer retreat and resort for visitors from New Orleans and Natchez. The permanent population came from the descendants of the original French and Spanish settlers. Local legends arose from the Old Pirate House (Blake House) built in 1802 and destroyed by Camille in 1969 and the Jackson House built in 1840 for Andrew Jackson and destroyed by fire in 1935.

Early observers noted "life in Waveland is simple, gravitating lazily around swimming, fishing and house parties. Immediately after Labor Day the people return to New Orleans with the certainty and precision of a regiment breaking camp.

The New Orleans, Mobile and Chattanooga Railroad, (later L&N and CSX now), was started in 1869 and completed in twenty months from Mobile to New Orleans (139 mile route with six major water crossings. Two stops were made in Waveland at Waveland Avenue and Nicholson Avenue. Montgomery Station was an early name for the City of Waveland.

In 1872, Brown's Vineyard was established by Fred W. Brown of Germany and known for its scuppernong wine and champagnes. A beautiful orchard and colony of alligators added color to the oldest and largest vineyard on the Coast. It was located in the vicinity of Lil Ray's Seafood Restaurant on U.S. Hwy 90.

The post office was established in 1875 with Joseph Carrio as the first postmaster.

Historically, Waveland was once part of old Shieldsboro, (Bay St. Louis). It was pronounced a separate municipality in 1888. During its formative years it was known as Grand Bend and Montgomery Station. The first Mayor was L.H. Fairchild, senior member of the well-known firm of Fairchild & Hobson, the largest brokerage business in the southwest. The first two aldermen were Alfred A. Ulman and Olus Bourgeois. Ulman was a successful woolen miller and Bourgeois, the town marshall. The city offices were located on Gravier Street in the rear of the Cotton Exchange.

The major business in the 1880's was the Ulman Woolen Mill located on Nicholson Avenue. Wool blankets and black and white plaid shawls were the principal products of the mill. The street now known as Jeff Davis was opened up to build homes for the mill workers.

The Town Hall was built in 1893 on land donated by Jesse P. Coleman. Coleman Avenue was named after the late Congressman H. Dudley Coleman from Louisiana who owned a summer home on the beach for approximately fifty years. The pioneer merchants included Fortune O. Kroll Sr., whose grocery was by the Waveland train depot and J.B. Ulman, whose merchandise store on Nicholson Avenue burned in 1894.

The current City Hall (formerly school) was built between 1906-1908 during the administration of Thomas J. Bourgeois as Mayor. Ferdinand Raymond was the builder. Teachers at the school in 1907 were Nellie Tyler and Gertrude Cazeneuve.

The poll books for 1911-1912 listed 130 voters in Waveland and 123 for Kiln. The street commissioner paid eight cents a barrel for hauling shells in 1913. The salary for Mayor Thomas J. Bourgeois in 1912 was $25.00 a month. In January 1913, the Bay St. Louis Ice, Light and Bottling Works contracted to light the streets in the City of Waveland.

The 1920 census for Waveland listed the population as 431. The Nicholson Avenue Theatre opened in 1921. Mr. William Surgi opened a show in Waveland in 1925.

The latest story in Waveland's history is Hurricane Katrina. For in-depth information about Katrina's affects on Waveland click here.

1. L.H. Fairchild (08-1888 to 08-1890)	2. A.A. Ulman (08-1890 to 08-1893)
3. Paul Conrad (08-1893 to 08-1896)	4. Edwin Laizer (08-1896 to 08-1902)
5. Olus M. Bourgeois (08-1902 to 12-1906)	6. Thomas J. Bourgeois (12-1906 to 08-1916)
7. George Herlihy	8. Edward Schwartz (12-1930 to 03- 33 Died in Office)
9. W.A. Mapp (05-1933 to 07-1939)	10. Thomas J. Bourgeois 07-1939 to 12-1942)
11. Garfield Ladner (12-1942 Mayor Ladner died in office special election on 02-09-1974)	12. John T. Longo (02-1974 to 12-1990)
13. Stella Frilot (12-1990 to 12-1994)	14. John C. Mason (12-1994 to 12-1997)
15. John T. Longo Jr. (12-1997 to Present)

The Municipal pier was built at the head of Coleman Avenue in April 1945. Coney Island of the South operated fifteen riding devices at ten cents a ride at Jackson Ridge (Buccaneer Park) in June of 1950.

Carnival as we know it in Waveland was initiated by the Great Krewe of Nereids in 1966. Nereids is still providing the Coast with the finest Mardi Gras Parade. The Krewe of Nereids, an all ladies group, was created by an "elite few" of Local Ladies in the gathering area of the Waveland Drug Store. Who would have ever thought that it would turn into the most fabulous Mardi Gras parade east of New Orleans.