Waveland, Mississippi

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Waveland, Mississippi
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Waveland, Mississippi


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Mississippi
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Hancock
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
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established_title =
established_date = 1972

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 17.6
area_land_km2 = 17.6
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 6.8
area_land_sq_mi = 6.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 6674
population_density_km2 = 378.5
population_density_sq_mi = 980.2

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 5
elevation_ft = 16
latd = 30 |latm = 17 |lats = 23 |latNS = N
longd = 89 |longm = 23 |longs = 1 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 39576
area_code = 228
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 28-78200
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0679394
website =
footnotes =

Waveland is a city located in Hancock County, Mississippi, on the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The City of Waveland was incorporated in 1972. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,674. Waveland was nearly destroyed by Hurricanes Camille on August 17, 1969 and Katrina on August 29, 2005 (see below).

The current mayor of Waveland is Democrat Tommy Longo.

Geography

Waveland is located at 30°17'23" North, 89°23'1" West (30.289646, -89.383492)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city was mapped with a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²): nearly 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²) of it being land, and none of it covered by water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 6,674 people, 2,731 households, and 1,783 families residing in the city. The population density was 980.2 people per square mile (378.4/km²). There were 3,442 housing units at an average density of 505.5/sq mi (195.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.38% White, 11.21% African American, 0.49% Native American, 1.50% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 2.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,731 households out of which 31.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,304, and the median income for a family was $38,438. Males had a median income of $29,762 versus $21,694 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,413. 13.7% of the population and 11.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Education

The City of Waveland is served by the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District.

Hurricane Camille

On August 17th, 1969, Hurricane Camille made landfall at the tip of Louisiana before continuing on shore at Waveland, MS. The unincorporated town of Waveland was almost completely destroyed by Hurricane Camille. The city erected a placque commemorating the efforts of the volunteers in rebuilding after Hurricane Camille. Recovery efforts after Hurricane Camille went on for nearly a decade.

Hurricane Katrina

The city of Waveland, Mississippi was almost totally destroyed by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, and is now in the slow process of recovering and rebuilding. In a news report, state officials said Waveland took a harder hit from the wind and water than any other town along the Gulf Coast, and that the town was obliterated. Thirty-six years earlier, in 1969, Waveland had been severely damaged by Hurricane Camille. [http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/about_us/meet_us/roger_pielke/camille/report.html] .

Official reports stated that approximately 50 people died when Waveland was hit directly by the eyewall of Katrina and the 32-foot storm surge. Hurricane Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 8:01AM, +2.2 feet more. ["2005 NOAA Tide Predictions: Waveland" (2005), tide on 29-Aug-2005, "NOAA", web: [http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/get_predictions.shtml?year=2005&stn=0551+South+Pass&secstn=Waveland&thh=%2b3&thm=9&tlh=%2b2&tlm=49&hh=*1.28&hl=*1.28 NOAA-tide-tables] .]

Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40 Mississippi libraries, gutting the Waveland Public Library, as a total loss, requiring a complete rebuild. ["Hurricane Katrina Related Damages to Public Libraries in Mississippi" (September 2005), Mississippi Library Commission, web: [http://www.ala.org/ala/cro/katrina/MSPL_Katrina_Damage.pdf ALA-Katrina] .]

Recovery

A loosely knit group of hippies called the "Rainbow Family" arrived in Waveland soon after Hurricane Katrina. From early September 2005 to early December 2005, they ran the "New Waveland Café & Clinic" [http://newwavelandcafe.blogspot.com/] [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5025313] located in the parking lot of Fred's Dept Store on Highway 90. The café provided free hot meals three times a day. The clinic was staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses from around the United States who saw over 5000 patients during the duration, free of charge and dispensing free medications. Donations of medications and supplies came from a multitude of sources, with International Aid [http://www.internationalaid.org/] arranging the most donations. This was the first experience of the counter-culture Rainbow Family in running a disaster relief center. The Bastrop Christian Outreach Center also volunteered with the Rainbow Family. By all accounts it was a great success and helped to bring together different segments of society which normally never interact.

Waveland Elementary School, which has served public school students in Grades K-3 (Grades 4-5 attend Second Street Elementary in nearby Bay St. Louis), was heavily damaged by Katrina. The students attending the school have been educated in portable classrooms, for the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, pending a more permanent solution.

The Silver Slipper Casino opened on November 9, 2006.

Notable Waveland residents

Waveland is the birthplace of jazz clarinetist Johnny Dodds.

References

External links

* [http://www.wavelandcity.com City of Waveland, Mississippi] , Official Web Site of the City of Waveland
* [http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl083105waveland.11adc324.html Waveland practically wiped off map by force of Katrina] , an August 31, 2005 article about the damage from Hurricane Katrina
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4491454.stm Katrina town fights for survival] , BBC report, December 2, 2005
* [http://waveland.thawes.com Turtles in Action] , Tulpe Lodge of the Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America, has been to Waveland as part of the relief effort.
* [http://www.thegivingcircle.org The Giving Circle, Inc.] , carries out Operation: Waveland, MS, helping to rebuild Waveland.
* [http://www.alexwrege.com/?cat=20 alexwrege.com] , blog entries and images about a volunteer operation from The University of Toledo.
* [http://waylandtowaveland.org Mission to Mississippi] , group started in Wayland, Massachusetts to help rebuild Waveland.