When Katrina came through, it pretty much 

devastated the entire lighthouse. The electrical 

system was destroyed, the interior brick lining 

was damaged and big pieces of it were missing. 

The door, doorframe were gone, window was gone. 

We pretty much had to rebuild the first 30 feet 

of the lighthouse.

So we ended up, we painted the entire structure, 

which is cast iron. Replaced the brick interior. 

Replaced all new electrical. So today, it looks 

the way it did the day before Katina. It is back 

to its original grandeur. 

The project cost $415,000. The funding sources 

were FEMA and insurance, with the majority of 

the funding coming from FEMA. This is a historic 

preservation project and without FEMA’s funding 

and actually FEMA’s expertise in the area of 

historic preservation, I don’t think we would 

have been able to accomplish this project. 

It was the latest lighthouse series from the 

US Postal Service. And, we actually have the 

first day cancellation for all five stamps along 

the Gulf Coast here in Biloxi. So we got over 

Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, we were chosen to 

host that event. And also, it represents the 

state on the state license plates this year. You

 know, it is a sign from not only Biloxi and the 

Gulf Coast, it’s a sign for the whole state. It 

is a major landmark for this community. 

It is an aid to navigation. It shows the folks 

the way to go. But also think about it, it’s in 

the middle of a highway, it’s also showing the 

cars the way to Biloxi. You know, you come off 

the interstate; it’s one of the first things you 

see as you make the loop. So it’s a sign that 

we’re here.

It is a sign that the coast has come back or the 

coast is coming back.