Gautier, Mississippi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gautier ("go-Chay") is a city along the Gulf of Mexico, west of Pascagoula, in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 11,681 at the 2000 census. Locally, the name is correctly pronounced as "go-CHAY" from the French origin. Descendants of the Gautier family are still living.
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[edit] Geography
Gautier is located at (30.381536, -88.644169)GR1, along Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico, at the mouth of the West Pascagoula River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.5 km² (12.9 mi²). 31.7 km² (12.2 mi²) of it is land and 1.7 km² (0.7 mi²) of it (5.19%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 11,681 people, 4,260 households, and 3,233 families residing in the city. The population density was 368.5/km² (954.2/mi²). There were 4,597 housing units at an average density of 145.0/km² (375.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.19% White, 27.65% African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.19% of the population.
There were 4,260 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,244, and the median income for a family was $46,835. Males had a median income of $33,474 versus $21,622 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,525. About 15.1% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] History
The gracious homestead that Fernando Upton Gautier (1822-1891) established in 1867,[1] at the mouth of the Pascagoula River Basin still stands, a hallmark of the city that now bears his name. Fernando Upton Gautier established a lucrative sawmill business in the area, and the town grew up from it. The home known by locals as "The Old Place" is still owned by the descendants of Theresa Fayard Gautier (1828-1911)[1] and Fernando Upton Gautier and is currently being used for private and public events. Other historic homes of Gautier include that of Josie Gautier and the current Portas homestead, both Gulf Coastal cottage style homes from the 1890s.
The roots and pride of the citizens of Gautier are as deep as the stately live oaks that line more than 70 miles (110 km) of waterfront in this unique city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. From Gulf of Mexico breezes to the twists and turns of the inland bayous, the natural beauty and quality of life in Gautier beckon modern day "settlers" to enjoy the serenity and amenities Gautier has to offer.
[edit] Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005 Gautier was one of the many cities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Many of the coastal homes were either destroyed or flooded. Some of the homes along the coast were built on somewhat hilly land leaving those higher on the hill with wind damage only. Homes built right on the water were completely destroyed, occasionally leaving an intact slab, and in a couple of cases the slabs were cracked in half. One home in particular was built on pylons 13 feet (4 m) above sea level, and still had the floor ripped out from under the home. Most of northern Gautier above the railroad tracks had severe wind damage, but for the most part remains intact. As many residents recall, Gautier did not receive any damage from Hurricane Camille in 1969, so the damage from Katrina demonstrates how much larger this hurricane was than Camille. Despite the wrath of Katrina, the historic home of Fernando Upton Gautier remains untouched and open for business.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b "Ocean Springs Archives by Ray L. Bellande" (2006) web: OS-Archives.
[edit] External links
- Gautier official website
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
