Pass Christian, Mississippi
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Pass Christian is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 6,579 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Pass Christian is located at (30.324463, -89.247214)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.6 km² (15.3 mi²). 21.8 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 17.8 km² (6.9 mi²) of it (44.97%) is water.
History
Pass Christian was named for a nearby deepwater pass, which in turn was named for Nicholas Christian L'Adnier who lived on nearby Cat Island beginning in 1746. (Another nearby pass, Pass Marianne, was named for L'Adnier's wife Marianne Paquet.)[link]The town was a famous resort prior to the American Civil War and the site where the first yacht club of the South (and second in the US) was established in 1849. The town was a favorite location for the beach and summer homes of the wealthy of New Orleans. The row of historic mansions along the town's shoreline, especially Scenic Drive, was one of the country's notable historic districts. Most were destroyed, and many of the remainder severely damaged, on August 29, 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. Tarpon Hole offshore of Pass Christian in the Mississippi Sound was the location where a world record Black Sea Bass was caught by Captain John T. McDonald.
Pass Christian has had the misfortune of being in the path of two of the most intense hurricanes ever to hit the United States--Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. Both hurricanes caused the near total destruction of the city.
According to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and actress Ellen DeGeneres (whose aunt lived there) Pass Christian has been completely destroyed by Katrina. Broadcaster Robin Roberts, who grew up in Pass Christian, anchored several reports from the town that showed widespread devastation. Despite being one of the hardest hit communities, Pass Christian was largely neglected in initial relief efforts, with the Red Cross and FEMA failing to arrive in strength until over a week after the storm made landfall.
The storm surge from Hurricane Katrina that hit Pass Christian was estimated at 30-37 feet, leveling Pass Christian up to half a mile inland from the shore. Widespread destruction was caused to West Beach Blvd/90 and the Bay St. Louis Bridge, resulting in its closure. Sewage contamination has rendered the local water supply unusable, as some samples tested positive for more than 250 bacteria and parasites. As of late September, access was restricted beyond the railroad tracks without proper credentials, as crews continue to search for victims and clear debris.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 6,579 people, 2,687 households, and 1,797 families residing in the city. The population density was 301.7/km² (781.2/mi²). There were 3,351 housing units at an average density of 153.7/km² (397.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.91% White, 28.17% African American, 0.62% Native American, 3.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.There were 2,687 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,743, and the median income for a family was $46,232. Males had a median income of $35,352 versus $22,195 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,008. About 8.2% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
Other information
The ZIP code of Pass Christian is 39571.The word "Christian" in the name Pass Christian is typically mispronounced by non-residents, who tend to give it the normal pronunciation. The actual pronunciation is more closely represented as "kris-chee-ANN", with a heavy accent on the last syllable.
External links
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