The city of Biloxi lies directly on the Mississippi Sound, with barrier islands distributed off the coast and into the Gulf of Mexico. The history of Biloxi, Mississippi, spans more than 300 years. It was settled by the French, passed to the English, then to Spain, and then became part of the United States around 1811. It became popular as a summer resort after it became part of the United States, because of the advantages of its close proximity to New Orleans and because it was easy to get to by water.
Eventually it faded as a tourist spot, but saw a resurgence in the sixties, and when gambling became legal in Mississippi in the 1990s, Biloxi once again became a tourist mecca. Many fine casinos went up, and the hotels and complexes brought millions of dollars in tourism revenue back to the city. Biloxi and the surrounding Gulf Coast area is the leading gambling center in the Southern United States, and people travel there from all over the world. It’s home to world-class restaurants and some of the finest seafood in the South.
When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast in Mississippi, it caused massive destruction in the area. Katrina came ashore at high tide, intensifying the storm surge. Ninety percent of the buildings along the coast in Biloxi and neighboring Gulfport were destroyed by the hurricane. Several of the floating casinos were torn off their supports and thrown into shore by the storm surge, contributing greatly to the already horrendous damage. Many casinos were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Eight have since reopened, and the tourism economy is once again thriving.
Homeowners began to rebuild right away, but there are still examples, years later, of the terrible damage that Katrina did. When rebuilding, many homeowners have made sure that their reconstructed homes still have the antebellum appearance, and this includes hurricane shutters that blend with the architectural style of the area. Protection of openings in your home is the most critical thing you can do to improve the chances of surviving a hurricane, but many wanted their homes to look authentic.
Colonial shutters easily replace the old wooden shutters of traditional style homes. Pricing is comparable to wood shutters, but there’s no rotting, warping, or painting involved, and they are much more hurricane-proof. Colonial shutters offer the unaltered beauty of classic Southern styling, but still give you the safety and protection against hurricanes that your home needs. They are mounted permanently on your home or business for year-round beauty and can be easily closed for storm protection.
Don’t be caught off guard when the next hurricane hits the gulf coast. Bahama shutters, Colonial shutters, roll-down shutters or accordion shutters: Choose any style that you like, but install hurricane shutters today.
