Local author captures the history of Downtown Bay St. Louis

A Bay St. Louis local is capturing history in his new book ‘Growing up Downtown Bay St. Louis.’ The photo book and memoir capture Bay St. Louis since the 1920s and showcases the change the city has created following storms.

Pat Murphy remembers the first time he truly saw the beach in Bay St. Louis. It was after Hurricane Camille washed away Main Street, exposing the expansive waters. “The morning after Hurricane Camille hit, I walked out onto the front steps of the courthouse on Main Street and looked towards the beach and saw water. And you could never see water before because it was all buildings.”

On those steps that day as people created a new downtown, Murphy knew he needed to show people what it looked like before. Then Katrina would change the city again. “Each one really brought the area to a different place than it was before.”

For the next 50 years, Pat Murphy collected photos, stories, and crafted the book he dreamed up. He accomplished this goal with the help of professionals: the Hancock County Historical Society. Chris Roth with the Hancock County Historical Society said, “It just gives you that history that’s gone. It’s not like you can just go look at this building 30 years later. It’s not there anymore. Pat’s captured in this book the buildings, the people that aren’t with us anymore. And that’s history.”

This book isn’t about devastation. It’s about growth. “One of the things that I’ve learned, and it’s something that I’m proud of, is the tenacity of the people who live here.”

The Hancock County Historical Society and Pat Murphy will be at Second Saturday for a book signing.