Gautier, Mississippi

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Gautier, Mississippi
settlement_type = City
nickname =
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Gautier, Mississippi


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Mississippi
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Jackson
government_footnotes =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 33.5
area_land_km2 = 31.7
area_water_km2 = 1.7
area_total_sq_mi = 12.9
area_land_sq_mi = 12.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0.7

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 11681
population_density_km2 = 368.4
population_density_sq_mi = 954.2

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 2
elevation_ft = 7
latd = 30 |latm = 22 |lats = 54 |latNS = N
longd = 88 |longm = 38 |longs = 39 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 39553
area_code = 228
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 28-26860
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0670341
website =
footnotes =

Gautier is a city along the Gulf of Mexico, west of Pascagoula, in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,681 at the 2000 census. Locally, the name is pronounced as "GO-shay." Descendants of the Gautier family, for whom it was named, still live in the area.

Geography

Gautier is located at coor dms|30|22|54|N|88|38|39|W|city (30.381536, -88.644169),GR|1 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 12.9 square miles (33.5 km²), of which, 12.2 square miles (31.7 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.7 km²) of it (5.19%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 11,681 people, 4,260 households, and 3,233 families residing in the city. The population density was 954.2 people per square mile (368.5/km²). There were 4,597 housing units at an average density of 375.5/sq mi (145.0/km²). 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.

History

The gracious homestead that Fernando Upton Gautier (1822-1891) established in 1867,"Ocean Springs Archives by Ray L. Bellande" (2006) web: [http://www.oceanspringsarchives.com/GulfHills.htm OS-Archives] .] 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) 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.

Education

The City of Gautier is served by the Pascagoula School District. The main secondary school in Gautier is Gautier High School.

Hurricane Katrina

On August 29, 2005 Gautier was one of the many cities affected by Hurricane Katrina. Many of the coastal homes were either destroyed or flooded. Some of the houses along the coast were built on hills, leaving them with wind damage only. Homes built on the water were completely destroyed, occasionally leaving an intact slab. In a few cases the slabs were cracked in half. One home in particular was built on pylons 13 feet (4 m) above sea level and had the floor ripped out from underneath. Most of northern Gautier, above the railroad tracks, had some wind damage but largely remains intact. Gautier did not receive any damage from Hurricane Camille in 1969, so the damage from Hurricane Katrina demonstrates how much larger this storm was. Despite the damages caused by Hurricane Katrina, the historic home of Fernando Upton Gautier remains intact and open for business.

References

External links

* [http://www.gautier-ms.gov Gautier official website]
* [http://www.GautierPride.com Gautier Pride community website]