Gulfport is located in
Harrison County on the Gulf of Mexico. It lies near
Biloxi along Highway 90.
William H. Hardy and Joseph T. Jones were Gulfport's founding fathers. Hardy wanted to create a port town and a railroad to tap many acres of pine in southern Mississippi. Financial woes prevented him from completing his railroad. Jones invested several million dollars toward its completion. In 1898, Gulfport was incorporated. The harbor was completed in 1902 and became a working seaport.
Today, Gulfport is a residential community with a downtown mercantile center and a diversified economy. The city, with a population of 71,127 residents, is among the fastest growing in the state, thanks in part to recent gaming attractions. It has nearly seven miles of man-made beach on the Gulf, along which are several historic home sites. The city is the home of the annual "Worlds Largest Fishing Rodeo."
Gulfport is part of the Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, Mississippi metro area.
