Page 60 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2020

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Scenic Byways
Backroads Give Locals a Taste of Nature and History
story by John N. Felsher photos courtesy of Hancock County
Chamber of Commerce
Interstates get people to destinations fast, but everyone needs to take the scenic route occasionally. Fortunately, South Mississippi residents can take their pick of scenic byways.
“About 10 years ago, volunteers
with the Hancock Chamber
Greenways and Byways Committee
came together to develop a corridor management plan to obtain status
as a Mississippi scenic byway,”
recalled Tish Williams, the
Hancock County Chamber of Commerce executive director. “In Hancock County, we
have 13 miles of Beach Boulevard and another 30 miles in and around the
Stennis Space Center Bu er Zone that are scenic byways. These byways
give people a chance to enjoy the ride and really get into the history, culture,
authenticity of the experience and beauty of the area.”
During the 1960s, NASA needed a place to test extremely powerful and loud rocket engines. With the Pearl
River wilderness to the west, NASA selected 13,500 acres of Hancock County for
the test center and set aside another 125,000 acres as a bu er zone.
“The Stennis Space Center Bu er Zone is a green space that cannot be touched,” Williams explained. “It will remain a precious national
60 | June 2020
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Scenic Byways
228.467.9048 www.gulfcoastscenicbyways.com
asset.
These byways are a great tribute
to our history that Hancock County gave up some land to make way for space exploration.”
Some byways follow old colonial trails. Many colonial trails followed ancient Native American trails. People can walk and bicycle along parts of these byways. At Beach Boulevard, travelers can see an excellent view of the beach and the Gulf of Mexico.
“This area has a lot of history,” Williams commented. “These are historic trails that also feature beautiful natural resources. People love to cruise the Beach Boulevard Scenic Byway along the waterfront to Bay St. Louis. People also love to kayak the waters in this area. Travelers can stop at places along the way to take in the view, get something to eat or do other things they might enjoy in the unique cities that make up the Gulf Coast.”