Perhaps the most recognized symbol of Biloxi, the lighthouse was literally a shining symbol of hope to the people there as one of the few beachfront structures to survive Hurricane Katrina. The sheath of the lighthouse, supposedly the first cast-iron one in the South, was made in Baltimore in 1847 and shipped to Biloxi to be erected the next year. The structure has been run by more female keepers than any lighthouse in the country, including one who was keeper of the light for 53 years. A long-running myth about the lighthouse is that it was painted black to mourn the death of Abraham Lincoln. Actually, it was covered with black pitch to prevent it from rusting after a hurricane. Currently, the lighthouse can be viewed from the outside, but the interior is still under repair. Highway 90 at Porter Avenue, Biloxi. Phone 228-435-6244. http://www.biloxi.ms.us/museums/biloxilighthouse.
