Garfield Pier — Waveland Waterfront

The beachfront in Waveland is all public — no commercial buildings face the water. That choice came out of a history the Mississippi Gulf Coast knows well: the Gulf kept the region open to the world. From the French landing in 1699 through statehood in 1817, the Coast's situation along the Gulf of Mexico maintained ties to the rest of the world more easily than was possible inland. Mediterranean influences took root. The Coast was never sealed off. Garfield Pier stands at the foot of Coleman Avenue, named for President James Garfield, who visited in 1881. Katrina destroyed it in 2005. The town rebuilt it and reopened it as a public fishing pier. Locals and travelers cast lines, walk, or watch the sunset over the Sound. Fishing is open to all. There is no fee to walk. The simplest landmarks often say the most. Waveland rebuilt the pier where it was and left the waterfront public.