This Week on the Gulf Coast was a free, eight-page handout that used to be offered to residents and visitors of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Linda Bryant of Vicksburg saved one of these booklets from the week of July 18, 1964. Take a look at the pictures below to see what was happening on the coast 57 years ago.
As you can probably pick up on, each page of the Pass Christian-based handout provides a glimpse of the entertainment available across the coast, including Gus Stevens Show Place, The Mermaid Club, The Sa When Club, Peppermint Lounge, and Gay Paree.
West Beach Boulevard in Biloxi was the place to be. Some of the listed acts from 1964 were Danny Rogers, Jules Savoy, Ted Campbell’s Orchestra, and Benny Clement and Band.
Bryant, who was a high schooler at the time, never got the chance to go to Gus Stevens or any of the other featured acts as “those were for the rich.”
“Hollywood and people from all over the country would fly into New Orleans and travel to stay on the Mississippi coast,” she explained.
One fun advertisement reveals there was a deer ranch between Gulfport and Biloxi. Take a free sleigh ride to Deer Ranch. There, visitors could hand-feed, pet, and take pictures of tame deer. Plus, there was Six Gun Junction and Ghost Town offering more family entertainment.
An odd attraction that I noticed was the Monkey Farm. To me, the price seemed steep for 1964 at $18.50, but I’m not too sure what all the farm entailed (outside of the half monkey-half bird). To think that all of this was happening on Highway 90.
If you were looking for a new home, you could settle down in Pass Christian Isles with sites starting at $59.50 down. Luxuries that we take for granted today – electricity, telephone, and mail delivery – are listed as available in the community. There was also a community golf course, which I’m guessing is still operating today.
A huge takeaway from the booklet is the price of things. Oh, those were the days. Filet mignon with a potato and a salad was only $2.50. The Ship Ahoy Lounge had boiled shrimp all you could eat for $1.25. Trade Winds Restaurant listed all you can eat fried chicken on Tuesday night for only $1.00. I’m getting hungry just writing this.
Hope you enjoyed traveling back in time with me, and if you ever get the chance to own an old edition of This Week on the Gulf Coast, I highly recommend you take advantage of the opportunity.
