Do you know why Diamondhead and its streets are named after Hawaii? Here’s the story.

Diamondhead, the newest city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, boasts a unique name and aesthetic. But how did this community come to be named Diamondhead, and why does it have a distinctive Hawaii-theme?

In 1937, Walter Gex Sr. purchased vast stretches of marshes, creeks, and bayous from the Gulf State Paper Company and the Easy Opener Bag Company just north of the Bay of St. Louis. However, the area remained largely undeveloped for decades.

It wasn’t until the completion of I-10 through Hancock County and the establishment of the John C. Stennis Space Center that Diamondhead started to take shape. Government workers and their families began moving to the region, seeking a place to live.

In 1969, businessman Malcolm Purcell McLean seized the opportunity to acquire the nearly 6,000 acres of land along I-10 that Gex owned. However, the day before the purchase was finalized, Hurricane Camille devastated the Gulf Coast, threatening Diamondhead’s very existence before it could even be built.

A surveyor took a flight over the land and realized that the area suffered minimal damage from the storm. Having the highest point of elevation on the Coast at 30 meters above sea level, the initial developers named it Diamondhead, drawing inspiration from the famous volcanic peak called Diamond Head on Oahu in Hawaii.

McLean would rename his company after his new project, forming the Diamondhead Corporation. He would continue to build unique resorts in several other cities from Texas to Florida.

With the resort’s foundations laid, Diamondhead’s developers infused the community with a touch of Hawaii. The streets were adorned with Hawaiian names and island-inspired decorations and features dotted the new architecture.

A country club, a small airport, a driving range, and an eighteen sales pavilion, which later became the community center, were constructed. This created an atmosphere of paradise for senior citizens and retirees seeking to move to the Mississippi Coast.

By June 1973, Diamondhead had already sold 3,700 lots and witnessed the completion of 31 homes, with another 29 under construction. The community was then organized as a Property Owners Association (POA), which published its own paper, the Diamondhead News, and oversaw further expansion.

In 1985, the POA was turned over to a homeowner-elected Board of Directors, ensuring continued oversight of Diamondhead’s progress and maintenance.

As Diamondhead flourished, its demographic evolved. While initially attracting Stennis workers and retirees from New Orleans seeking a peaceful retreat, a younger crowd began to call Diamondhead home, drawn by its serene location.

However, this demographic shift brought new challenges, as differing preferences clashed. Older residents cherished the resort and retirement community feeling, while younger inhabitants voiced resentment about paying for homeowners fees and golf course maintenance.

Amid these clashes, calls for Diamondhead’s incorporation as a city grew, but opinions were divided. Efforts to abolish the POA in 1993 failed, as did a petition to incorporate Diamondhead as a city in 1994.

Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, washing away or destroying many of the buildings originally built with inspirations from Hawaii.

Because of the extensive financial and physical damage caused by Katrina, most residents came to support making a Diamondhead a city, as it would make the community eligible for federal and state financial resources.

With this in mind, a group of dedicated Diamondhead citizens renewed efforts to apply for city-hood. Challenges arose in court from opposing citizens, but after legal clearance, Diamondhead officially became a chartered city on February 6, 2012, emerging as the newest city on the Mississippi coast.

With city-hood came significant developments — a police department, a new city hall, and the commencement of tax collection, as well as new commercial and residential constructions.

Today, Diamondhead still cherishes its Hawaii-themed roots. The streets retain their Hawaiian names, and a few buildings still possess touches of island aesthetics.

While it may be a far cry from being a mirror image of Hawaii, the slight elevation difference, abundant plant and tree coverage, and unique architecture and namesake, make Diamondhead one of the most interesting cities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.