Aerial view of Back Bay Biloxi showing I-110 Biloxi Back Bay Bridge at the top and the damaged Caillavet Street Bridge at the bottom of the image.
It happened with so little fanfare that hardly anyone seemed to notice the demolition of the Caillavet Street bridge. This bridge once carried Caillavet Street to the north shore of back bay where Biloxi’s Caillavet Street became Central Avenue in D’Iberville.
The first bridge crossing back bay was built in 1901 and was the longest non-rail bridge on the coast until the mid 1920’s. This bridge was severely damaged by the Hurricane of 1947 and removed not long after.
Courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Cooper Post Card Collection
Construction of the concrete bridge began to replace the wooden bridge in 1926. The new bridge opened for service in 1927.
1901 Wooden Bridge and 1926 Concrete Bridge in ca. 1927 photograph
This bridge was the primary way of crossing back bay until the I-110 Biloxi Back Bay bridge was built in 1971-1973.
Caillavet Street Bridge showing Katrina Damage
Soon after the opening of the I-110 Biloxi Back Bay bridge the Caillavet Street bridge closed and had its draw removed. It served out its remaining years as a fishing pier. Damaged severely by Katrina the bridge had been closed to the public since 2005.
Categories: Biloxi, Bridges, Demolition/Abandonment, Gulf Coast, Historic Preservation, Hurricane Katrina
Preservation in Mississippi 
Thanks for the photos, very sad. I’m glad you were there to at least document it. As I was curious about the name of the bridge I looked it up and found the Raymond Cailivet family, whom I’m assuming it is named for. Its always interesting to me to see the history behind the structure. Thanks again for the story!
LikeLike
I am glad you liked the story. The bridge was more commonly referred to as the back bay bridge. I’m not exactly sure who Caillavet Street was named. The street was built on land owned by members of the Caillavet Family. Caillavet Street first appears on the Sanborn maps in 1909. It is a relatively young street compared to its neighbors.
LikeLike
Thank you for this history on the back bay bridge. I grew up on the back bay in an old white house at the corner of Diaz and Bayview (now Bay shore) from 1967 to 1977. The new bridge destroyed this retirement community, everyone moved north. My house is now gone as well. At the bridge and Caillavet St, there was a sno-cone stand, a diner and a bait shop and a bicycle shop i think too. A large feed store was across from the sno-cone stand where the high rise is now. The Parker’s business is still there at Diaz street I see. My uncle was Clark D. Shaughnessy of Shaughnessy Printing Co. which may still be on Caillavet street near the railroad tracks. For many years the bridge/highway ended right there and you had to take the offramp to street level. Luckily I had left Biloxi before they finished the connection to 90. My mom should’ve accepted the money and settled somewhere else, near her best friend JoJo Kennedy perhaps. Too bad. It was an Andy Griffith Show-type neighborhood.
LikeLike
I lived at 1020 Caillavet Street from approx. 1960-1966, we were about 2-3 blocks from the bridge, There was a snow cone stand, drug store, bar and grill, and small filling station in that area.
LikeLike
Loved the history and story of the old Callivett Bridge..My mother in law, Mrs. Demoruelle told me stories of driving over the old Callivet Bridge before she passed and the days of shucking oysters for a living..Those days are long gone but not forgotten.
Miss her alot.
LikeLike