Fort Maurepas The settlement of Fort Maurepas or Old Biloxi , in colonial French Louisiana ( New France ) , began in April 1699 along the Gulf of Mexico ( at present - day Ocean Springs , MS ) . Fort Maurepas was the capital of Louisiana ( in New France ) in 1719 , when the capital was being moved from Mobile ( in present - day Alabama ) , while government buildings at New Orleans were still under construction . The fort had been completed on May 1 , 1699 under direction of French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d ' Iberville , who soon sailed for France on May 4 . He appointed his teenage brother Jean - Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville as second in command after the French commandant Sauvolle de la Villantry ( c . 1671 - 1701 ) . The name " Biloxi " in French was " " Bilocci " " ( and the camp also known in French as " " fort Maurepas " " to honor Louis Phélypeaux , comte de Maurepas ) ; but the name of the site was sometimes translated into English as " Fort Bilocci " on maps updated circa the years 1710 / 1725 . In 1719 , the administrative capital of French Louisiana was moved to Old Biloxi from Mobile ( or " Mobille " ) , during the War of the Quadruple Alliance ( 1718 – 1720 ) against Spain . French Louisiana ( part of New France ) was known in French as " La Louisiane " in colonial times , but in modern times is called " " La Louisiane française " " to distinguish from the modern state of Louisiana ( also " " Louisiane " " in French ) . Due to hurricanes and shifting sand bar s blocking harbor waters during the 18th century , the capital of French Louisiana was moved to " Nouveau - Biloxi " ( present - day Biloxi ) , across Biloxi Bay . Afterward , in 1719 , Fort Maurepas ( at Old Biloxi ) was burned , and never reconstructed by the French . Later , during June – August 1722 , the capital was moved again , by colonial governor Bienville , from Biloxi to deeper waters in the Mississippi River at a new inland harbor town named " La Nouvelle - Orléans " ( New Orleans ) , built for the purpose during 1718 - 1722 . In modern times , a replica of Fort Maurepas had been built at the site , but it was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 , when all coastal areas of Mississippi were devastated by a storm tide exceeding 30 feet ( 9 m ) with higher waves , flooding all coastal towns over 90 % . History . It had been the original intention of M . d ' Iberville to establish a French colony along the Mississippi River . However , because of its overflow , he had been unable to find a suitable location during his first voyage of discovery up the Mississippi in March , 1699 . He returned from his river journey on April 1 , and spent another week in searching out the shores adjacent to Ship Island , where the fleet had been anchored . On Tuesday , April 7 , 1699 , d ' Iberville and Surgeres observed " an elevated place that appeared very suitable " . This spot was on the northeast shore of Biloxi Bay . They had found the bay was 7 – 8 feet ( 2 m ) deep . The decision was to construct the fort there , as they " could find no spot more convenient , and our provisions were failing , we could search no longer " . On Wednesday , April 8 , they commenced to cut away the trees preparatory for construction of the fort . All the men " worked vigorously " , and by the end of the month , the fort had been finished . The journal reported : The journal further reports that the very best men were selected to remain at the fort , including detachments of soldiers to place with the Canadians and workmen , and sailors to serve on the gunboats . Altogether about 100 people were left at Fort Maurepas while Iberville sailed back to France on May 4 , 1699 . Those remaining included : There were few among the colonists who cared for agriculture , and the colony never became self - sustaining . On the return of d ' Iberville to Old Biloxi in January 1700 , he brought with him sixty Canadian immigrants and a large supply of provisions and stores . On this second voyage , he was instructed : Expeditions in search of gold , jewels and valuable furs were the main attention of the colonists . However , they made thorough explorations of the Mississippi River and the surrounding country . In 1700 , Le Sueur was sent to the upper Mississippi with 20 men to establish a fort in the Sioux country , for the purpose of controlling the copper mines of the Sioux Indians in the interests of France . Meanwhile the French had established forts and settlements in the Illinois country , and learning of the French colony at Old Biloxi , boatloads of Canadians began to arrive from the upper country . Fathers Davion and Montigny , accompanied by a few Frenchmen , were their first visitors , having made the journey downriver in frail canoes . In May 1700 , they were visited by M . Sagan , a traveler from Canada , who brought a request from the French minister to M . d ' Sauvolle that he be furnished with 24 pirogue s and 100 Canadians for the purpose of making an exploration of the Missouri River and its branches . During the absence of d ' Iberville , his young brother Bienville made explorations to secure the prosperity and perpetuity of the colony . But the health of the colonists suffered severely , and many died from what is now called congestive and yellow fever , including the governor , M . d ' Sauvolle , who died in the summer of 1700 , leaving Bienville in chief command , as acting commandant . On September 16 , 1700 , a party of Choctaw natives arrived at Biloxi to demand of the French some troops to assist them to fight the Chickasaws . The Choctaws during this period had 40 villages , with over 5 , 000 warriors . On October 25 , 20 Mobilean natives arrived at Fort Maurepas . This nation was said to contain about 400 fighting men . On December 18 , 1700 , a shallop arrived from the Spanish settlement at Pensacola , with the news that MM . d ' Iberville and Serigny had arrived there with the king ' s ships , the " Renommee " of fifty guns , and the " Palmier " of 44 guns . This was welcome news to the garrison , which had been living for more than 3 months on corn , and were reduced by sickness , having lost over 60 men , leaving only 150 persons in the colony . Bienville received orders by the shallop to evacuate Biloxi , and move to a settlement on the Mobile River . On January 5 , 1701 , Bienville took up his march for the Mobile River , leaving but 20 men under the command of M . de Boisbriant to man the fort . At Dauphin Island , Bienville met with MM . de Serigny and Chateaugue , his brothers , who had arrived with a detachment of sailors and workmen , to build a magazine for storage of goods and provisions which had been brought from France . On the Kith , he commenced to build the " Fort Louis de la Mobile " , about 12 leagues above the present city of Mobile , on the right bank of the Mobile , which was the official center of the colony for the next nine years , when a new fort was built on the present site of Mobile , afterward known as Fort Conde . In 1717 , when the channel at Dauphine island ( present - day Dauphin Island ) had become choked with sand , M . de I ' Epinay and de Bienville decided to make use of the harbor at Ship Island . They ordered a new fort to be constructed on the mainland opposite , selecting a place one league west of Old Biloxi for a site , across Biloxi Bay . The transport ship " Dauphine " , commanded by M . Berranger , had arrived with many carpenters and masons , they worked to build the new fort . This was known as New Biloxi ( " Nouveau - Biloxi " ) and also as another " Fort Louis " . In 1719 , Fort Maurepas ( at Old Biloxi ) was burned , and never reconstructed by the French . Another fort and magazines were also constructed out in the Gulf of Mexico on Ship Island . During Hurricane Katrina . In modern times , a replica of the wooden Fort Maurepas had been built at the site , open to the public . However , it was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina on August 29 , 2005 , when all coastal areas of Mississippi were devastated by a storm tide exceeding 30 feet ( 9 m ) plus higher waves , flooding all coastal towns over 90 % within a few hours . Many residents , who had not evacuated , survived by swimming to treetops or roof lines of taller buildings . " See : " Effects of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi . A park has been constructed at the spot of the fort which includes a playground , a splash pad , a stage , a two - story structure with a viewing platform that provides a wonderful view of the beach , public restrooms , and an Eco - friendly parking lot . The constructing of this park led to improvements of pathways along the beach , improvements to the sailors memorial , crosswalks , and fire pits along with access to parking on the opposite side of the Biloxi bay bridge . Problems in source documents . Historical documents , reports and translated journals about Fort Maurepas contain conflicting dates , or other details , so the source documents should not be viewed as being 100 % accurate . Similar problems exist in many other documents about other subjects , so sorting out the details requires some logical analysis to ensure coherence and continuity of the events . Often , events are compressed , in writings , to simplify the overall view . However , control of Louisiana ( in New France ) began at Fort Maurepas in 1699 , moved to Mobile in 1702 ( relocated in 1711 ) , returned to Fort Maurepas ( Old Biloxi ) in 1719 , but moved to ( New ) Biloxi , then to New Orleans during June – August 1722 . Several source documents sometimes state " 1723 " for New Orleans , which was the first full - year as capital . Note that before " Alabama " was used as a U . S . state name , it was the name of one of the 9 districts of the Province of Louisiana ( in 1752 ) : " Biloxi , Natchez , Yazoo , Alabama , Mobile , New Orleans , Illinois , Arkansas and Natchitoches " ( French names of military districts ) .