In 1965, our father transferred to Keesler Air Force Base from Amarillo, Texas where I was born and raised. I was in High School, my brother in college. Our parents had our home, Vaneaton Place built in 1965. It was one of the first built in the whole subdivision. The coast looked a lot different back then. It was considered the hot spot for vacation and weekend get away. Lots of nightclubs, beach, amusement park, miniature golf.... underground slot machines and gambling. My parents had fallen in love with the Mississippi Coast while on a vacation trip a few years earlier. Hurricane Betsy hit the first month we moved to the coast! What a greeting and what a mess along the beach. Nothing compared to 1969, Hurricane Camille. That really wiped out the coastline. It gave us lots of stories to tell and lots of rebuilding to do. Our home, Vaneaton Place, had no damage. Just trees uprooted. We stayed in the house during the storm. The glass sliding door buckled back and forth from the pressure of the storm. It passed during the night hours and the darkness during the eye of the storm was so eerie that I'll never forget it. Many lots along the scenic beach drive stayed empty for years and years.
Life went on. The coast built back. We grew up, had families and moved away but Biloxi, Mississippi remained home for our parents. Hurricane Katrina came along in 2005 and really devastated our beautiful coast all the way from Alabama to Louisiana. Our home actually had about 1 foot of water come in so we lost almost everything. Our Mom never was able to move back in but she did pick out all the colors that you see painted throughout the home. Some of the furnishings are the original. They are all special memories for us. Our Mom loved her home and yard. It is a very special place to us and to our children who have always had it in their lives. A place full of wonderful memories.