Turkey Creek Community Historic District

Turkey Creek Community Historic District is an African American historic settlement in north Gulfport featuring one-story cottages along Rippy Road. The area is surrounded by coastal hardwood forests and freshwater marshlands near the creek.

Emancipated African Americans established this community in 1866 on land formerly owned by the Arkansas Lumber Company. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

This was home to an African American community that grew gardens and fruit trees while relying on Turkey Creek for daily travel and work. These practices shaped how people lived in connection with the land around them.

The site spreads across a wide area with water-related landscapes, so visitors should wear sturdy footwear and be prepared for wet ground in places. Exploring the historic structures and surrounding nature requires adequate time and an understanding of the natural environment.

The Yaryan-Phoenix Naval Stores Museum is housed in a restored company office building and is the sole structure remaining from a 1943 industrial explosion. This museum preserves memories of the area's industrial past within a building that survived the event itself.

Location: Gulfport

GPS coordinates: 30.42359,-89.07692

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:41