Old French Fort, Pascagoula, Jackson County, MS

Significance: Sieur Jospeh de la Pointe was an Admiral in Bienville's fleet maintained on Chatahoula Lake (now called Krebs Lake) to protect Duchess de Chaumont's royal concessions at Pascagoula. In 1721 he was commissioned by French to build a fort. During Spanish domination, the building was used as a fort, home of de Grinarest, Lieutenant Spanish army, who afterward married the granddaughter of de la Pointe. A few years later Baron Hugo Ernestus Krebs arrived from Germany, came into possession of the building and grounds through marriage with de la Pointe's daughter, Marie Jeanne. Krebs is described as having had a splendid plantation, hundreds of slaves, raised rice, cotton, indigo, among other commodities. He is said to have invented his own cotton gin using slave power, antedating Whitney's cotton gin by many years. Until recently the house was occupied by descendants of Baron Krebs.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-18
Survey number: HABS MS-18
Building/structure dates: ca. 1721 Initial Construction