Gulfport Rebuilding

My approach into Gulfport International Airport was from the north, and I was keeping a sharp eye out for areas of damage and rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina 20 months before. I only saw a couple of pockets of homes being rebuilt; not much more than might be considered normal home building in a rapidly growing area. Even as I drove away from the airport, I did not see any outward signs that a devastating storm had hit this area. That is until I made the left turn on to the coastal highway. For the next 45 minutes or so as I drove through neighborhoods, I noticed myself repeatedly saying to myself "holy shit!"

The signs say it all. Destruction, hope, defiance and humor, all in one frame.

The photos in this post were taken along Second Street in Gulfport, Mississippi. Sure there were many properties in much the same condition as they were after the storm, but there were many other houses that were rebuilt or nearly rebuilt as well. There was constant activity no matter where I looked; there is no doubt the area will be rebuilt, it's just a matter of how long it will take. Stay tuned for more scenes from Southern Mississippi.

Technorati tags: travel, mississippi, gulfport, hurricane, katrina, recovery