The Depot District became a hub of activity with the completion of the rail line between New Orleans and Mobile in 1870. The original buildings were constructed in the railroad heyday of the late 1800s. A new addition features a cupola that gives an architectural nod to the stately Gilmore Hotel that once stood on the site.
The Depot Row is across the street from the Bay St. Louis Train Depot. The row of businesses became famous when the popular film selected this property as one of the main locations for the 1966 movie “This Property is Condemned” starring Robert Redford, Natalie Wood, and Charles Bronson, filmed in its entirety in Bay St. Louis.
For her performance, Natalie Wood received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama.
The exterior scenes of the film, This Property is Condemned, were filmed in 1965 and include scenes in front of the Depot Row, First Missionary Baptist Church, and the building at 398 Blaize Avenue which was the Starr Boarding House in the film.
Today Depot Row boasts shops and restaurants.
Fun Fact: There is a display cabinet on the first floor of the Bay St. Louis Depot (across the street from Depot Row) that hosts memorabilia from this film.
Address: Blaize Avenue
City: Bay St. Louis
County: Hancock
For more information contact Hancock County Tourism Development Bureau
Phone: 228.463.7120
Email: info@mswestcoast.org
Accessibility: all homes can be viewed from vehicle or road