Establish the founding date of the Biloxi Yacht Club to Eight of August,
1849.
The course of events that initiated the search to discover the true date of
the Biloxi Yacht Club started with the existence of two trophies, an 1870 trophy
uncovered in New York City and a 1857 chalice from an estate in Mobile, Alabama.
The check of local records proved of no avail. The local newspaper burned in
1888, hurricanes and the war of Northern aggression took its toll on the
preservation of Yacht club records. Checking records in mobile, Alabama was
Fruitless. New Orleans was a God Send not only one paper, but four had recorded
the fact that the Biloxi Regatta Club was alive and well in Biloxi.
Not only did it show that Biloxi
was a large thriving town with five watering holes (hotels) where other areas at
that time only had one. Established in 1699, Biloxi became a major area for boating. In 1849 there was a long wharf that large ships
could load and unload, and many private piers with an active sailing
community.
The New Orleans paper discussed the race of 1849 and subsequent races of that
period. The New Orleans papers went into great detail on the 1849 race because
the Biloxi Regatta Club was excluding any boat that won two first place finishes
from racing in their regatta.
On august 8, 1849, the race was held with UNDINE of Mobile, Alabama, owned by
Hon. J. W. Lescene taking first. Second was MARY ANN owned by James & Co.
with third taken by FLIRT owned by A.B. Cammack of Biloxi.
Justification for the date of august 8 1849, can be found in the following
papers.
