Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College history

Their efforts were successful and, with one building, Huff Hall, the institution began operation on September 17, 1912.

On June 5, 1916, Stone County was formed from the northern part of Harrison County, and the school continued under the dual support of both counties.

Realizing that a new educational concept, the junior college, was ideally suited to the needs of Mississippi, the legislature in 1924 enabled the counties to cooperate with the state in offering education beyond the high school level to all who could profit from it and in their home community.

Jackson County added its support to the coming institution in the summer of 1925 and the new institution opened on September 14, 1925, as the Harrison-Stone-Jackson Agricultural High School and Junior College offering the first year of Junior College work.

On July 15, 1942, George County added its support to the institution, which then took the official name of Perkinston Junior College.

In May 1962, 50 years after its organization, the Agricultural High School division was discontinued, and local high schools provided for the youth of the community.

In 1965, the Seabee Base Manpower Training Center (founded the previous year) became a branch of the new Jefferson Davis Campus.

After its removal to the Industrial Seaway in 1968 this branch took the name Harrison County Occupational Training Center.

In 1973, Keesler Center opened at Keesler Air Force Base as a branch of Jefferson Davis Campus.

In spring 1991, the College relocated the Harrison County Occupational Training Center to Intraplex 10 with the opening of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Applied Technology and Development Center.

In 1996, a campus “without walls” concept was introduced resulting in a fourth campus called Community Campus.

In August 2000, the Naval Construction Battalion Center at the Seabee Base in Gulfport was established as part of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.