1960 to 1980

Hospital

The Ocean Springs Hospital was built in April 1968. The ground was broken for the thirty-four-bed, $762,700 structure in February 1967. In 1977, additions and alterations added to the size of the plant. A six-million-dollar addition was completed in June 1979. It added fifty private rooms to the facility. In 1989 an outpatient services addition was integrated into the existing building. With the continued need for medical services, the Ocean Springs Hospital built a new emergency room, ICU and MRI in 1995. In 1997, a state-of-the-art Women's and Children's Floor opened at Ocean Springs Hospital.

Gulf Islands National Seashore

The Gulf Islands National Seashore was established in 1971. The National Park Service operates a visitors' center and campground at Ocean Springs as well as overseeing activities on the barrier islands of Petit Bois, Horn, and East and West Ship Island. The William M. Colmer visitors center located on the old Magnolia State Park grounds in east Ocean Springs was dedicated in April 1983 at the Davis Bayou Unit of the national seashore.

Optical Plants

Alpha Optical was organized in 1975. It specialized in optical systems and subsystems for military, aerospace, and commercial applications. Coors Ceramics of Golden, Colorado bought the Government Street operation in 1989. It ceased making precision optics in 1994. PFG Precision Optic was commenced in 1977. It is owned by Plummer Precision Optics of Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, and Don and Janet Ferson Green of Ocean Springs. They are located on Bienville Boulevard in the old Coca-Cola plant.