Rail lines, longleaf pines, and a name with a New Orleans story set the tone for Picayune, MS. Home to about 11,900 residents, the community grew from an 1880s stop called Hobolochitto into the largest city in Pearl River County, and since 2014 it’s been considered part of the New Orleans metro. The name traces to publisher Eliza Jane Poitevent Nicholson, known by her pen name Pearl Rivers, who lent her beloved newspaper’s title to the town; incorporation followed in 1904. City Hall dates to 1939 and carries a curious footnote tied to architect Wilfred Lockyer, credited locally with interior work on the Titanic’s chapel, a detail people still bring up on downtown tours. 

Downtown centers on the historic depot, where the Intermodal Tourist Center and the Lower Pearl River Valley Transportation Museum unpack the area’s connection to rail and road. Amtrak’s Crescent rolls through daily, linking the station to New Orleans and points north, so travelers often step off to explore the antique shops and murals before catching the next train.

Weekends bring foot traffic for the long-running Spring and Fall Street Festivals that fill Canal and Main with more than two hundred vendors, live music, and seasonal crafts, a tradition organized by Picayune Main Street. In late fall, the calendar flips to Christmas on the Rails and Shop by Candlelight, when storefronts glow and families stroll between hot cocoa stands and faux snow. 

Nature sits only a few minutes from downtown sidewalks. The Crosby Arboretum, operated by Mississippi State University, preserves native Gulf Coast habitats across more than a hundred acres, with walking paths, interpretive exhibits, and a striking Pinecote Pavilion designed by architect Fay Jones. For a different outing, Walkiah Bluff Water Park sprawls along the Pearl River with a boat ramp, RV sites, a ball field, and picnic tables, a simple setup that gets steady use by anglers and families. 

Stories shape place, and this corner of the Piney Woods has a few that stick. Ask around and someone will bring up the Honey Island Swamp Monster, a piece of lower Pearl River folklore that blends 20th-century train-wreck legend with tall-tale sightings in the marsh. Whether believed or not, it’s part of the region’s storytelling, just like parade season when the Krewe of the Pearl brings floats and throws to downtown streets. 

Eating out leans local. Southern Char Steakhouse anchors Canal with ribeyes, crab claws, and burgers that draw a lunch crowd on weekdays and a date-night line on weekends. A few blocks away, Two Sisters Creole Kitchen serves plates that read like a Gulf Coast checklist, from red beans and rice to catfish done fried or grilled, plus the house “Stella” preparations and a cobbler that regulars talk about. 

Local shopping brings its own landmarks. We count Paul’s Pastry Shop as a destination bakery known for filled king cakes and seasonal sweets, and the cafe menu turns it into a weekday lunch stop. For groceries, Rouses Market has become the go to, with a broad selection and weekly deals that make cookouts and weeknights simple. Between those anchors, boutiques and multi-vendor markets such as The Rusty Magnolia keep windows dressed for street-festival weekends and holiday strolls. As pleasant as those storefronts are, the pine edges and older rooflines sit close to the action, which sometimes draws curious wildlife into homes and businesses.

When raccoons, squirrels, or bats slip into attics or soffits, Frontier Wildlife Solutions tracks the entry, remove the animals, seal the openings, and clean what they left behind. Contact us today to book an inspection.