June 1984: Remembering Annie's at Henderson Point

When I spent summers in Mississippi with my grandparents, we often went out to eat at dinner, and the Gulfport-Biloxi area offered a lot of choices for great food. Usually, we chose a place close to home, but my favorite place was a historic restaurant in an unincorporated community called Henderson Point along the beach west of Pass Christian. Henderson Point was a place that never really developed, although the actor Robert Mitchum had once lived there, and there had once been an elegant hotel there called the Inn By The Sea that later became the U.S. Merchant Marine School before it was demolished by Hurricane Camille. The center of the community had been two places- Bennie French's Tavern, which once had its own private beach, and a drive-in restaurant called Annie's which opened in 1928. In one sense, Annie's might seem to have been cursed, as it was constantly being destroyed, by hurricanes, fires and even a truck that drove through the front windows. But each time, the restaurant built back, coming back stronger than before. When the restaurant was inherited by the original owner's daughter, Annie Lutz, it was converted into an upscale establishment, and thoroughly remodeled in 1972 by the owner's husband George. The beautiful building and grounds remained unchanged in 1984, and Annie's was justifiably famous for steaks and seafood. My grandparents didn't seem to particularly like going all the way out there, but on occasions, they would take me there, and I was never disappointed.

I recall being amazed at the massiveness of the complex at Annie's, which apparently included a number of meeting rooms. To my teenaged eye, it appeared that there might have even been a motel, but I cannot find any evidence that this was the case. I have since read that the buildings were full of bells, but I don't recall seeing them, or hearing them ring. A final tragedy proved too much for Annie's, 2005's Hurricane Katrina. Most of Henderson Point was under water, and the restaurant was completely demolished. Only a vacant lot remains where it stood. A later incarnation of Annie's tried opening in a strip mall in Pass Christian for a period of time, but it did not survive for very long. Although there has been much recovery in the nearby towns of Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian, it does not appear that Henderson Point will recover. Much of the area where there were formerly houses and businesses has returned to overgrown woods or jungle. It sadly appears Annie's will remain simply a fond memory of long ago.