<P> The expedition, led by Iberville, entered the mouth of the Mississippi River on the evening of March 2, 1699, Lundi Gras, not yet knowing it was the river explored and claimed for France by René - Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in 1683 . The party proceeded upstream to a place on the west bank about 60 miles downriver from where New Orleans is today, where a small tributary emptied into the great river, and made camp in what is now Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana . This was on March 3, 1699, Mardi Gras day, so in honor of this holiday, Iberville named the spot Point du Mardi Gras (French: "Mardi Gras Point") and called the small tributary Bayou Mardi Gras . Bienville went on to found Mobile, Alabama in 1702 as the first capital of French Louisiana . In 1703 French settlers in that city began to celebrate the Mardi Gras tradition . By 1720, Biloxi was made capital of Louisiana . While it had French settlers, Mardi Gras and other customs were celebrated with more fanfare given its new status . In 1723, the capital of French Louisiana was moved to New Orleans, founded in 1718 . With the growth of New Orleans as a city and the creolization of different cultures, the varied celebration of Mardi Gras became the event most strongly associated with the city . In more recent times, several U.S. cities without a French Catholic heritage have instituted the celebration of Mardi Gras, which sometimes emerged as grassroots movements to help accompany single people to celebrate something in late Winter which is often dominated by the commercialized and couple - centric Valentine's Day, and as a result it has been co-opted as the single people's late Winter holiday . </P> <P> Mardi Gras is an official state holiday in Mobile and Baldwin counties . Other counties in the state grant employees a day of personal leave in lieu of Mardi Gras . </P> <P> Mobile, founded by Bienville in 1702, is known for having the oldest organized Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States, beginning in 1703 . It was also host to the first formally organized Mardi Gras parade in the United States in 1830 . </P> <P> Mobile's Mardi Gras celebrations revolve around mystic societies, private social organizations that have been a fundamental part of the social and business fabric of the city . The mystic societies are organizations, similar to krewes in New Orleans, that present parades, masked balls, and activities for the enjoyment of its members, guests, and the public . Mystic society membership is secret . The mystic societies build colorful Carnival floats and parade throughout downtown Mobile during the Carnival season with masked society members tossing small gifts, known as "throws", to the parade spectators . Throws were first introduced in Mobile during an 1837 Cowbellion de Rakin Society parade . They initially consisted of sugar plumbs, kisses, and oranges . Currently, throws may be trinkets, candy, cookies, peanuts, women's panties, artificial roses, stuffed animals, doubloons, cups, hats, can coolers, Frisbees, medallion necklaces, bead necklaces of every variety, and the iconic Moon Pies . </P>

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