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WORK SITES - BAY ST. LOUIS
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| CONSERVATION OF
HURRICANE-DAMAGED VERNACULAR HOUSES |
BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI USA
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| HCN will be helping to restore
the following homes and structures in Bay St. Louis. |
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The Monkey House
(Site 1)
146 Main Street |
 This building is affectionately
known in Bay St. Louis as the "Monkey House". Jenette Carmichael,
who owned the house in the mid 1900s, ran a newspaper here and
kept a pet monkey. Built circa 1850, it was, before the storm,
one of the ten oldest buildings in town. After Katrina, it may
now be the oldest standing building in the county.
Standing next to the courthouse on Main Street in the once thriving
arts district, this building served as a focal point for the arts
community for many years. The classic Creole cottage took four
feet of water inside with the storm surge, which required interior
materials to be gutted. It is now dry and ready for preservation
and repair. When completed, it will house an art gallery run by
owner Elizabeth Dowdy, who purchased the building three weeks
before the storm. Elizabeth is currently showing work by local
artists in a temporary location and would like to be one of the
"pioneers" who reopen as soon as possible. |
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Rivendale (Site
2)
414 3rd Street |
 This house is affectionately
known as "Rivendale". Estimated to have been built in the 1890's,
it has barge board construction and double front entrances. Later
owners “camelbacked" it, creating a marvelous second story
space in the rear that overlooked a wooded area teeming with wildlife.
A lovely English garden framed the entrance. The house was structurally
damaged by the force of the tidal surge, even though it is nearly
half a mile from the beach. The floors in the front rooms are
buckled and pushed up by beams that were shifted during the storm.
Yet, initial assessments say it can be saved and one day will
again be a haven for nature lovers. |
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Aderer House (Site
3)
212 St. Charles
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|  If you drive up from the beach,
this sturdy house is now the first standing house on St. Charles
Street. All of the other historic houses between it and the
Gulf (about half a mile) were completely destroyed by Katrina.
While the storm raged, the three sons of the owner, Karl Aderer,
filmed the event. They have created a DVD which details the
horror of the storm and are using it to raise money for survivors.
The house itself has a central hallway with large rooms on either
side, giving it a timeless, gracious feeling, even in its current
state of disrepair. High ceilings are adorned with vintage lighting
fixtures. The owner has been working on the property since the
storm but is particularly in need of expert plastering help.
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Mehrton House
(Site 4)
606 Hancock |
 This charming house
is one of the few survivors on the entire block. The Hancock County
Historical Society information estimates it as being circa 1930,
but structural members uncovered during the storm have many guessing
that it is much older, perhaps pre-1900. The cottage is lined
with bead board interior and has an arcaded front porch. The water
rose several feet inside the house, but thankfully, the house
seems to have survived without major structural damage. The owner,
Joy Mehrton, is a well-known musician and choral director. |
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Monti House (Site
5)
209 Washington Street |
Lisa Monti, a business writer for
a Biloxi newspaper, writes: My grandparents built the home where I live in 1915,
next door to my grandfather’s blacksmith shop. A couple
of years ago I restored the house, getting back to the original
bead board walls and ceilings and hardwood floors. Most of the
windows are original to the house, and the fireplace is the main
feature of the small living room.
My
favorite features are the many windows and the screened front
porch, which is cooled by the breezes from the water. The house
has been the meeting place for my family for four generations,
who met over countless Sunday meals and holiday feasts.
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| If you have additional questions
or have information for us, please contact us at workshops@heritageconservation.net
or call +1 303-444-0128.
If you would like to help with the repair and preservation
of hurricane-affected areas but are unable to attend the workshop,
you can still participate by supporting our conservation efforts
with a tax deductible donation to HCN. Donations will be used
in a variety of ways - to sponsor a participant, to provide
materials needed for conservation work, or to provide teaching
materials for participants, just to name a few.
We have partnered with Groundspring.org to make it easy and
safe for you to donate online:
If you would prefer to mail in a gift, please use our donation form. |
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"I like the hands-on
aspect and seeing the results of the work. It’s
preservation in action"
Mark Slater
Historical Architect |
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