Page 136 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2015

HOME good to the last drop
in the Bay
Maxwell House full of history and beautiful collections
story by Lynn Lofton photos by Katherine Sowers
axwell House in Bay St. Louis was built in 1878 and has been lovingly restored by
Charles Harry Gray. It’s fitting that Gray owns this historic jewel because he’s the director of the Hancock County Historical Society and a walking history book who relishes sharing the history of the area with others.
A long time resident of New Orleans, Gray and his late partner Jimmy Plauche’ moved to the Bay several years before Hurricane Katrina. They owned Beachwood
Hall, circa 1840, which overlooked the Bay of St. Louis and was destroyed in the 2005 storm.
Gray purchased his present home in 2008 but didn’t move in until 2010. A large section of Maxwell House was destroyed in Hurricane Camille, and the roof was taken off in Hurricane Katrina. It sat without a roof for four years. “I had a lot to restore and had to deal with the state Department of Archives and History,” Gray said. “I replaced the Corinthian columns that were original to the house and added about 1,000 square feet to bring it back to the original size.”
The home is named for Gray’s adorable little dog and constant companion, Maxwell.
The homeowner visited architectural salvage businesses to purchase old doors, wide plank flooring and other pieces to blend with the house’s character. Doors from an old New Orleans streetcar are used to separate the master bedroom from the living room. A framed photo of the streetcar and the conductor’s coin box add charming touches to the bedroom. An unexpected door in the living room is fashioned from a Chinese screen and opens to reveal a TV and a washer >>
136 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • November 2015
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