Grass Lawn (Gulfport, Mississippi) facts for kids
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Grass Lawn
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Grass Lawn in 1978
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | 720 East Beach Boulevard, Gulfport, Mississippi |
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| Built | 1836 |
| Architect | Hiram A. Roberts |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000692 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Destroyed | 2005 |
| Added to NRHP | July 31, 1972 |
| Removed from NRHP | July 16, 2008 |
Grass Lawn, also called the Milner House, was a beautiful two-story home in Gulfport, Mississippi. It was built before the American Civil War. In 1972, this historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Sadly, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina completely destroyed it.
After the hurricane, a new building, Grasslawn II, was constructed. It looks just like the original Grass Lawn. In 2010, this new building was named a Mississippi Landmark. It opened in 2012 and is now used for city events, weddings, and parties.
Contents
The Story of Grass Lawn
Building a Historic Home
Grass Lawn was built in 1836. It was designed as a summer home for Dr. Hiram A. Roberts. He was a surgeon from Port Gibson, Mississippi. Dr. Roberts also owned large sugarcane farms in Louisiana.
The house was in Gulfport, Mississippi. It sat on a huge property of 235 acres. From the house, you could see the Mississippi Sound.
Unique Construction Details
Grass Lawn was special because of how it was built. It used a method called wood-pegged construction. This means large pieces of wood were joined together with wooden pegs, not nails. The main timbers were hand-hewn from strong longleaf pine trees.
The walls were made of bald cypress wood. The floors used beautiful heart-pine lumber. Fireplaces in the house had fancy mantels made of black or white marble. The home had two stories, and its porches were 10 feet wide. These wide porches were held up by strong box columns.
New Owners and City Use
Over many years, parts of the large property were sold off. In 1905, John Kennedy Milner bought the house. Milner later became the owner of the Coast Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Gulfport.
In 1972, Grass Lawn was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened because it was important for its history and architecture. The Milner Family sold the house to the City of Gulfport in 1973. For the next 32 years, the city used Grass Lawn as a community center. Many private and public events were held there.
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Hurricane Katrina and the New Beginning
On August 29, 2005, a powerful storm hit. Grass Lawn was completely destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. After the hurricane, city leaders decided to rebuild. They wanted to create a new building that looked just like the old Grass Lawn. This new building would remind everyone of the historic structures on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The new structure, Grasslawn II, was finished and opened on July 20, 2012. It is now used for city events. People can also rent it for weddings, parties, and other special gatherings.
