Old Brick House (Biloxi, Mississippi) facts for kids
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Old Brick House
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Old Brick House, October 2011
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | 410 E. Bayview Avenue Biloxi, Mississippi |
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| Built | circa 1850 |
| Architectural style | French Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001011 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | 1973 |
The Old Brick House, also called the Biloxi Garden Center, was built around 1850. It was a family home for John Henley, who used to be the sheriff and mayor of Biloxi. It's located by Back Bay in Biloxi, Mississippi. This house is very important! It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Later, in 1987, it was named a Mississippi Landmark, which means it's a special historical place in Mississippi. Even though Hurricane Katrina badly damaged it in 2005, the house was fixed up and reopened in 2011.
History of the Old Brick House
The land where the house stands was first given to Jean Baptiste Carquotte by the Spanish government way back in 1784. This was a special 'land grant'.
When John Henley built the house, he used strong 'heart-pine' wood for the floors. The outside walls were made with three layers of bricks! This made the house super strong. Because it was built so strongly with bricks, the house has survived over 150 years of big storms and storm surges (when ocean water rushes onto land). It's one of the oldest buildings still standing in Biloxi.
In the 1950s, the house wasn't being taken care of very well. But then, the Biloxi Garden Clubs stepped in to save it! The City of Biloxi bought it to use as a museum and a place for events and meetings.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage to the house. About 7 feet (2.1 meters) of water from the storm surge flooded it. But the strong building survived! It was carefully restored to look just like it did in the past. As of 2011, the Old Brick House was one of only two antebellum (meaning "before the war") homes still standing in Biloxi.
