The majority of our team has been working on the Bond-Grant House this week, which is one of the few remaining historic homes to survive the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Below is a brief history of the home, as well as what the future holds for it.
According to the Executive Director of Main Street Biloxi, a not for profit dedicated to promoting, preserving, revitalizing and enhancing the economic growth of the downtown Biloxi area, the Bond House significance and history is as follows:
THE BOND HOUSE
(925 West Howard Avenue, Biloxi, MS)
Other names for The Bond House – Chinn House, Vera Dukate, Grant House. The present address of The Bond House is 917 Howard Avenue. The Bond House was built by William K. M. Dukate between 1904 and 1909 as a wedding present for his daughter, Vera, who married B.A. Bond 17 October 1904. Vera later married R. Hart Chinn, ex Mayor of Biloxi (1933-35, 1951) on November 11, 1918. Vera Dukate Bond Chinn died April 1977.
The Bond House is a two-story four-by-four-bay frame house. The most striking feature of this handsome house is the beautiful leaded, beveled glass of the entrance-way. The building is wooden framed with the lower story covered in wooden clapboard siding painted tan in color while the upper floor is covered in semi octagonal and common shingles painted mauve in color with all windows, cornice, and ornament the same color as the lower floor. The east-west hipped roof is intersected by a gabled roof that covers the south or rear portion of the house. A hipped dormer extends northward from a secondary roof that intersects the main roof on the north side. A large one story porch supported by a slender colonnade and enclosed by a balustrade dominates the north façade and covers the main entry. A smaller secondary porch rests atop the main porch on the second level. Flanking the east side of the upper level porch is a semi-octagonal bay of two levels with windows on each side of the bay. The front entry door with its transom and side lights are of handsome, finely beveled glass. A secondary entry door leads into the semi-octagonal bay which is also adjacent to the main entry door. The style is Queen Anne; the character is neoclassical. The Daily Herald reports that 4 January 1921 “Mr. & Mrs. W. J. Grant and family are moving into their new home on West Howard Avenue, which they recently purchased from Mrs. Hart Chinn. Mr. & Mrs. Chinn have moved into the Chinn home on Reynoir Street”. The Grants owned the house at least through 1964. 26 February 1964, Mrs. Grant sold the house to First Baptist Church, but Mrs. Grant had an agreement with First Baptist Church to occupy the house until her death. Around 1968 First Baptist Church had The Bond House and was using it as either a Kindergarten or Day Care Center or office.
When First Baptist relocated to a new site on the north side of Biloxi, they sold the house to the Beau Rivage Casino, and the house has remained empty since. The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. During Hurricane Katrina, the house was spared total destruction due to it being shelter to some degree by the Biloxi City Hall. After Hurricane Katrina, the Beau Rivage Casino donated the house to Main Street Biloxi, on the condition that they relocate the house. The relocation was done in 2006, and the house moved across the street to property owned by the City of Biloxi.
Some aspects of the future of the Bond House are still being determined, however this much is assured that this important structure to the morale of the city will be preserved for future generations. Main Street Biloxi has written a grant to support turning the home into a community center, with the main level being available to groups for private and public gatherings, and the second floor serving as the offices for Main Street Biloxi, whose prior offices were completely destroyed by the hurricane. Contingencies for how the house will be used, should the grant not be secured, are currently being determined.
Submitted by Marvin Rasch
Posted by Marvin Rasch at 10:55 PM. Filed under: