Built in 1889, unique waterfront mansion for sale is a ‘true treasure’ on the MS Coast

On one of the Coast’s priciest and most historic streets sits an 1889 waterfront mansion that’s survived Hurricanes Camille and Katrina, and it’s for sale right now.

The six bedroom, six bathroom estate on Scenic Drive stands at just over 6,600 square feet, and it’s listed on Zillow for $2.85 million.

Described by Realtor Amy Wood as an 1889 Chalet Style Arts and Craft Bungalow, this home has gone through a full restoration by its current owners, the Martins. They have owned the estate for the last five years, and the list of renovations they have completed is multi-paged.

“These owners have loved this home, and they have worked five years on getting it in pristine condition,” Wood said. “It’s very unique in its style. I don’t think there’s anything else on Scenic Drive exactly like it. It’s a true treasure to Pass Christian.”

The Martins have worked to complete a modern renovation of the home that pays homage to its historic features, Wood told the Sun Herald. It was important to them to enhance the home for today’s needs while keeping with its original character.

What features does the mansion include?

Its 1.4 acres of land include grounds designed by P. Allen Smith, a television host and garden designer, underground power wiring, a landscaped parking area, two garage spaces, a large storage barn, and a private entrance to the home out of sight from Scenic Drive.

Oak trees line the house’s 1.4 acres and have been trimmed, fertilized, and cared for “because that is a part of the history too,” Wood said.

On its acreage the home also has a private pool and an adjacent pool house that was transformed from a turn of the century stable as another nod to the estate’s past.

On the east side of the home is the Martins’ most recently finished project: an outdoor brick courtyard with a large fireplace and cooking area for entertaining guests.

The purchaser of this house will also have access to the mansion’s redone hardwood floors and a newly designed kitchen with double dishwashers, double ovens, a sub zero refrigerator and wine cooler, an icemaker, a walnut custom wood island, hand built cabinets and marble counters. There is also a nearby breakfast nook with a Bay window and a Fortuny light fixture from Venice.

“The home is just very warm and welcoming,” Wood said. “It has a beautiful flow. When I was showing the house last week, we were standing in the kitchen and den area, and we could look forward and still see the Gulf from the middle of the home. And it had these beautiful windows that are original and have withstood so many years, which is very special.”

The mansion has been on the market for around six weeks, and has generated a good bit of interest from locals and people out of state, Wood said. She said her favorite feature, and one that has continuously impressed potential buyers, is the home’s porches.

“The porches have always been one of the best things about this house,” Wood said. “They’re beautifully screened and just immaculate with beautiful hardwood floors. One porch has such a great panoramic view because the houses that are built on either side are behind it, so you really can see all the way to the Pass Christian Harbor and beyond.”

The house is also central to downtown restaurants, coffee shops, and the Pass Christian Harbor, and is about a 10 minute drive from Interstate 10 or downtown Bay St. Louis.

So what would it take to own this piece of historic luxury? Zillow estimates that the cost of this mansion would stand at around $13,640 per month.

This story was originally published January 13, 2023 at 7:00 AM.