Grasslawn
Grasslawn
The beautiful summer home of Dr. Hiram A. Roberts, a Port Gibson, MS surgeon and Louisiana sugar plantation owner, was built in 1836 on East Beach in Gulfport, MS overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
The house was constructed of hand-hewn pine and cypress timbers held together with wooden pegs. The 10-foot wide galleries supported by two-story box columns were enclosed by wooden balustrades with balusters of triangular design – a Grass Lawn trademark.
The original property included 235 acres of orchards and gardens. In 1905 the property was subdivided, and John Kennedy Milner, who later became owner of the Coast Coca-Cola Bottling Co., purchased Grass Lawn. Because of political, historical and architectural significance, Grass Lawn was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Grass Lawn was an extremely popular location for weddings, receptions and various parties. It was featured as the “Hospitality House” in Gulfport for the annual Spring Pilgrimage sponsored by the MS Gulf Coast Council of Garden Clubs. The City of Gulfport, also, entertained dignitaries during their visit to the Coast.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed the 1836 original house on August 29, 2005.