Biloxi couple restore historic home as a labor of love

When Dennis and Nanette Burke lost their home at the corner of Collins and St. John in Biloxi to Hurricane Katrina, they thought their replacement house in Woolmarket would become their "forever" home.

Their first love -- their old Biloxi home -- was gone, but sometimes love comes a second time around.

There was a house on Seal Avenue that had been vacant since 2004; even then, the Burkes had seen something intriguing about it, but it wasn't available. It survived the storm, with damage but no water; the water stopped two houses down, Dennis said. Still, it wasn't for sale.

The Burkes settled into life away from their beloved downtown. Then the unexpected happened: The Seal Avenue house was available.

"We bought it Nov. 1, 2009, and in January 2010, we started on the demolition, the leveling and the exterior," Dennis said. "June 7, 2010, is the day John Miller showed up. He made all this happen. He would let us go full circle with an idea before he would tell us if it would work or not."

Miller, a contractor, guided the Burkes through the restoration of the ca. 1905 cottage-style shotgun house. They did the demolition themselves, with the help of family and friends.

"I don't know how many we filled," Nannette said, referring to portable trash bins. "You wouldn't believe all the mess involved."

About a year later, the restoration was complete, and the Burkes were living on Seal Avenue -- back home.

The Mississippi Heritage Trust recently acknowledged the diligence involved in bringing the house back, awarding the Burkes a Heritage Award for Merit for Restoration/Rehabilitation. The framed award now sits on the living room mantel.

The demolition work was interior.

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Biloxi couple restore historic home as a labor of love