Hewes Building: A Gulfport Landmark

The Hewes Building, located at 2505 14th Street in Gulfport, Mississippi, is a significant regional landmark that embodies the city's early 20th-century growth. Chartered in 1898, Gulfport owes its origins to the economic boom fueled by the exploitation of the region's timber resources. Completed in 1905, the Hewes Building stands as a symbol of the business prospects recognized by Gulfport's developers. Designed in the Second Renaissance Revival style, the five-story building features a brick and stucco exterior with a flat roof and a parapet. A cast stone cap tops the parapet, which also includes a projecting string course with dentil molding. The building's corners are adorned with ashlar quoins, and a cast stone string course separates the first and second floors. The first floor is stuccoed and scored into large blocks. The building once housed the first elevator in Mississippi. The Hewes Building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982 and is a contributing element to the Gulfport Harbor Square Commercial Historic District. It has survived several hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005, after which it was renovated. Today, the Hewes Building is home to Keesler Federal Credit Union and other offices, continuing to play a vital role in Gulfport's central business district.