The Markham Hotel building is located in downtown Gulfport, about one city block from the Mississippi Sound. The 8-story hotel was designed by architectural firm Marshall and Fox. It opened January 31, 1927 at the southwest corner of 21st and 14th Streets in a burgeoning downtown Gulfport and was named for Charles Markham, a former president of the Illinois Central Railroad. The Markham contained 180 guest rooms and catered mainly to business clientele. Amenities included a formal dining room, swimming pool, and rooftop garden. As with other grand hotels of the period, the Markham lost business to newer, more modern hotels with the passage of time. In the 1970s, the Markham was renovated into an office complex, and the swimming pool was converted into a parking lot. A second renovation in 1987 retained its use as an office building. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s tidal surge flooded the ground floor and hurricane-force winds damaged the roof of the structure. The Markham building is a contributing resource in the Gulfport Harbor Square Commercial Historic District, as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2011, the Markham was named as one of the ten most endangered historic places in Mississippi by the Mississippi Heritage Trust. There is a new investor and future plans to renovate this beautiful building should be soon.
City: Gulfport
County: Harrison
Address: 2301 14th Street
Accessibility: This building is closed; can view from vehicle/street