HISTORIC LANDMARK: Developer Bill Edwards has restored the home that Picayune Item founder E. F. Tate built back in 1910.
Jodi Marze | Picayune Item

The historical residence at 201 E. Second St., in Picayune was built by Eastman F. Tate in 1910.

Tate is also known for founding the Bank of Picayune and the Picayune Item.

The Tate family sold the home to the W.D. Cammack family in 1928, before being purchased by local business developer Bill Edwards, from the Cammack family in 2008.

Edwards used a drawing to show how the home originally featured a bedroom on the front opposite a railed. He said a tree fell on the bedroom during Hurricane Camille. The family decided against replacing bedroom and instead extended the porch across the entire front of the home.

Edwards said the sellers told him they would play under the porch with their toys as children. Extensive restoration Edwards conducted on the home after his acquisition lent credence to their story.

“We found several antique toys under the porch when we were going through the lifting and leveling process,” he said. “We were quite surprised they were still there after all of those years.”

During restoration, Edwards, who is considered an authority on historical home restoration by many in the area, said he renovated from foundation to roof, which included replacing piers, leveling the foundation and repairing or replacing joists.

To improve the flow of the home, he relocated the kitchen and added a bedroom.

Edwards said he replaced electrical wiring and pipes throughout the residence to bring them up to code. He also stabilized the fireplace because the chimney leaned away from the house.

Improvements to the home included updating the kitchen and bathrooms.

The tender, loving care that Edwards has shown this Picayune landmark is evident in the new owner’s appreciation.