Location Information
(for the Sacred Heart Academy)
Name:Sacred Heart Academy [Nativity BVM Sacred Heart Center; Mercy Cross High School]
Address:870 Nativity Drive
City/County:Biloxi, Harrison County
Architectural Information
Construction Date:1933
Architectural Styles(s):Eclectic/Composite, Tudor
Local Designation Information
Local Landmark Listing Date:07 Sep 2010
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Context/Comments
This building is included in "The Buildings of Biloxi" (2000/2010, p. 102); "Biloxi (Images of America)" (2009) (p. 122); and "Buildings of Mississippi" (2020) (p. 349, at the end of the listing for the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, GC26).
Brief Description
Sacred Heart Academy is located within the Downtown area of Biloxi. It is oriented facing south, and located on the north side of Nativity Drive, which is situated between Caillavet Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It is sited among commercial buildings as well as multiple buildings associated with the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (B.V.M).

The school was constructed to echo the architectural style of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, built in 1902. It is a two-story, seven-bay school with Tudor Revival detailing and a U-shaped plan. Bays 1 & 7 are hipped-roof projecting ells. Bays 2 & 4 & 6 are pavilions with stepped parapets. Bay #4 is an inset wood 12-light/1 panel door with 10-light transom surmounted by a cast stone segmental pediment with a Tudor arch hood mold. Other doors are wood 6-light/1-panel with cast stone segmental arch and quoin architrave. Windows are 8/8, 9/9 and 12/12 wood DHS. Decorative features include stone rosettes, decorative brick panels, coping, cast stone panels withe passages from the Christian Bible and parapet niche containing a cast stone Virgin Mary sculpture. The school has a pier foundation, brick cladding, and a pressed metal roof. There is a flat roof cafeteria wing addition on the northwest rear corner with 2/2 aluminum DHS windows was constructed in 1949. There is also a porte-cochere addition appended to the left (west) elevation. The metal roof currently on the building was constructed by the Saucier Brothers Roofing and designed by architect Westly Toche. The building retains a high degree of integrity.
Historic Information
Built in 1933 at a cost of $32,280.00. The school originally housed grades 1-12 and was known as Sacred Heart High School and Elementary. In 1943, Sacred Heart High School became an all girls school. Elementary education ended in 1956. (Grades 1-8 remained co-ed). Sacred Heart was desegregated in 1966. It remained an all-girls high school until its closure in 1981. It was later the building is used as a parish hall, Sunday School, and private event space before becoming Mercy Cross High School.