In Katrina's Wake

Dorothy “Dot” Phillips, a 76-year-old resident of Bay St. Louis, Mis - sissippi, is the consummate hostess, even while entertaining in a place that is not, strictly speaking, her home. On a fiercely hot June afternoon she’s serving coffee and cookies to a small group that includes Marty Hylton, the World Monuments Fund Initia - tives Manager, who’s come to visit Dot at her temporary quarters at 115 Carroll Avenue. Until Hurricane Katrina hit, Dot entertained visitors a few blocks away, at 222 North Beach Boulevard, a twostory Americanized version of the Creole Cottage constructed ca. 1840 that was a fixture in one of Bay St. Louis’ many historic districts. But Katrina’s ten-meter storm surge devastated Dot’s home, leaving her in a quandary: demolish the historic structure that’s been in the family for six genera - tions and start over, or invest the enormous amounts of time and energy needed to restore the house. She’s decided on the latter course, thanks in no small measure to the efforts of WMF.