NATCHEZ — Once a moldering near-ruin on South Canal Street, the 157-year-old cottage John and Marcia McCullough moved to South Pearl Street was the envy of dozens of onlookers and Historical Society members Saturday.

The cottage, along with two new cottages the McCulloughs built in Victorian style across the street in the 400 block of South Pearl, was open for tours.

Before it was restored, the cottage looked like it was about to fall over, and the Historic Natchez Foundation contacted the McCulloughs about the building because of concerns it would be torn down.

“It took a lot of imagination, but (the house) has good bones,” Marcia McCullough said. “Really, it was not that hard to do.”

After several months of restoration work, the shack-like structure was converted into an attractive bed and breakfast, which Marcia decorated herself.

House viewer Catherine Prince said she hopes more people take action to restore old buildings like the McCulloughs did.

“I think this is a great thing, and I hope there is more of it,” Prince said. “There are so many old houses around here that can be saved.”

The location of the restored building was ideal because of its proximity to downtown, Marcia said.

The couple already owned the lot on South Pearl where the restored cottage eventually rested, but at the time the lot was overgrown with trees and weeds.

“This area has always been a jungle,” Marcia said. “It seemed like the perfect place for Natchez to expand.”

After looking for other old houses to move to the area and restore, the couple finally decided to build new houses with a period feel.

But Marcia tried to keep the new structures as authentic as possible, and found period doors, windows and flooring — among other things — to incorporate into the buildings.

“I tried wherever I could to put old things into these new houses,” she said.

And that impressed house viewer Francey Killian.

“I am thoroughly impressed,” Killian said. “Marcia (did) her research and — while they are not vintage — the (new) houses have that feel,” Killian said.

John McCullough said the couple was able to use Go-Zone tax incentives during the construction of the new houses and the restoration of the old one.

“Hopefully, we will make some money on it at some point,” he said.

Along with the restored cottage, one of the new houses will function as a bed and breakfast.

The second new house has already been rented as a corporate apartment for the year, Marcia said.

The house tours — which cost $10 apiece — also served as a fund raiser for the Natchez Historic Foundation.

The funds will go toward the Smithsonian Institute exhibit “Journey Stories,” which will be hosted at the foundation building starting in September.