Beauvoir
N 30° 23.535 W 088° 58.254
16R E 310644 N 3363899
This building was the retirement home of Jefferson Davis, the first and last President of the Confederate States of America.
Waymark Code: WM49YX
Location: Mississippi, United States
Date Posted: 07/27/2008
Views: 32
Edited from beauvoir.org -
Beauvoir was the last home of Jefferson Davis and it was the site of his retirement. The house was built by James Brown, a wealthy plantation owner from Madison County, Mississippi, using slave labor for un-skilled portions of the work. The house was started in late 1848 and was completed in 1852. In 1877, Jefferson Davis was looking for a quiet retreat to write his books and papers. While inspecting property on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, he paid a courtesy call on Mrs. Dorsey (a family friend). He told her of his plans to try to find a place to write his books and papers. She encouraged him to stay at Beauvoir in one of the two pavilions in front of Beauvoir House to write his books.
Jefferson Davis died in 1889. His daughter, Winnie then inherited the property and when she died in 1898, Varina, Jefferson Davis' widow inherited the property. Mrs. Davis sold the property to the Mississippi Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans with two stipulations. The first was that the property be used for a Confederate Veterans Home for the veterans and or their widows at no charge to them and that was done from 1903 until 1957 when the last three widows were transferred to a private nursing home in Greenwood, Mississippi, when it was no longer practical to keep them at the site. The second stipulation for the sale of the property was that it be used as a memorial to Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Soldier; and that has been done from 1903 until the present time.
In August 2005, the house was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Through a miraculous effort, the house has been brought back to life.
Street address:
2244 Beach Boulevard
Biloxi, MS USA
39531
County / Borough / Parish: Harrison
Year listed: 1971
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Person
Periods of significance: 1875-1899
Historic function: Domestic
Current function: Recreation and Culture
Privately owned?: yes
Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2008 To: 12/31/2008
Hours of operation: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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