First White House of the Confederacy - Montgomery, Alabama
Posted by: 
xptwo
N 32° 22.585 W 086° 17.997
16S E 565852 N 3582375
The First White House of the Confederacy was used for that purpose for a few months until the Confederate capital was moved to Richmond, Virginia. The house was moved to its current site in 1919 and is now a museum.
Waymark Code: WMDEBQ
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 01/02/2012
Views: 9
On February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as the President of the Confederate States of America. On February 21, 1861, the Provisional Congress authorized the leasing of an Executive Mansion. The house they rented had been built between 1832 and 1835 by William Sayre. It was then located at the corner of Lee and Bibb Streets. The owner at the time, Colonel Edmund S. Harrison, rented the house, completely furnished and staffed, for $5000 a year, a large sum which caused some comment at the time. During the short time it was the White House, Mr. and Mrs. Davis hosted many social events. The Confederate capitol was moved to Richmond, Virginia, on May 20, 1861. Mr. Davis arrived there on May 29. Mrs. Davis supervised the packing of their household goods and left in June.
The house survived the war and passed through other hands. In 1897, the newly organized United Daughters of the Confederacy undertook the the preservation of the house, and a White House Association was formed in 1900. Mrs. Jefferson Davis gave furniture and other items to the association for use in furnishing the home. They were finally able to purchase the House in 1919. The previous owners wanted to keep the land, so property was bought and the house was moved to its present location at 644 Washington Avenue at the corner of Union Street. It is next door to the Alabama Department of Archives and History Building. The former site is now occupied by the Montgomery Skatepark.
The June 3, 1901 photo shows the house in the Bibb Street location decorated for Jefferson Davis' birthday.
Year photo was taken: 1901
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