Bored with your own crib? Why not visit Beauvoir, The Jefferson Davis Home?
Beauvoir is not a typical house where you can eat, watch or recline on a very comfy sofa. But its history, ambiance and architectural design will definitely give you more than you ask for.
This nostalgic crib which name literally means “beautiful view” in French is physically located in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was completely built in 1852 but was heavily damaged in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. It underwent restoration of murals that was erased by the hurricane. The colors of the paintings were accurately copied through the help of old photographs, about a century-old, and color charts. It was reopened to the public on the 200th anniversary of Jefferson Davis’ birth.
Beauvoir is architecturally designed in a Gulf Coast style with columned veranda, wide porch area and long stairways which are prominent in this style that welcomes the guests warmly. The exterior is painted in dark green shutters and white siding. Natural cooling system is done by opening the front and back doors for the house to capture the nature’s gulf breeze. It has four accessible rooms from the hall, two parlors in the West and two restored rooms in the East as Davis’ daughters’ memorial.
Four additional rooms are accessible through the back veranda. It has two wings which is twice the size of the original house. Jefferson Davis and his second wife Varina used one of the wings for their suite while the other wing was used for the children’s room and for the formal dining. The style and fixtures inside the house was originally an idea from Mrs. Sarah Dorsey, the owner of the house after the Brown family.
The historically-inclined guides explain the history of the only President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis. The house was built in its expansive 51-acre complex with gardens and walking paths in the vicinity of the house. After the tour, guests can visit the estate’s ground where the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier and historic cemetery for Confederate veterans are found. A gift shop must be visited too before living the house. The Presidential Library, where “The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government” was written, is soon to open on Spring 2012.
