Jefferson Davis was a U.S. Senator, Congressman, Secretary of War and the President of the Confederacy. His home and library are on the Gulf Coast between Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi. The ride along Highway 90 on the Gulf Coast made it obvious of the destruction that Katrina caused. They are still rebuilding many of the walls along the beaches and bringing sand in. The debris has been cleaned up but many lots are vacant with only foundations remaining. We had the opportunity to speak to a woman who lost her home along the coast. Her husband and her built a home away from the coast since theirs was totally destroyed and they lost everything. The homes along the coast, prior to Katrina, were mainly on concrete slabs. The codes now would require them to be up on piers and many people could not afford to build to meet the new codes. It still will be years before this area completely recovers. It will people with the financial means to buy the lots along the coast and build to the new codes.
Jefferson Davis, former President of the Confederacy, visited Beauvoir twice during the mid 1870’s. Impressed by its natural beauty and serenity the aging leader accepted the current owner’s invitation to write his memoirs at this estate. He eventually purchased the estate for $5,500. After his death his widow, despite many lucrative offers, in 1903, sold it for $10,000 to the Mississippi Division, United Sons of Confederate Veterans. The sale required the property to be used by Confederate veterans along with their wives, widows, servants and orphans. The state ran the home for 54 years, building structures so that there was a capacity of 288 residents. The facility cared for approximately 1800 individuals, almost half of the residents are buried in the Confederate cemetery on the grounds. The Veterans’ home closed in 1956 and is now a museum. The only structure remaining is the original home. As with many structures along the Gulf Coast the museum survived many hurricanes until Katrina. The main house was heavily damaged but was not totally destroyed since it was originally set on piers.
Jefferson Davis, former President of the Confederacy, visited Beauvoir twice during the mid 1870’s. Impressed by its natural beauty and serenity the aging leader accepted the current owner’s invitation to write his memoirs at this estate. He eventually purchased the estate for $5,500. After his death his widow, despite many lucrative offers, in 1903, sold it for $10,000 to the Mississippi Division, United Sons of Confederate Veterans. The sale required the property to be used by Confederate veterans along with their wives, widows, servants and orphans. The state ran the home for 54 years, building structures so that there was a capacity of 288 residents. The facility cared for approximately 1800 individuals, almost half of the residents are buried in the Confederate cemetery on the grounds. The Veterans’ home closed in 1956 and is now a museum. The only structure remaining is the original home. As with many structures along the Gulf Coast the museum survived many hurricanes until Katrina. The main house was heavily damaged but was not totally destroyed since it was originally set on piers.
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