Museum· 1852· Biloxi

Beauvoir — Jefferson Davis Home

National Historic Landmark

The last home of the president of the Confederacy sits on the beach in Biloxi — not hidden in the countryside, not on a plantation, but facing the Gulf of Mexico on a public highway. Jefferson Davis lived here from 1877 until his death in 1889, writing his memoirs on the second floor while the seafood industry grew up around him. Katrina's 28-foot storm surge in 2005 gutted the house to its frame and scattered the museum collection across Harrison County. Beauvoir was rebuilt over eight years and reopened in 2013 — one of the most ambitious historic restorations on the Gulf Coast.

Quick facts

·Jefferson Davis lived here from 1877 until his death in 1889 — his longest residence after the war.
·Katrina's 28-foot storm surge in 2005 reduced the house to its frame and scattered the collection across Harrison County.
·Rebuilt over 8 years at a cost of $5 million. Reopened in 2013.
·The estate originally included 608 acres. The current grounds are 52 acres.
·Davis wrote The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government in the library on the second floor.
·Listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
·Open daily 9am–4pm. Admission charged. The Confederate cemetery on the grounds holds over 700 burials.