6 Jan 2019 - Jefferson Davis's Beauvoir and Lunch with Bob and Joyce Childre

6 Jan 2019
This morning we toured Beauvoir which was the Jefferson Davis home and Presidential Library.  If you recall from our Montgomery AL visit, Jefferson Davis was the one and only President of the Confederate States of America, and Beauvoir (beautiful view) was his last home.  This beautiful home faces the beach here in Biloxi and from the huge front porch it is indeed a 'beautiful view'.

Beauvoir

The original marble gate was completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina

The tour started in the museum and library gift shop.  While we waited for the Beauvoir tour to start we watched a movie about Jefferson Davis and it was narrated by a character portraying Senator George Wallace Jones from Iowa.  Senator Jones was close friends with President Jefferson Davis and was arrested, accused of being sympathetic to the Confederate cause.

Soon the movie ended and our tour started.  As we made our way from the gift shop area to the Beauvoir home we were greeted by our tour guide, and humorous lady who was dressed to the period and was very knowledgeable. 

Our tour guide

A climb to the huge porch and entrance to Beauvoir

A guest house to the west

Another guest house Jefferson Davis rented to live in and write his book before he bought Beauvoir 

Painting similar to what we saw in Montgomery.  It makes the surfaces look 3D but they are actually flat

Beautiful furnishings and decoration

Grandfathers clock built in the 1700's still works today and has never been serviced

The front parlor

Master bedroom

Varina's bedroom

A piece of the horsehair plaster recently fell from the ceiling, below

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After touring Beauvoir we headed back to the museum.  The presidential library was closed but the museum was very interesting.  A few pictures:

Mardi Gras tree, decorated on 6 January - the Epiphany

The board room with many of Jefferson Davis' military awards and decorations

Jefferson Davis funeral car.

Jefferson Davis funeral, the largest ever in the south

In 1865 Jefferson Davis was captured and imprisoned in Ft Monroe, VA.  He was indicted for treason  but in 1869 the Government decided not to prosecute him.

Flags of the Confederacy

Large display of medical tools

Jefferson Davis attended West Point and served for 11 years

The museum was apparently having some issues as the lights would not come on in the room with all the weapons displayed, so I did not get any pictures there.

We left Beauvoir and connected with Bob and Joyce Childre.  Bob served with me at Loring Air Force Base in northern Maine.  Joyce and Doreen kept us in line up there!!  They live in Florida and were returning from a seven month cross-country RV trip.  They were camping along the beach across from one of the casinos.  We spotted their RV and joined them there, and then made our way to one of the local seafood restaurants for lunch.   It was great to see them.  We will likely hook up with them as they return from a trip to Michigan later this fall. 

Oysters on the half shell.  Big 'un!

Bob and Joyce Childre, Doreen and I

The rest of the day was spent tearing down, cleaning up, washing the truck, doing laundry and getting ready to pull chocks tomorrow morning when we will move from Biloxi to Aviation Arbor RV Park at Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base New Orleans.  Should be a short drive which is always welcome!