Jefferson Davis Presidential Library
The Jefferson Davis Presidential Library is a Mississippi library and museum designed to preserve, store, and make available to the public the papers, records, artifacts and other historical documents of Jefferson Davis , President of the Confederate States of America . Despite the name, it is not an official presidential library as Davis was never President of the United States of America . Nevertheless, the library is supported by the state of Mississippi, as evidenced by a plaque at the entrance.
The library is located at 224 Beach Boulevard in Biloxi, Mississippi on the bottom of Davis' last home, Beauvoir. The library was officially opened and dedicated to the State of Mississippi in 1998 . In addition to the library, the tour site also includes the house with numerous furnishings from the time of Davis, the Confederate Museum and a Confederate cemetery.
On August 29, 2005 , the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Beauvoir were badly damaged by wind and water due to Hurricane Katrina . The library pavilion, the Hayes Hüttes, a replica of a soldiers' barracks, a museum for Confederate soldiers, the museum shop and the director's house were completely destroyed. The exhibits were photographed, inventoried, packed and stored. The objects and the house furnishings are preserved. A budget of $ 4.1 million has been earmarked for the reconstruction of the house, which reopened on June 3, 2008 , Davis' 200th birthday.
The library itself could not be saved, so a completely new building is being built. This was opened on June 3, 2013 .
Web links
- A Dream Realized: A Presidential Library for Jefferson Davis (archive link)
- MSState.edu - A Walk Through History (archive link)
- Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Home - Photo Gallery
- Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Home (22 Months After Hurricane Katrina)
Coordinates: 30 ° 23 ′ 35.5 " N , 88 ° 58 ′ 12.4" W.