Beauvoir Still Standing; Outbuildings and Documents Lost

Beauvoir, the home of Jefferson Davis in Biloxi, Mississippi, was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The combination of the storm surge and heavy winds destroyed several buildings on the 52-acre property, as well as removing the original and distinctive front porch. The Library Pavilion, where Davis wrote The Rise and Fall of Confederate Government, was destroyed, as was a replica of a Civil War barracks and several original cottages.

Despite the damage, plans for restoration are already underway. The main house, while disfigured, is structurally sound, and the original plans for the outbuildings have survived. The Presidential Library exhibition spaces were severely damaged, but the archives and records housed on the second floor were virtually unharmed.

Recently restored, Beauvoir is an example of a ‘Raised Cottage,’ and this distinctive architecture is perhaps the reason why Beauvoir can be salvaged while many of her sisters are completely destroyed. The building is built on 12-foot pilings, allowing the storm surge to pass through the building rather than destroying it. Although flooding swept away the porch, furniture, and collections, many artifacts have been recovered and are on route to Jackson where they will await conservation in cold storage.

Several teams of conservators and preservation officers, including Heritage Preservation Chairperson Debra Hess Norris, have been to the property to assess the damage and restoration needs of the collection and the buildings. Ms. Hess Norris reports that many of the remaining collection materials are spread over the property. In addition, the storm surge left extensive debris, making collections location and recovery difficult. Margaret Little, an objects conservator from Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Delaware who is part of the team, is preparing emergency desalination procedures to help stabilize metal objects and remove the damaging salt water. Corrosion resulting from exposure to salty water can be seen in this photo of Civil War swords.

Beauvoir is a National Historic Landmark as well as being on the National Historic Register. The damage to the structure and contents of the house was extensive, and much restoration is needed.

For more about damage to cultural assets along the Gulf Coast, click here.

Photos courtesy Debra Hess Norris.