Jefferson Davis came to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1877 to write his memoirs. He visited childhood friend Sarah Dorsey, who showed him the perfect place to write, her east cottage at Beauvoir. Dorsey had bought the property she named Beauvoir due to its beautiful view from Madison County planter James Brown, who obtained the property in 1848 to construct a summer home. Brown hired skilled artisans from Biloxi and New Orleans, and his Madison County plantation staff and enslaved people performed much of the labor. At Brown’s nearby sawmill in Handsboro, workers processed cypress and longleaf heart pine used for construction. Material importations included roof slate from Wales, marble, and etched glass from Italy. Brown elevated the house to allow sea breezes to pass under, around, and through it to keep it cool, ultimately saving the house from storm surges. Brown completed his vacation home and two small cottages and named it “Orange Grove” for the growing Satsuma orange groves.
Jefferson Davis rented the east cottage from Sarah Dorsey for $50.00 monthly for two years. He purchased the entire Beauvoir property on February 9, 1879, which became the Mount Vernon of the Confederacy. Here, Davis wrote his two-volume memoir, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government.
The 20-foot and 24-foot surges of Hurricanes Camille (August 17, 1969) and Katrina (August 29, 2005), respectively, caused the fall of Beauvoir in several areas, such as the Library and Hayes Cottages, the Brick Hospital Confederate Soldiers Museum, and the director’s house, and the loss of many artifacts. However, through renovation and replication, Beauvoir House reopened on June 3, 2008, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Jefferson Davis, the reconstructed Memorial Gateway dedication was on April 30, 2011, and the new Jefferson Davis Presidential Library was on March 16, 2013.
Visitors choose from several tour options offering access to the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library, Beauvoir Museum, Beauvoir Memorial Cemetery, Oyster Bayou, Mrs. Varina’s Garden, and historical cottages. The gift shop houses unique gifts and collectibles, and the entire property is handicap accessible.