White House of the Confederacy

The White House of the Confederacy was the residence of the first and only Confederate President and the First Lady during the Civil War. 

At one time it had been a residence is an upscale community in Richmond. The man who originally owned the house sold it for the purpose of becoming the President’s White House during the war. 

Jefferson Davis took up the position and moved his family from Biloxi, Mississippi to Richmond, Virginia in 1861. From here, he walked a few blocks to work everyday at the Virginia State House to conduct business an returned to the home at the end of the day to his wife and children. This was before the time of secret service and guards. 

Jefferson Davis was described as a very opinionated man who was difficult to get along with. He never announced regret after the war about the right to own slaves. He was steadfast in his conviction till the end. His wife, on the other hand, though it a bad idea to even be involved in the war. It didn’t quite set right with her. In fact, she was described by the journalists at the time as unpatriotic to the south.

Because of these traits, they didn’t entertain guests much at the home.

The home has since been restored, but many of the pieces of furniture are original to the house when the President and his family lived there.

This was the Davis’s bed with a small bassinet at the foot of it. Several of their children were born in this house and Mrs. Davis raised them here before they were old enough to go to the nursery with the other children.

This was the nursery where the children spent most of their time playing house and soldier while their nanny looked after them. 

At the end of the war, Davis and his family left Richmond and headed back to Biloxi to live out the remainder of their days. A few days later, President Lincoln came to visit the house and here he sat discussing the war for a few hours before heading back to Washington. It would only be a few short days later before he would be assassinated.