Beauvoir

Beauvoir is a white Greek Revival mansion in Biloxi, Mississippi, standing on Beach Boulevard near the shore of the Mississippi Sound. The estate includes the main residence with its columned porches and tall windows, several outbuildings, a cemetery, and maintained gardens.

The mansion was built in 1854 as a private home and became the retirement residence of the former Confederate president in 1877, who lived there until his death in 1889. After his passing, the property was preserved as a memorial and now houses a collection of documents and exhibits from that era.

The library and museum on the grounds hold documents and personal belongings that offer insight into the former resident's life and political correspondence. Visitors can walk through the rooms and view handwritten letters, furniture, and family pieces from the late 1800s.

The estate offers guided tours through the rooms, library, and grounds on most days except major holidays. Visitors should plan roughly an hour for the tour and can afterwards stroll through the gardens and cemetery on their own.

After Hurricane Katrina destroyed half of the structure in 2005, specialists reconstructed the mansion using the original architectural plans and historical photographs. The restoration took several years and included rebuilding the porches, windows, and interiors based on 19th-century templates.