- (January 2007) BILOXI, Miss. - The suspense ends on Jan. 9 when bids for restoring Beauvoir House are opened. In August 2005 Hurricane Katrina pounded the National Historic Landmark, which was Confederate President Jefferson Davis' home for the last 12 years of his life.

Considering damage to the rest of the estate and destruction of most of Biloxi's coastal historic houses, Beauvoir fared well, inasmuch as it was still standing after the hurricane. But the front gallery was destroyed, part of the roof was gone and the rear gallery was collapsed.

Business Manager Rusty Trowbridge said he has no idea what the bid range will be and he wouldn't speculate on how many millions of dollars repairs will cost.

"It's going to be put back the way it was when the Davises lived here as much as possible," he promised.

He said major interior work will have to be done and some of the house will probably have to be dismantled.

Grounds of the 51-acre property were cleaned up with the help of more than 900 volunteers who donated thousands of hours of work. A fact sheet prepared for an August media tour said that more than 16,500 cubic yards of debris were removed. Hundreds of shrubs and trees were destroyed.

An architect is drawing plans to restore the Presidential Library which was opened as a museum and research center in 1998. The hurricane swept through the library's first floor. Trowbridge said it would be renovated and enlarged.

Katrina destroyed the Library Pavilion, Hayes Pavilion, Confederate Museum, replica barracks and the director's home and the property remains closed to the public.

The Mississippi Department, United Sons of Confederate Veterans, which owns the property, welcome all donations. They may be sent to Beauvoir, 2244 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39531. Information is available at (228) 388-4400 and bjdavishome@bellsouth.net

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