This Historic Mississippi Landmark Has A Haunting Past
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published October 17, 2016
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
Loaded with history, many of Mississippi’s landmarks are also known to be some of the most haunted places in the state. The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library, also known as Beauvoir, is definitely one of those places. For years, workers and visitors have seen and photographed some strange things at Beauvoir. In 2014, a paranormal team visited the property, making some unusual discoveries of their own.
Located in Biloxi, Beauvoir is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The historic house was built in 1848 by a wealthy plantation owner named James Brown, and by 1877, Jefferson Davis and his family moved into the home.
Davis’ daughter, Winnie, lived in Beauvoir until her death in 1898. In 1903, The Jefferson Davis Soldier Home was opened on the property. In operation until the 1950s, it was home to nearly 2,000 Confederate veterans and their widows and children. Approximately 800 of them are buried in the cemetery located on the grounds.
In 1941, the historic property was opened to the public for touring. Throughout the years, many visitors have found something unusual in the photos taken during their time at Beauvoir.
It appears as if ghosts can be seen in the background of photos. Jefferson Davis, his wife, Varina, and daughter, Winnie have all been captured on film. This is just one of the dozens of pictures that has been taken at Beauvoir over the years.
In 2014, Beauvoir opened its doors to paranormal investigators for the first time. The team from MGC Paranormal Investigations spent the night in the home and caught many strange occurrences on film and in recordings, finding the cemetery to be particularly active.
Here are just some of the group’s unsettling findings:
Several other strange things happened during the investigation, including a rocking chair and tablecloth moving on their own and one investigator feeling as if she had been touched by an unseen entity.
Ready to visit? Beauvoir is located at 2244 Beach Blvd. in Biloxi and is opened 7 days a week for touring. (Remember to bring your camera along.) For more information, call 228-388-4400 or visit Beauvoir’s website.
Did you know about Beauvoir’s haunting past? Have you ever visited the historic home?
