Mississippi's Gulf Coast: Beauvoir and the Biloxi Lighthouse

Beauvoir the last home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Our trip to Mississippi had to include a visit to Beauvoir, the last home of the only President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis.
This part of Mississippi sustained such damage by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that we weren't sure what we would find. I had seen this stately old home once before on a Girl Scout trip and Fred had spent some time at here in the Air Force but that was a long time ago.

We stopped at the Visitor Center on Beach Blvd to get some information about hurricane recovery. We wanted to know how Biloxi, Gulf Port and Beauvoir had fared. My Mom Ella served as a Red Cross volunteer for many years. She was in this area working for several months after Katrina and had told us of how little was left.

Beach Blvd is US-90 that runs right along the gulf coast in Biloxi.

The cast iron Biloxi Lighthouse

In front of the Visitor Center on the median between the divided 4 lane highway stands the Biloxi Lighthouse. We were told that after hurricane Katrina the 64 foot cast iron structure was the only thing standing on that portion of the waterfront. One of the most iconic photographs of the post Katrina recovery effort is one of the lighthouse draped in an American flag.
You may climb the Biloxi Lighthouse but only at 9 AM. The docent at the Visitor Center assured us that no one wanted to be inside the brick lined cast iron tower once the sun got hot.
We believed him.
The Biloxi lighthouse was placed into service in 1848 and was tended by keepers until its automation in 1960. Notably most of the keepers of the light were women. One of them Maria Younghans tended it for 51 years.

We headed west to Beauvoir a few miles West of the lighthouse. Interestingly the construction of the Biloxi Lighthouse and Beauvoir were completed the same year, 1848.

Beauvoir meaning "beautiful view" was named for it's expansive and unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico.  Mr. Davis had been staying in Hayes Cottage on the grounds while writing his book The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. He later made arrangements to acquire the plantation.
Beauvior was his only post war home. It later became a museum and housed his Presidential Library.

Jefferson Davis' funeral carriage. Note the crossed swords and rifles.

The Confederate museum lost many of it's exhibits to Hurricaine Katrina. There was a major archaeological undertaking in the hurricaines wake to identify and restore the museums artifacts  It is estimated that 35% of the library collections were lost. Many items were damaged and some are still awaiting repair like the antique piano on the museums upper level that was totally submerged in salt water.

We learned that Beauvior had survived hurricane Katrina due to it's superior construction. The structure was saved by it's 6 large brick fireplaces, 3 inch thick heart of pine floors and a slate roof with sealed edges designed to be pushed down by the wind instead of being lifted.
It's porches were destroyed and part of the roof was gone but other buildings on the property were completely demolished. The Presidential Library, Hayes Cottage, and the detached kitchen have been rebuilt.

Beauvoir is built in the Antebellum raised cottage style

Beauvoir is an impressive home. It's antebellum architecture is described as "raised cottage" but it is like no cottage I have ever seen.

Front gate of Beauvoir overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

The front of the house faces the Gulf of Mexico and is wrapped in a wide porch that provides plenty of room for sitting and enjoying the view. The 8 foot tall doors and windows on front and sides open completely to let in the sea breezes. That breeze also blows under the house cooling the floors.
You enter into a wide central reception hall. The formal living room, a library, one bedroom and a parlor can be entered from the hall. There are 2 wings in the back. The left wing has 2 bedrooms and the right a butlers pantry and 2 dining rooms, one designated for children.

Beauvoirs wide porches and tall windows allow maximum airflow.

You must access the rooms in the wings from the back porch.
The most impressive thing to me about Beauvoir is the painting. Walls, ceilings and woodwork are all painted in the trompe l'oeil manner meaning "fool the eye". The original paintings of the home were completely restored after Katrina. The home survived the 180 mph winds but nothing could protect it from the black mold that followed a 24 foot storm surge.

These ornate looking moldings are all paint.

Frescoed ceilings and faux window surrounds beautifully restored.

Walls and ceilings are ornate and beautiful. The door which are made of cyprus have been given details of solid oak, and fireplace mantels are paint rather than marble.
Several of these details were discovered during the restoration effort.

Solid Cyprus doors painted to look like oak.

The docent that led our tour was knowledgeable and answered our questions with southern charm.
He reminded us to visit the farm animals stroll through the rose gardens before leaving.

One of many blooms in the rose garden.

Biloxi Lighthouse
1050 Beach Blvd
Biloxi, Mississippi

Beauvoir
2244 Beach Blvd
Biloxi, Mississippi

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter with our tour boat at the dock

Fred and I enjoy visiting National Parks and Monuments in our travels.
Fort Sumter in Charleston South Carolina has been on our must see list for a number of years now.
The historic fort sits atop a 2.4 acre man made island in the mouth of Charleston Harbor so can only be reached by boat. We started our tour at the Liberty Square Visitor Center where tour boats dock to take you out to the fort. The Visitor Center has a museum like atmosphere that provides a history of Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor.

We learned that construction of Fort Sumter was begun in 1829 as part of the Third System, a 50 fort coastal security strategy demanded by Congress after the War of 1812 revealed weaknesses in the country's defenses.
Fort Sumter was still not completed in December of 1860 when Major Robert Anderson abandoned nearby Fort Moultrie (considered indefensible) and stealthily took possession of the fort with a complement of 85 men.
South Carolina had voted unanimously to secede from the Federal Union 6 days earlier.
The South Carolina Declaration had been prompted by the election of Abraham Lincoln as president of the Federal Union in November of that same year.
The day after Major Anderson's occupation of Fort Sumter South Carolina Volunteer forces strengthened their occupation of the other 3 forts in Charleston and began to fortify the rest of the harbor.
Tension escalated in January when a merchant ship attempting to resupply Fort Sumter was turned away.
By March of 1861 the Confederate States had been formed, Jefferson Davis had been elected president and most of the other forts in those states had been seized by the Confederate volunteers.
The standoff between inflexible opposing forces in this Southern city became a symbol for the countries division. Lincoln took office in April of 1861 with a declaration that the country would not be divided.
One month later his order to resupply Fort Sumter pushed the confederate Army to demand the surrender of Fort Sumter. When Major Anderson did not comply Fort Sumter was shelled for 34 hours destroying the forts defenses, ammunition and living quarters. Major Anderson negotiated a truce and abandoned Fort Sumter to the Confederate Army. The Civil War started with this battle that injured only 5 Federal soldiers and killed no one.  Unfortunately that cannot be said of the wars other engagements.
Fort Sumter remained under Confederate control aiding ships providing supplies from Europe to enter the major port city and ships loaded with cotton to leave. It was not until 1865 that Federal troops captured Charleston and recovered Fort Sumter.

Fort Sumter during the Civil War years.

Our boat arrived and we enjoyed a 30 minute ride to the island. The tour boats are large with a choice of indoor or outdoor seating. We enjoyed great views of the cable stayed bridge that takes Route 17 across the Cooper River, Fort Moultrie, The USS Yorktown and dolphins swimming and feeding in the wake of the boats passing by. A ranger on board the tour boat gave us a brief description of what we would be seeing at the fort. We were free to explore on our own for an hour so quickly walked up the ramp and entered the gate on the forts left flank.

Fort Sumter's massive walls are 5 feet thick

When the Civil War ended this left flank was part of the fort that was recognizable. Most of the rest had been decimated by bombardment during the war and was nothing but piles of debris falling into the water. The Army did  reconstruct the fort as a military site and it was used as a defense during the Spanish American War, WWI and WWII.  In 1948 Fort Sumter was transferred from the War Department to the National Park Service and was declared a National Monument.  There are  11 100-pounder Parrot guns placed in the gun embrasures of the forts right face. The casements of the second level have been bricked over and are unarmed.  You can see divots and projectiles from mortar fire embedded in the walls of the left face casement. The walls today are only half of their original 5 story height. We could only imagine how impressive that original fort had been.

We walked the path through the 5 foot thick walls and entered the parade ground. There are 2 memorials on the parade ground a Confederate defenders plaque and the Union Garrison Monument. The Union Monument lists the names of all who served during the battle. We found the name of Abner Doubleday, a career Army Officer and also a home town hero on that roster. Doubleday was born in Ballston Spa, NY near where we raised our family and lived for 30 years. He is also widely recognized as being the inventor of the game of Baseball. We learned that Captain Abner Doubleday fired the first shot from Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.

From the parade ground you can climb to the top of the battlements to get a view of the harbor.

Battle scarred wall of Fort Sumter's left flank

My favorite part of the tour was learning about Fort Sumter's American flag.  In December of 1861 when Major Anderson and his Federal troops took possession of Fort Sumter they flew an American flag over the fort.  April 14th of that same year they surrendered Fort Sumter to the Confederacy. That American flag was carried by Major Anderson on the ship that took his garrison to New York when they left Charleston. On April 14th 1865, exactly 4 years after the surrender, Major Anderson returned to Fort Sumter with that same flag.  It was smoke stained and torn by bullets and mortar fragments but provided a poignant symbol of the end of a conflict that tore the nation apart when it was once again raised over the fort.  That original flag is currently in the Visitor Center at Liberty Square. It is kept in a controlled environment to keep it from deteriorating any further. You can see a view a small portion of the flag and a replica hangs near by.

Traveling Louisiana Back Roads, Plaquemines Parish

The end of the road, our drive was to the end of the finger that sticks out toward the right

New Orleans was great fun but on this day we decided to see the other side of Louisiana. I wanted to see the Delta, the land formed and changed by the flow of water where the Mississippi River enters the Gulf of Mexico. Plaquemines Parish Louisiana is that place.
We turned left on Louisiana route 23 as we left the base and drove to the end of the road.

Louisiana route 23 also known as the Belle Chasse Highway is the main road on the West bank of the Mississippi heading south. In fact after driving about 20 miles it's two lanes of hardly any traffic was the only road.
Route 23 was a straight drive past houses and farms and small groves of citrus trees. It is a rural area populated by small communities with exotic sounding names like Gretna and Venice and Port Sulpher. There were a number of fish camps that catered to sport fishing vacationers.

We saw evidence of Louisiana's oil industry, from large black piles of oil field waste to helicopters flying crews out to the drilling rigs. That has to be a complicated relationship as the oil industry provides the only employment to the area besides fishing, yet that waste is endangering the wetlands that provide for the fishermen, shrimpers and oyster farmers.

Route 23 is surrounded by water. We drove for miles with Levees on both sides of the road and even passed a Corps of Engineers crew working on the complicated drainage system. Even on a calm day it was an eerie feeling to know that those earthen walls were the only thing between us and very large bodies of water. We now understand why locals call it "living in a bowl".




Toward the end of the road we crossed a causeway that was part of the Woodlands Trail and Park Bird Sanctuary. We stopped to watch Herons and Cormorant's and Egrets swim and fish. There were a few Roseate Spoonbills wading too. We were told by a resident that in March the trees are pink with them as they migrate to their Summer home. We saw a few people fishing and one kayaking.

Past the bird sanctuary the road narrowed even more and in parts was covered over by water but we made it to the end. The sign at the top of the page marks the spot. There was no magnificent view of the delta but we felt fortunate to be standing right on part of it.

There was no place left to go so we turned around and headed back North.  Just before we got to Triumph we came upon Fort Jackson. The red brick fort in the shape of a star and surrounded by a moat sits on the bank of the Mississippi River. It is named after Andrew Jackson who recommended it's construction after the War of 1812. Fort Jackson and Fort Philip (on the east bank of the river) provided coastal defense for New Orleans and the Mississippi.  They are positioned at a bend in the river so that approaching ships had to slow down and were vulnerable to cannon fire. These forts were the site of a 12 day battle during the Civil War. They, and a series of boom chains south of the forts were the only defense against a Southern approach to the city. The forts fell to the Union on April 28th 1862 and the Union Navy under the command of  US Navy Flag Officer David Farragut sailed into New Orleans. Fort Jackson became a Union Prison.

The fort is closed to the public and these Ibis guard the entrance

Fort Jackson is closed to the public due to water damage from Hurricanes. We were able to walk around the outside and to climb to the top of the levee that protects it. the view of the river with its strong current was impressive. The beautiful brick masonry structure had several visible cracks. We stopped at the museum a short distance away to learn more about the history of the fort.

Cracks in the wall of Fort Jackson

The Museums curator, whose family was responsible for finding many of the artifacts displayed there, told us of the Forts recent history. The museum and gift shop used to be located inside the fort. They were badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina and then Hurricane Rita in 2005. Many artifacts were damaged and lost as they sat in sea water for 6 weeks or more until they could be accessed. The new museum (opened in December 2015) is in a modern climate controlled building that was built by FEMA, after the Fort was deemed an unsafe environment. we had a wonderful conversation with this local woman and her daughter who described to us their experiences of living in Plaquemines Parish and the effect that the massive storm damage had on their families.
Fort Jackson is owned and operated by the parish, Fort St Philip, badly damaged and not restored, is on private land and not accessible to the public.

We continued our trip back North to Belle Chasse but stopped once more at Hank's Road Stand. Hank and Fred had quite a good time talking about "What the heck are ya'll doing down here?" while
I discovered Satsuma oranges, Louisiana's sweet local citrus that tastes like mandarin oranges.


Saying goodbye to Hank we turned North and completed our journey with a stop at PJ's Coffee and large cups of Viennese Blend.

Louisiana Route 23 was a great ride. We recommend a trip to the end of the road.

To see more photos of Plaquemines Parish visit our Flickr Album.

Pensacola Lighthouse

Pensacola Lighthouse stands guard over Pensacola Pass, that place where the Pensacola Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico. It is a beautifully maintained tower and keepers quarters located on board NAS Pensacola.

When we arrived at the lighthouse we entered through the old carriage house which has been restored and serves as a Welcome Center and Museum store that is operated by the Pensacola Lighthouse Association. We were greeted by a very friendly and knowledgeable member who explained that part of the old Keepers quarters has been restored to it's mid 1880's condition and contained many artifacts of the lighthouse as well as exhibits about local Civil War history and the history of the Naval Air Station. She encouraged us to explore the grounds visit the museum and climb the tower. We discovered a lovely board walk through the scrub and over the dunes to a quiet beach that would be perfect for a picnic. It gave us a chance to see the lighthouse tower as you would view it from the water, a black and white sentinel above the trees with a flashing white light every 20 seconds.

Pensacola lighthouse as seen from the beach.

Note the beautiful open grill work on the stairs

The winding 177 step staircase is open metal work and the climb is worth the breathtaking view. A warning for those with a fear of heights.  I also suffer this phobia and that open staircase was a challenge. From the open catwalk below the lantern room you can look across the pass to Santa Rosa Island and Fort Pickens. You can also see the Navy yard, Perdido Key with the old site of Fort McKree to the West and the Pensacola Skyline. Looking down at the Base you will spot the hangers and support buildings for the Blue Angels, the National Naval Aviation Museum and Fort Barrancas. There is a Docent stationed on the catwalk to answer questions and indicate points of interest. He told us that if you happen to visit when the Blue Angels are flying you can see them at eye level as they take off from their nearby runway.

The Light at Pensacola has served since 1824, with a 1 year break in service during the Civil War. The original tower was replaced with the current 150 foot structure and a brighter lens in 1859.
It's daymark is white at the bottom and black on top.
The first order Fresnel lens was automated in 1965 and remains an active aid to navigation.

View of Santa Rosa Island from the Lighthouse Catwalk. 

The Pensacola lighthouse has stood through many disasters both natural and man made. It has suffered 2 lightening strikes with damage to electical components due to a faulty lightening rod. It  also survived an earthquake in 1886 and has withstood the fierce winds of numerous Hurricanes.
During the Civil War the lighthouse was abandoned by Union forces in January of 1861 when they moved across Pensacola Bay into Fort Pickens. The Confederate Army took control of Fort Barrancas and the Lighthouse tower. They removed and hid the lens leaving the Pensacola Pass dark until December of 1862 when the Union Army regained control after the Battle of Pensacola. The tower had been struck by a half dozen cannon rounds but none penetrated the outer wall of the lighthouse.

Does the history of the Pensacola lighthouse live on?  psychics, clairvoyants and Sci-Fi's Ghost Hunters think so. It is called one of the most haunted lighthouses in America. The Pensacola Lighthouse Association even offers a ghost hunt tour complete with EMF monitors for those interested in a Paranormal experience. We passed on that option.

If you have an opportunity to visit NAS Pensacola and the lighthouse you might want to stop at Fort Barrancas, administered by the National Park Service as part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and the National Naval Aviation Museum. Those that do not have military ID's can still visit by making a reservation at the Lighthouse or Museum and showing a picture ID at the bases security gate.

Pensacola loves it's Pelican statues, this one can be found behind the carriage house.

Montgomery, Alabama

The Alabama Capitol with marchers foot prints leading to it's staircase.

Montgomery Alabama is a great capitol city. We were only there for a day found and it to be friendly and walkable. Parking was easy and we found a variety of things to see and do.

Fred and I drove into the city on a workday Monday and expected to find a lot of traffic. We must have timed it right because we were able to get right in to the Capitol building and found metered parking not far away.
Alabama's capitol building is beautiful. White Alabama marble, a grand staircase and a stately rotunda make  an impressive structure that is fitting for a Government building. The building (circa 1851) is designated a National Historic Landmark  as the first Capitol of the Confederacy.  Statues of Jefferson Davis and a Confederate monument grace the landscaped lawns which were originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, author of New York's Central Park and North Carolina's Biltmore Estate.
Those steps were the end point for Dr. Martin Luther King's 50 mile march from Selma to Montgomery to petition then Governor George Wallace to end racial discrimination in the state of Alabama. The crosswalks in Dexter Avenue leading up to the capitol are painted like the soles of the many shoes that marched with him.

Dexter Avenue Baptist Church

We took a walk down Dexter Avenue and passed the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church where Dr. King led the congregation in the late 1950's.

Entrance to The Alley

Railyard Brewing Company

We walked down toward the river and found the site of Rosa Parks bus stop and the Hank Williams Museum before ducking into Alley Station an entertainment district that groups together bars, restaurants, and live music in an environment that provides indoor and outdoor seating away from street noise and busy sidewalks. it was like a little oasis from the downtown heat. The Alley is near Riverwalk Stadium the city's minor league ball field and that's where we found Railyard Brewing Company where Alabama brewer Jamie Ray produces craft ales in a great environment. Railyard offers a  pub style menu and a variety of brews from a Pale Ale to a Double Black IPA. The bar is in an interesting old building that was once part of the warehouse system for the railroad. The atmosphere is dark and cozy with exposed brick, old wood beams and railroad memorabilia that included a reception desk shaped like and engine. Fred sampled and enjoyed some of their offerings.

We had wandered a long way and made our way back up to the Capitol giving our Fitbit's a workout. No trouble recording those 10,000 steps this day!

First white House of the Confederacy

Our last stop was the First White House of the Confederacy. The building is Italianate Style and is furnished in period pieces from the 1850's to 1860's.  It was built in 1832 by a relative of Zelda Fitzgerald and leased by the Confederate Government to serve as the first home of it's President. The house features many artifacts of the Confederacy and Jefferson Davis's presidency as well as a research library.  It was an interesting walk back in time to see the house fully furnished as it would have been in 1861.

The Wright Flyer

We enjoyed our day in Montgomery and headed back to base. Along the way we stopped at a red light on Maxwell Blvd.and spotted an airplane mounted on poles in a small pocket park. It was a replica of the Wright Flyer.  We discovered that the Wright Brothers first flight school was located in Montgomery at the area that is now Maxwell Air Force Base. While the flight school was only in Montgomery for a year it is considered an important reason for the development of interest in aviation in Alabama.  I love learning this kind of history. It made our day and we were happy to discover another facet in the history of American Aviation.

Lighthouse Adventure: Georgia

The Demilune protects the rear wall of the fort

Tybee Island Georgia is home to two places that we have wanted to visit.  Wednesday was a beautiful sunny 45 degrees in coastal Georgia so went for a drive through beautiful downtown Savannah and then headed to the beach.
Fort Pulaski was our first stop.  We learned that
Fort Pulaski is named after Polish Revolutionary War hero Count Casmir Pulaski, who lost his life in the 1779 siege of Savannah.
The same Count Pulaski is responsible for the name of Pulaski New York, a town near Lake Ontario where we have camped for many years.

A moat surrounds the fort and Demilune

Fort Pulaski was not yet completed or garrisoned
in 1861 so it had to be conquered by US forces before they could occupy it.
That battle is famous for being one of the first to be won by the use of rifled cannons.  Fort Pulaski had been considered an impenetrable fortress and the strength of its 71/2 foot solid brick walls supported by masonry piers compared to that of the Rocky Mountains.  The siege lasted less than 2 days.


A drawbridge and this door protect to fort

To get into the fort we had to cross a moat over a drawbridge and through heavily armored doors.

Walking out onto the parade ground is rather like walking into a major league baseball stadium...out of the building and onto a green field enclosed by walls.

We learned that soldiers played baseball here and in other forts during the years of the Civil War.

Fred was impressed with the sight of a heavy wooden blindage that was erected against one of the walls in an attempt to provide protection for the Confederate soldiers from heavy cannon fire.


It was in an area that would have served as the outfield during a baseball game so of course her compared it to Fenway's green monster.

From the top of the Bastions we could see Tybee Island and also the nearby Cockspur Island Lighthouse.

Cockspur Island Lighthouse
 

This tower has stood since 1856 despite Hurricane damage and cannon fire. It was extinguished by Confederate forces at the beginning of the Civil War and not relit until wars end.  Cared for by the National Park Service it has been part of Fort Pulaski National Monument since 1958.

Tybee Island has an interesting history.  Seven flags have flown over this tiny barrier island. Spanish, French, Pirate, Confederate, Union States and Georgia. The lighthouse first built in 1773 was burned by the Confederate Army in 1861. It was rebuilt in 1887 after the Civil War. The lower portion of the lighthouse is the original but the top 85 feet had to be reconstructed.
it remains and active aid to navigation.
We enjoyed our visit and climbed the 178 steps to the top the enjoyed a walk on the beach as well as lunch at the nearby North Beach bar and grill.


Tybee Island Lighthouse





Roanoke Island.

Roanoke Island is a fascinating place.
Fred and I spent an afternoon there recently while on a visit to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
We were familiar with the stories of The Lost Colony and of Virginia Dare since grade school and wanted to spend a little time pondering America's first mystery.
What happened to those 115 men, women and children who were brave enough to explore a new continent?
Why was nothing left of their encampment but a palisade and the words CRO and Croatan carved into neighboring trees?
The many theories include a massive Hurricane, severe drought and assimilation into native American tribes.
Did they move inland to find a more hospitable environment?
Were they attacked by Spanish explorers eager to claim the coast land as their own?
Did they succumb to a contagious disease?

There are many questions and no concrete evidence from which to draw conclusions.

Fred believes the Hurricane hypothesis while I prefer to believe that the settlers were adopted into Native tribes and became the first additions to the melting pot of our United States.

The story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island is retold every Summer in Fort Raleigh. The symphonic drama was written by North Carolina native Paul Green.   Entering its 77th season the production is performed in an outdoor amphitheater, under the stars, against the background of the Albemarle Sound.

What was new to us is the role that Roanoke Island played during the Civil War.
The quiet isolated life of Roanoke Island was changed forever when General Ambrose Burnside approached it with a fleet of 66 shallow draft boats and 20,000 troops in February of 1862.  The 2 day battle resulted in a Union victory, and opened the intercostal waterways to invasion by Northern troops.  The water ways provided a back door route to key southern cities like Plymouth and New Berne North Carolina and Norfolk Virginia.
Once the island became Union territory it's slaves were decreed Contraband of War and freed.  The island became a destination for runaway slaves from inland North Carolina who once they arrived on the island were declared freedmen.  
A Freedmen's Colony was established in 1863 to provide housing, supplies and education by missionary teachers to freed slaves in an attempt to prepare them to be self supporting.  Sadly overcrowded conditions, land poorly suited to agriculture and lack of supplies from the North doomed the social experiment to failure.
The end of the Civil War was also the end of the Freedmen's Colony as all lands confiscated during the battles were returned to their original owners.

Roanoke island is designated as a site of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

We enjoyed our visit to the park.  We spent a beautiful sunny day walking amounts the Spanish moss covered trees and imagining the events of the past.