A Shrine of the Time

I had the unique experience of visiting the First White House of the Confederacy and getting a personal tour from Henry Paul Howard, a Civil War re-enactor and the First White House Tour guide. With his background, he is the perfect person to show you around and answer all of your questions. The First White House is located in Montgomery, Alabama, just across Washington Ave, from the Alabama State Capital, in front of the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The First White House was voted by followers of It Happens in Alabama as one of the top 110 attractions and Must-See Places in Alabama. Visitors come here from all over the world, every year. During my visit I met people from Louisiana and Japan.

 

The First White House of the Confederacy was the Executive Residence of President Jefferson Davis and family while the capital of the Confederacy was in Montgomery, from February 1861 until late May 1861, when the Confederate capital moved to Richmond, Virginia. It took a 20 year struggle (1901- 1921) for The White House Association of Alabama to purchase, move and preserve the building.

 

 

The house is set up as a shrine to Jefferson Davis and his family. The furniture in Jefferson’s bedroom, as an agreement between the Association, Varina Davis (wife) and Margaret Davis (daughter) is set to the exact floor plan as it existed when he was alive. Most of the furniture in the house was donated by Mrs. Davis and, after her death, her daughter. The house has the bed Jefferson slept in and the bed in which Mrs. Davis Died.

 

I would love to live in this house, exactly as it is today, even with the need for a “necessary house” (restroom and kitchen not being in the main house, in case of fire). It is a decorator’s dream, from the placement of furniture in the large rooms creating conversation areas to the way pictures are grouped on the walls creating a story.

 

There were many items I found particularly interesting like the huge grand piano in the first parlor that is still playable, a silver water cooler in the dining room that was buried for 10 years to keep it from being taken by the Union soldiers, huge chandeliers in every room, the floor to ceiling infinity mirrors, and the use of pocket doors.

 

Back in the day there was such a thing called a “door fee” and people were taxed on the number of doors in their house, so the use of pockets doors reduced this cost because they were considered walls. In the double doorways, pocket doors gave the house a huge open feeling between the parlors and the main dining room.

 

 

I learned why the chairs in the house are lower to the floor, than what we use today. It’s because no self respecting Southern Lady would ever show her feet or ankles show. They worn their dresses to the ground and the low chairs kept them from rising up when sitting down. Tables with mirrors underneath, at floor level, were commonly seen in the entrance way of houses for ladies to check their petticoats, when they arrived.

 

I enjoyed the relic room which was filled with many one of a kind special items. They even had the handmade flag that draped Jefferson Davis’ casket. The nursery is a must see for and expecting or new mother! You’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to see everything. I found myself going back to rooms and displays two and three times!

 

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