Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-02-01
OLD BATTLE ABBEY.
White House of Confederacy"
Opened as Museum.
1t Is the Mansion Given Jefferson
Davis at Outbreak Of Rebellion.

RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 3l-Aftcr more
than 80 years, during which time the historic
building was used as headquarters for the
United States military commanders OF Dis
trict No. /, and US public grammar school,
the Jefferson Davis mansion, known the
world over as the White House of the
Confederacy,' has Just been thrown open Us
a Confederate museum There were no formal
exercises, no speeches and nothing sugges-
tive OF the Confederate patriotism which Is q
part OF the nature OF southerners in general
and Virginians in particular. The building,
which has been undergoing llreproof repairs
for some time, was quietly thrown open
for public inspection, and lunch served to all
who came between four o'clock in the after
noon and ten O'Clock at night.
To give some idea of the value attached to
any part of the mansion by relic hunters,
man recently walked up to the front en-
trance, and with the utmost deliberation
commenced to take the door bell of. There
were some painters engaged at work on the
interior. No one with authority was on hand
and no one questioned. the strangers motive
He removed the bell, and it was not until the
next day that the loss was discovered by
some OF the members Of the advisory board,
who made vigorous search for the relic
hunter, but to no purpose. Since then wire
coverings have been placed over all the
knobs, locks and other things that can be
readily removed from the outside OF the
building.
The white House'is one of the oldest and
handsomest residences In the city. 1t Is sit
uated at the corner of Clay and Twelfth
Streets or what was known at the time 1t WIS
occupied by president Davis as the Court End
OF the city. 1t was built by Judge Brocken-
brough, II distinguished Virginia lawyer.
The mantels of which so much has been
written, were imported from Europe, and
are of Carrara marble carved in car
yatides, supporting shells filed with flow
ers. 1t is II threc-sto house with base
ment. square porch. with tall pillars, front.
on Clay street, and in the rear is a portico
which runs the length OF the house. The
portico is unusually wide, and is supported
by large round columns, which reach to the
top Of tho second story. 1t wns from the top
OF this porch that little joe Davis. the presi-
dents eldest son. fell and was instantly killed
during the first year of the war. The win
dows Of the two pnrlors and the lurgc dining
rooms open upon this Eortico.
The house was bought for S43OOO by the
city of Richmond from Mr.. Lewis d. Cren-
shaw and presented to president Davis at the
time the seat of Confederacy was
removed from Montgomery to Rich
mond. Mr. Davis declined to accept
it as gift, but consented to make
it his residence during his lifetime.
Upon the entrance of the federal troops
into the city, after tho evacuation, General
Weitzel aud his officers rode to the house
and constituted it the headquarters Of the
northern troops. Candy and Ord also used
the house In this capacity during the period
in which Virginia passed through the stages
of a conquered province and District No. /.
In 1871 the city fathers allowed the property
to be used as house. and it became the
Central school," and 80 remained until
February. $780, when the Hollywood memo-
rial Association devised the plan of estab-
fishing Confederate museum. On Febru-
ary IA, 1890, the Confederate memorial liter
ary society was formed and was chartered in
the following May. In juno of the same
year the city council promised that as
soon as a site was obtained for the
erection of school to accommodate the
pupils then qnartercd in the Davis mansion