Palisadian., 1924-11-28
CONFEDERATE WHITE
HOUSE DRAWS MANY
Is Place of Pilgrimage for
World Visitors.

Richmond, Vain a side street on
quiet hill overlooking the turmoil of
| railroad yards and patch of the tur-
bnlent James, the White House of the
Confederacy in Richmond, Va. stands,
more carefully tended and cherished
today than in the heyday of its politi-
cal Importance. AS a place of pill
grimage for visitors from all over the
world 1t has just passed through the
| most successful season of Its 2S years
as the museum of a lost cause.
Looks like folks up North are just
beginning to find out about the war"
| commented one of the white-haired
guards, to whom 1.-The war" of course,
means that fought between the states.
| For long time, reckon, they didn't
write up much about it in their his
tory books. But 1t must be different
now. They don't seem to be able to
find out enough about those days. Not
day goes by but what some North
| erners are here and they are just as
| interested as If 1t was all about their
own folks. Many come from the
West, too, and even from foreign cOun-
tries. You'd be surprised at the in
terest English visitors take and how
much they have read and studied
about the Civil war"
AS he was speaking the doorbell
rang. 1t was ten minutes TO 5 and
the museum closed at 5.
Hadn't you better come back to-
morrow" the visitor was asked, with
consideration for his admission fee
Sorry, just got here and leaving
first thing In the morning" was the
reply.
Many Are interested.
This, according to Miss Susan B.
Harrison, house regent, is common
occurrence. Many are the visitors to
the White House of, the Confederacy
who stop over between trains just for
that purpose. Many, too, are those on
the automobile highway to Florida
who arrange for a night in Richmond
that they may visit the old house on
| Clay street before its closing hour
Most of the visitors come from afar;
altogether they number from 10000 to
1900 in an average year. Frequent
ly more than 100 register there day.
No distinguished guest of the city
neglects TO walk up those steps worn
by the feet not only of generals and
commanders. but also of soldiers from
every state of the Confederacy, fire.
| quenters of the Davises weekly recep-
| tions.
The tall gray brick building. topped
by little shuttered cupola. opens d.
rectly on the street at modest door
way, with steps and iron railings
bridging shallow ivied trench to the
pavement. The rear of the house Is
more sumptuous. with tall white
columns overlooking grass plot
whereon rest the propelling shaft of
the Merrimac and the anchor chain OF
| the Cumberland Though spacious as
| q dwelling, the place is small for an
executive mansion; yet for three
| years from 1862, when the house. al
| ready almost half a century old, was
rented from the city by the Confed-
crate government, until 1865, when the
officials departed during the evacua-
tion of Richmond, ii was sufficient for
| the private life of Jefferson Davis
! and his family and the state affairs OF
the Confederacy.
Historic Associations.
Every room has its associations. In
the large west room upstairs Winnie,
| % thn CnnfQdarQrU y
was born, and from the east balcony
| little Joe fell to his death on the drive
| way beneath. In the little room off
the entrance hall, Mrs. Davis private
sitting room, were held the most i'm
portant conferences between the
| president and Generals Lee and Jack
son, in from the battlefields around
secretary had his offices and visitors
on state business were received.
The house, rechristened District
No. l." became the headquarters of
| General Godfrey Weitzel, commander
of the federal troops, in 1865, and was
thus occupied for the five years Vir-
ginia was under military rule. 1t then
became a public school for more than
20 years until 1t was turned over,
neglected and dilapidated. to the Con-
federate Memorial Literary society. an
organization formed for its preserva-
tion. The building was repaired and
fireproofed with as few changes as
possible; and into 1t have been poured
the treasures of the South.
Each of the IA states OF the Con-
federacy has room In which 1t mas
arranged its trophies and relics, col
lected and cared for by Its women.