White House of the Confederacy

  • Also Known As: Brockenbrough Mansion also Museum of the Confederacy also Dr. John Bro

  • Address: 1201 E Clay St
  • Vicinity: 12th St
  • Neighborhood of Downtown in Richmond
  • Hours: Daily 10am - 5pm
  • Phone: (804) 649 1861
  • Type: Congeries Repository
  • Travel Genus: Sight , Visit , Visit
  • Sight Category: Museums
  • Museum Type: Congeries Repository
  • Activity Category: Tour

The White House of the Confederacy served as the Executive Mansion of the Confederacy from 1861 to 1865, when Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy. The mansion was the official quarters during the Civil War of the only President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis. From this house, Davis fled Richmond on April 3 1865, just before the April 9, 1865 surrender of Confederate General Robert E Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox. The house was the birthplace of his daughter Winnie, "Daughter of the Confederacy," and where his son Joseph died in a fall from a porch.

Originally built in 1818 for Dr. John Brockenbrough, the home is one of the finer examples of Federal style homes in the City of Richmond. Celebrated architect Robert Mills designed the mansion. Mills was also responsible four years earlier for the design of the nearby Monumental Church at 1313 East Broad Street.

In addition to its historic interest as the seat of the Confederacy during the Civil War, the home and attached museum rank as the most outstanding repository of Confederate memorabilia in the United States. The Confederate Memorial Literary Society, a group of Richmond women, acquired the house in 1893. Three years later, on February 22, 1896, the building opened as the Confederate Museum and "promptly became the premier national repository of Confederate artifacts, acquiring the majority of its world-famous collection between 1896 and World War I" (Museum of the Confederacy). The white house continues to house an astounding collection of objects associated with the Confederacy and President Davis. The contemporary museum building next door now houses most of the institution's vast collection which includes the Appomatox uniform and sword of Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson's sword and cap, and items of clothing and equipment associated with other noted Confederate leaders.

Richmond architect Henry E Baskervill provided direction for fire-proofing and restoring the mansion to museum status in 1895. Another renovation of the house occurred from 1977 to 1988 to restore the white house to its Davis-era elegance complete with period decor, furnishings, and objects. The museum building next door houses three floors of exhibits as well as the Eleanor S Brockenbrough Library and the conservation and preservation efforts. The house and the modern museum building together comprise the Museum of the Confederacy, which serves as an international center of study on the role of the Confederacy in the American Civil War. - NPS


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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1818/00/00 John Brockenbrough Home Brockenbrough Mansion is built for John Brockenbrough, president of the Bank of Virginia
1818/00/00 Robert Mills Architect Brockenbrough Mansion is built for John Brockenbrough, president of the Bank of Virginia
1861/08/00 Jefferson F Davis Home Crenshaw Mansion is used as the second White House of the Confederacy from August 1861 till April 1865.
1865/04/02 Jefferson F Davis Confederate President President Jefferson Davis and the Confederate States of America government abandon Richmond and take an evening train to Danville, Virginia Flight of Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Cabinet
1865/04/03 Godfrey Weitzel Commander of all Union troops north of the Appomattox River Union Army takes Richmond, Major General Godfrey Weitzel establishes his headquarters in the Confederate White House and Union troops put out the raging fires in the city. Fall of Richmond 1865
1865/04/04 Abraham Lincoln Union Commander in Chief President Lincoln visits the Confederate White House and sits in President Jefferson Davis's chair. Fall of Richmond 1865
1865/04/06 Mary Todd Lincoln Witness Mary Lincoln returns to City Point and visits Richmond.

Data »

Particulars for White House of the Confederacy:
Sight Category Building
Architectural Style Early republic
Criteria Historic Event
Historic Use Institutional housing
Area of Significance Military
Level of Significance National
Criteria Person
Area of Significance Politics-government
Owner Private
Architectural Style Roman Classical Revival



US National Registry of Historic Places Data »

Accurate at time of registration:

PLACE DETAILS
Registry Name:
Registry Address:
Registry Number: 66000924
Resource Type:
Owner: Private
Architect: unknown
Architectural Style: Early republic, Other
Attribute: Roman-Doric
Other Certification: Designated National Landmark, National Landmark boundary approved
Nominator Name: National Historic Landmark
CULTURAL DETAILS
Level of Significance: National
Area of Significance: Military, Politics-government
Applicable Criteria: Event, Person
Period of Significance: 1850-1874
Significant Year: 1861, 1865
Associated People: Davis,Jefferson
Historic Function: Domestic
Historic Sub-Function: Institutional housing
Current Function: Recreation and Culture
Current Sub-Function: Museum

Activities »

Activity
Activity Category Tour

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