That’s a little behind schedule because of the complexity of the concrete work that was required to ensure the 25,000-square-foot building remains intact if another hurricane the size of Hurricane Katrina strikes. Every building at the Confederate president’s retirement home was damaged or destroyed by Katrina in 2005.
The library was less than 10 years old when Katrina washed through the first floor, said Richard Forte Sr., acting Beauvoir director. Instead of repairing the library, which sat in the middle of a flood zone, FEMA agreed to pay $10.5 million to restore the national landmark on higher ground to the northwest.
“It’s a massive concrete structure,” said Danny Broadhead, construction supervisor.
He said 160 holes 4 feet apart, each 60 feet deep, were filled with reinforced concrete. Over a grid of concrete for the foundation and concrete walls poured on site will be an exterior of brick veneer and cut stone that looks like marble.
J.C. Duke and Associates of Mobile, Ala., is the general contractor.
On the first floor will be a gift shop, offices and a multipurpose room for events and meetings. Safely out of the storm surge on the second floor will be the presidential library, two museums – one honoring Davis, the other a Confederate military museum – and the boardroom with a balcony overlooking the Gulf.
Larry Albert of Albert & Associates in Hattiesburg, Miss., who designed the original library, was chosen as architect of the new building. Stars will draw visitors’ attention to the soaring ceiling of the entryway, 56 feet overhead. Curved balconies, four sets of 12-foot-tall wooden doors and incredible views will make the new library a memorable location for weddings and other events, Forte said.
Also part of the Beauvoir restoration is the replacement of the carpenter and foreman shops. The facades will look as they did during Davis’ time, but inside the buildings will be outfitted for today’s needs with a catering kitchen and a dining hall.
To rebuild the kitchen that served the main house, Forte had to turn to the Internet and eventually the Library of Congress.
A 1901 postcard wasn’t clear enough to re-create the kitchen, but Forte discovered the Library of Congress had the original glass negative from 1885.
The Department of Archives and History enlarged the photograph, placed it in the spot the picture was taken on the lawn of Beauvoir and determined the precise location and scale of the building. The Plexiglas enlargement will be a permanent exhibit on the lawn when the library opens.
The United Daughters of the Confederacy Arch that later marked the entrance to Beauvoir is being rebuilt near the cemetery on the northwestern area of the 50-acre property.
Forte said 35,000 commemorative bricks have been sold that will pave the area between the restored arch and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Another fundraiser is the 2011 Beauvoir license plate. Forte said some of the proceeds benefit Beauvoir.
Forte, a former dealer of military artifacts, has two degrees in history and has served on the Beauvoir board for 31 years, 22 as chairman. He put the word out that the board was seeking loans and donations of historical items for the new library and museums.
“We’ve had good response,” he said.
The National Park Service will loan a Confederate-manufactured cannon and a private collector will provide 60 muskets.
Forte said they have all the documents that were on the library’s second floor when Katrina hit, and four original Confederate flags, which would be worth at least $100,000 each.
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Information from: The Sun Herald, http://www.sunherald.com
Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-CS-03-14-11 0101EDT
