We had a beautiful drive down through central Mississippi to Davis Bayou Campground at the Gulf Island National Park just outside Biloxi, MS.
The park was about half full with large sites and full utilities. The area around us was perfect for bicycling and walking the boardwalks.
A very nice Visitors Center gave us an over view of this part of the Gulf Islands. What gorgeous country! We checked out the park then just relaxed.
Thursday morning we drove the 10 miles west to see the city of Biloxi and visit to Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and Library. We had a guided tour of the house to learn the history and then walked out to the back to see the gardens and the Confederate Cemetary where 700 Confederate soldiers are buried.
The house was being decorated for the Christmas holiday by volunteers
Near the entrance to the Cemetery we met two men who were setting up for a weekend reenactment of a Civil War event. They had their tents in place and were beginning to set up the cook house and other structures before others would arrive the next day.
One of the additional buildings on the property, restored but not open for the tour.
The home looks out at the Gulf of Mexico and a reminder of the vicious storms that have hit along this coast including Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Along this waterfront there were many empty lots where many lovely beachfront homes once stood. Katrina's 28-foot storm surge reportedly the highest in the coast's recorded history-pushed casino barges on shore and washed away nearly every building in its parth while gutting lower floors of the few structures able to withstand the water's power. The Jefferson Davis house did survive in tact though restorations are on going.
Near the Visitors Center was a life size statue of Jefferson Davis.
Next we stopped to see the Biloxi Lighthouse and beautiful white sand beaches.
Driving along the waterfront you couldn't miss this structure, the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art which displays the work of George Ohr, the "Mad Potter of Biloxi". The museum was designed by architect Frank Gehry. In addition to the pottery exhibit there are several galleries with work of Mississippi and International artists.
It was such an interesting building to explore and the view from the top was lovely and yet so out of the norm compared to local architecture surrounding it.
We took one last bike ride around the park before making dinner and heading to bed. A beautiful place to spend more time if we come back through this way again.
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