Rebuilt Jefferson Davis Presidential Library to open in fall

"One of the universal rules of happiness is: always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual."
-- Terry Pratchett, in his novel Jingo
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The Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum at Beauvoir is scheduled to open late this fall, two years after work began.

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.