The Mississippi State Building was a reproduction of the last home of Jefferson Davis, known as "Beauvoir." This home is located near Biloxi, Miss., is of old-style southern architecture, massive in construction and imposing in appearance, and from its broad porches may be seen the "whitecaps" of the Gulf of Mexico. The house was built by James Brown, a rich cotton planter of Madison County, and by him used as a summer home until the close of the civil war, when it was sold to Mrs. Sarah A. Dorsey, from whom Mr. Davis secured it. It contained a large historic collection pertaining to the Davis family, much of the family furniture, the bed upon which Mr. Davis died, and the suit of clothes he wore when captured by General Wilson, in Georgia, at the close of hostilities between the North and the South; the object of the exhibit being to disprove the report that Mr. Davis wore a woman's dress when arrested. A statement of Capt. J.H. Parker, of General Wilson's staff was attached, contradicting the falsehood. The building cost $15,000 without furnishings or pictures. It was built entirely of Mississippi lumber, the contractor being J.F. Barnes, of Greenville, Miss.
In the horticultural exhibit the State showed all varieties of sweet and citrus fruits, pecans and edible nuts, together with a pecan horse.
In the Palace of Agriculture two exhibits were shown, the special cotton exhibit, including the 35-foot statue of "King Cotton," and the collective agricultural exhibit—cotton, corn, cereals, grains, hay, grasses, potatoes, peas, beans, sirups, honey, wines, cordials, preserves, pickles, jellies, canned goods, vegetables, oysters, shrimps, crabs, fish, etc.
All the merchantable timbers of the State were displayed in the forestry exhibit, which contained over 500 samples, highly polished and superbly finished, one of the largest and best collections shown.
In the Department of Fish and Game were exhibited all varieties of native fresh and salt water fish, birds, and wild animals.
In the Educational Building Mississippi showed the best work from the
colleges and high schools of the State. The Agricultural and Mechanical
College had a fine display in the general Agricultural and Mechanical
College section.
Other displays were the following: A varied and attractive collection of building stone, cement material, clays, phosphates, mineral waters in the Mineral Building; buggies and wagons made in the State in Transportation Hall; engines, sawmills, and other heavy machinery in the Machinery Building; a rare old double plate-glass electrical machine was exhibited in the Electrical Building, the contribution of the State university.
Mississippi was awarded over 30 prizes for her various exhibits, including 2 grand prizes on cotton and timbers; 6 gold medals and 3 silver medals on agriculture; a gold, silver, and bronze medal on fish and game; 2 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze medals on education; 2 silver and 3 bronze medals on minerals; a silver medal on wagons; a bronze medal on machinery; a gold medal on fruits, and a gold medal on pecans.
Less than $47,000 of the $60,000 appropriated by the legislature was spent on the State building and on the collection and installation of the exhibits, and from $10,000 to $15,000 of the appropriation was turned back into the State treasury. The expenditure proved of incalculable benefit to Mississippi, and good results are already being felt.
The executive commissioner, Col. R.H. Henry, is a native Mississippian. He was born in Scott County, May 15, 1851, and received education in the schools and academies of Mississippi. He engaged in journalism in early life, has been an editor and publisher over thirty years, and is regarded as the most successful journalist of his State. As the executive commissioner and the State's only representative at the exposition Mr. Henry designed and personally supervised the installation of the different Mississippi exhibits, ten in number, and the award of over 30 medals, including 2 grand prizes, abundantly attests and amply proves the merit and value of the Mississippi products.