The First White House of the Confederacy — Attraction in Montgomery

Because we arrived after hours, we assumed we could only photograph from outside. After a few minutes of photographing every angle we could to drink in from the outdoors, we took a chance and approached the door. When it opened, we were not only greeted, but warmly welcomed and invited inside. Most places from our experience would have had their foot in the door and we'd be turned away if we arrived slightly late, so it was very refreshing!

Bob was very friendly and warm and made us feel right at home as if we were family. We were offered bottled water and we were not pressured to scurry through due to closing time by any means. Instead, we were encouraged to explore at our own pace and take in this unique experience.

The First White House of the Confederacy was clean, well maintained, and very informative. The relics and pieces from the period were exquisite, and we were encouraged to take as many photographs and videos as we pleased. Having been raised in the north, I had chosen to purchase a postcard with a cotton field on the face as I'd never seen a cotton field before. When Bob learned this, he went to a back room and came out with a small bundle of cotton for me to take home! He was very generous in numerous ways and I felt sad to wave goodbye. It was a cheerful and memorable experience, and we urge everyone to visit and support this historic place.

Also, although history can be found to be dark or light, history should be preserved. Every country, civilization, and race has had 'bad' history. We need to learn from it. By taking care, the good, the bad, and the ugly are not brushed under a rug. It is important to revisit and understand the process and progress we as human beings have/haven't made, and...

I've ALWAYS loved going to this place. Unlike a museum that changes displays; this doesn't. The rooms are still set up and displaying the same artifacts as when I was a child which I think adds to the curiosity. Considering it was the home of Jefferson Davis and all the items were owned or in his era, it makes sense :-) Its pretty small even though it's a 2-story home, so large groups (school, church and such) will find it a bit cramped. The displays are in each room of the house made up to showcase how the home was originally set-up and furnished. Because of this, the entrances of the rooms are roped off about a foot inside so very few people can see in at one time. Which is a hassle when you're waiting your turn in a group and only get a few moments before you have t0move on. They've gotten better though with group management, so it's still worth a pop in and a must see if visiting Montgomery for the first time. Its downtown so there's no parking unless you park in a deck and walk, or park next to a meter and walk! :-) Many people just park in the Archives parking lot and walk. It's a short distance away and the walk in actually pretty nice. Also, there's always the nicest and most knowledgeable volunteers operating it...

Regardless of what this place meant at the time of it being created, this place is now a part of history. As someone who grew up in the north I never had the opportunity to fully learn about the southern history and how they saw themselves from an unbiased viewpoint so this was truly a unique experience. Regardless of where you are from, I do recommend visiting this place (it is free to visit) because there is a lot to still learn. It is a self-guided tour and I highly recommend taking the information books on the tour and actually reading it because otherwise it will just look like an old house. The first man we met upon entering was also so incredibly personable and extremely knowledgeable about the time period. There is also a small gift shop inside. Again, this place will always be a very controversial place but it is a part of history so we must accept the good and bad to improve the future so I recommend visiting this place and...