The Other President in 1861

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There was one time when we had two presidents instead of one: during the Civil War. The Union had a president, Abraham Lincoln; and the Confederacy had a president, Jefferson Davis. Here's a kick in the head: the two presidents on opposing sides of America's terrible homegrown conflict were both Kentuckians. They were born about 100 miles from each other. On my recent road trip I made a stop at Jefferson Davis' birthplace, which is located in Fairview, Kentucky. The monument erected in honor of the only president of the Confederacy looks very similar to the Washington Monument, just smaller in height. Before he became the leader of the rebellion, Davis was a very distinguished American. He served as a soldier in the Mexican-American War, Congressman, Secretary of War, and two terms as a U.S. senator from Mississippi. When Mississippi seceded from the Union in 1861 Davis resigned as a senator, returned to Mississippi, and was elected the Confederate States of America's first (and only) president. After the war Davis was imprisoned for two years and charged with treason. President Andrew Johnson granted a pardon to the officials in the south on Christmas day 1868, and charges of treason were dropped against Davis. His story is told in a small museum on the grounds of the site. Davis' actual birthplace is the current home of a Methodist church, which received the property as a gift from Davis. The Jefferson Davis Monument State Historic Park is on the Todd/Christian County line in western Kentucky. The park is free; however, there is admission for the museum and/or elevator ride to the top of the monument. As you can see from the photo of the quote from Davis above, Davis didn't want the rift in the country and worked diligently to heal wounds after the war. It is fitting that he have a memorial in his home state.