Tennessee State Capitol

Tennessee's State Capitol building is one of the most unique in the United States and is also one of the oldest. Construction began on the building in 1845 and was not completed until 1859. The site chosen for the State Capitol building was located on a hill in the northern section of downtown Nashville. The site had previously been occupied by the Holy Rosary Cathedral. Renowned Philadelphia architect William Strickland was chosen to design and oversee construction of the building. Strickland designed the building after a Greek Ionic temple. The prominent lantern structure located above the roof line is a design based upon the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens that honors the Greek god Dionysus doing battle with Tyrrhenian pirates. Commercial labor was used to construct the building, but slave and convict labor was used as well. The limestone used in the building's construction was fired, cut, and hauled in from approximately one mile away. William Strickland died five years before the Capitol was completed. He was entombed within the building's walls. He is one of two to be entombed within the building, with the other being Samuel Dold Morgan, chairman of the State Building Commission. The building is completely symmetrical, with full height entry porches on the elevations, and full facade entry porches on the facades. Each of the four porches are supported by columns. On the grounds of the Capitol are statues of prominent figures in Tennessee history such as Andrew Jackson, Alvin C. York, and Edward Ward Carmack. Former President James K. Polk and his wife are buried on the Capitol grounds. Today the Capitol houses the Governor's office, and also the State Senate and State House of Representatives. In 1970 the Tennessee State Capitol was added to the National Register of Historic Places. A year later, in 1971, it was designated a National Historic Landmark. The State of Tennessee should be commended for the wonderful job that they did in preserving their State Capitol building. At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own a historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, nominations to the Century Farms program, and writing text for historic makers. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.

During the Civil War the State Capitol served as a fort and campsite for Union troops, and was also significant during the Battle of Nashville. Tennessee was one of the first states to fall during the Civil War, and the Capitol remained in Union hands for the entire war.

Statue of Alvin C. York at the State Capitol.

Tennessee Historical Commission historic marker at the State Capitol. This is one of the few "wall mounted" historic markers around. Contact Moore Historical Consulting for more information about the historic markers program.

Come back next week for another Throwback Thursday presented by Moore Historical Consulting.

Rattle and Snap

Columbia, Tennessee's Rattle and Snap was built by George Knox Polk in 1845. Polk was a cousin to the eleventh president of the United States, James K. Polk. George Polk's father was a Revolutionary War veteran from North Carolina. The elder Polk had been appointed surveyor-general of the Middle District of Tennessee in 1784. The land that encompasses Rattle and Snap most likely was either given to the elder Polk due to his military service, or he laid the land aside for himself and his heirs. The most common theory is that the Polk family acquired the land in a game of chance known as "rattle and snap" with the Governor of North Carolina. The mansion was constructed using slave labor. The bricks used in its construction were fired on site and then sheathed in stucco. Its main facade features a full height entry porch, supported by limestone columns. The columns have ornamentation at the top and the base, and were shipped from Cincinnati, Ohio. The mansion features an "L-shaped" footprint.  The George Polk family resided at Rattle and Snap for fifteen years. Following the Civil War, the family went bankrupt and could not afford the mansion or the land anymore. Rattle and Snap was sold to Joseph Granbery. The estate stayed in the Granbery family for over fifty years. Rattle and Snap remains privately owned and is currently open for tours. In 1971 Rattle and Snap was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was designated a National Historic Landmark at the same time due to its connection to the Polk family, and the fact that it is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival style architecture in the United States. Rattle and Snap is yet another great example of historic preservation gone right. At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own an historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, and nominations to the Century Farms program. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.

The rear elevation of Rattle and Snap is constructed in the Federal architectural style. It houses the kitchen, servants quarters, etc.

Tennessee Historical Commission historic marker at Rattle and Snap. At Moore Historical Consulting, I am proud to offer services to groups that would like to obtain one of these markers. 

Be sure and visit next week for another Throwback Thursday.

Nashville Union Station

Nashville's Union Station is one of the most ornate railroad stations in the country. It is regarded by historians as "one of America's finest examples of the Richardsonian-Romanesque architectural style." Work began on Union Station in 1898 and the building was completed in 1900. The building is constructed entirely of stone. Union Station served as the hub for both the Louisville and Nashville and the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railroads. The most famous feature of the building's exterior is the clock tower, and the interior features a sixty five foot high lobby with stained glass all around. The station was actually built at an elevation relative to the railroad tracks. Union Station's train shed was the largest unsupported structure in the United States for its time. It was able to house ten multi car trains. Rooms throughout the building served as bedrooms for overnight guests staying in Nashville. Union Station reached its peak during World War II as it served as the shipping out point for thousands of local soldiers. By the 1960s Americans chose to either drive or fly to get to their destinations. The passenger train industry suffered as a result and Union Station was closed. In 1980 a group of investors came forward and purchased the building. They restored it, making it a full time hotel. The famous train shed was not as lucky. Plans had been in the works to repurpose it, but in 2000 it was heavily damaged by fire and had to be razed. Union Station operated independently until 2012 when Marriott purchased it making it part of their network of hotels. In 1969 Union Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Union Station serves as another fine example of successful historic preservation. At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own an historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, and nominations to the Century Farms program. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.

The lobby at Union Station.

The train yard at Union Station. Notice how the tracks run at a different elevation than the station.

The massive train shed at Union Station. Sadly it is no longer extant.

Be sure to come back next week for another Throwback Thursday courtesy of Moore Historical Consulting.

John's Place

John's Place began in 1949 as a grocery store known as Ed's Place. The business was established, and continues to be ran by the McClellan family. Ed McClellan eventually transferred ownership of the grocery store to his brother John. The business continued as a grocery store, and a restaurant was later added. The restaurant served southern homestyle meals to anyone in the community and quickly gained popularity. The most popular menu item at John's Place quickly became a hot dog, known as the "John Dog." The hot dogs became so popular that a drive thru window was added to accommodate the large demand for them. John's Place was more then just a restaurant, it was an important part of Civil Rights history in Cookeville. Both African-American's and White's found common ground over the John Dog. There were no reports of racial tensions at John's Place. John McClellan later became the first African-American to be elected to public office in Cookeville. He also helped to desegregate Putnam County Schools. Today John's Place is ran by John McClellan's wife Mary Alice. The John Dog is still popular among native Cookevillians and Tennessee Tech University students. In 2011 John's Place was nominated and entered into the National Register of Historic Places. John's Place is a valuable piece of Cookeville history, and a fine example of successful historic preservation. At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own an historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, and nominations to the Century Farms program. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.

For more on John's Place check out Dr. Michael Birdwell's chapter in the anthology "People of the Upper Cumberland."

In 2011 Cookeville's PBS station, WCTE, did a documentary on John's Place. It can be viewed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTnDBLOV5-8

Be sure and come back next week for another Throwback Thursday courtesy of Moore Historical Consulting.

Montpier

Williamson County, Tennessee's Montpier was constructed in 1821 by Nicholas Perkins. Perkins had migrated from Virginia to Tennessee in the early 19th century. He followed his in laws, who were also his cousins, to Williamson County. His in laws had already established a plantation known as Meeting of the Waters nearby, and Perkins and his new bride settled on approximately 12,000 acres of land a few miles away along the Natchez Trace. Perkins gave his slaves the task of constructing he and his wife's new home. The home was constructed in the Federal style, matching Meeting of the Waters. The brick and wood used in the home's construction were fired and cut on site. Following Perkins' death in 1848, his descendants added a full height entry porch featuring a portico. It is no surprise to historians that Montpier is extremely elaborate. Nicholas Perkins was known for his love of fancy and elaborate items. He was given the nickname "Bigbee" for that reason.* In addition to running Montpier, Perkins worked as an attorney, served as Territorial Register of Lands, and was also involved in local, state, and Federal politics. Perhaps his most notable achievement was assisting in the location and arrest of Aaron Burr for treason and the murder of Alexander Hamilton. It is interesting to note that the last ten years of Nicholas Perkins' life were spent at Meeting of the Waters. Following the death of his in laws, Thomas and Mary Perkins, Bigbee and his wife moved from Montpier to Meeting of the Waters. It is unknown who took up residence at Montpier, but it was most likely one of Bigbee's children. Following the death of Bigbee and his wife, Montpier was left to their daughter Mary Elizabeth and her husband. Both Bigbee and his wife are buried in the Perkins family cemetery located near Meeting of the Waters. According to the National Register of Historic Places Nomination, Montpier was sold out of the Perkins family in the early 20th century. From then until the present, Montpier has seen numerous owners. In 1982 Montpier was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The home still serves as a beautiful part of the Williamson County country side and also is an important part of the scenery along Old Natchez Trace. Montpier is yet another fine example of successful historic preservation. At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own an historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, and nominations to the Century Farms program. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.

Williamson County Historical Society historic marker at Montpier.

Be sure to come back next week for another Throwback Thursday courtesy of Moore Historical Consulting.

* Historians are torn over why Nicholas Perkins was given the nickname "Bigbee." Some believe it was given to him for his love of elaborate items, but some believe that the name is derived from the Tombigbee River where Aaron Burr was captured.