The White Plains plantation is located in Algood, TN which is just a few miles outside Cookeville. The plantation was established in 1909, by William Quarles. The original plantation was like a small town. There was a general store, blacksmith shop, and post office. Quarles was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, who had migrated to Tennessee from Virginia. The plantation served as a stagecoach stop along the Walton Road. Three U.S. presidents stayed at the plantation, Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson. Quarles was murdered in 1814 by William Phillips. The plantation was passed on to Stephen Decatur Burton, who built the current structure in 1848, when the original home burned. Burton lost most of his money after the Civil War, when Union forces burned cotton warehouses in Chattanooga. The plantation was eventually sold and later developed. The house and the property it sits on are currently privately owned. The White Plains home is considered to be one of the oldest homes in Putnam County, and is listed on the national register of historic places.
The outbuildings at the White Plains plantation are the only remaining original structures.
Stay tuned for more blog posts about tales from Tennessee and beyond. Remember to check out the section of the blog devoted to Moore Historical Consulting.
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